AFL bosses Mike Fitzpatrick and Andrew Demetriou have turned their backs on the competition's pivotal 150th birthday celebrations in favour of the Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing.

In a snub that has raised eyebrows among both club and Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College circles, AFL chairman Fitzpatrick, who had been suggested as speaker at the three-match function held in honour of the sesquicentenary at the MCG on August 8, has told organisers he cannot attend and is headed for China instead.

Demetriou, who was expected to attend the function honouring the first game of Australian football, has chosen to accept an invitation along with Fitzpatrick from the Seven Network to attend the opening ceremony.

"It's just an unfortunate clash of dates," Demetriou told The Age. "It's a pity but we can't be there. We will be represented by other commissioners and senior AFL executives on the day."

Demetriou could not confirm whether his No. 2 Gillon McLachlan — also Beijing-bound — would be at the opening ceremony.

The 150th anniversary birthday game between Melbourne Grammar and Scotch College will be played at the MCG, not far from the Yarra Park turf upon which the two schools contested the first game of recognised Australian football in 1858.

The match is scheduled to start at about 4pm as a curtain-raiser to the clash between foundation clubs Melbourne and Geelong.

The snub is more significant, given the AFL's decision to turn the anniversary of the private school football game — regarded as the match that pioneered Australian football — into its own birthday party.

The Hall of Fame celebrations and the Victoria-Dream Team game staged over a bye weekend last month, along with a lavish publication marking the history of the AFL and even the AFL's season launch, were all part of the sesquicentenary created by the Melbourne Grammar-Scotch College game. Only twelve years ago, league football celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Asked whether it would have been more appropriate to attend the Olympics but miss the opening ceremony in favour of the historic MCG game, Demetriou said: "As I said, it's a pity. But we have worked closely with all the parties involved and they know we support them in what they are doing."

This AFL administration has a history of avoiding important games in favour of other big cultural and sporting events.

During the 2004 finals series, Demetriou and several commissioners scheduled a Saturday night preliminary final between Geelong and the Brisbane Lions and left the MCG and its stormy weather after the pre-match function to attend an opera performance.