The Melbourne Demons are the oldest Australian football team in the world and a significant part of VFL/AFL history. The idea for the club came from a letter written in 1858 by Tom Wills, the captain of the Victoria cricket team, requesting the establishment of a "foot-ball club" with a "code of laws" of its own.

When Wills and three other members codified "The Rules of the Melbourne Football Club" (the foundation of 'Australian rules' football), history was made. An unofficial Melbourne squad played and prevailed in a match against South Yarra, leading to the official formation of the club in May 1859.

The team was a major player in the Challenge Cup, the first ever 'Australian rules' football competition. It also started the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in 1877 and the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1896, both of which evolved into the AFL. Melbourne last won an AFL/VFL championship in 1964, but they have won 12 overall.

Melbourne has historically had one of the lowest fan bases among the Victorian teams, but since the unsuccessful Hawthorn merger in 1996, it has increased membership and attendance, reaching over 30,000 members since 2009. Now, they reach over 58,000 members! When they train, the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), is the official home of the Demons.