West Coast Eagles tumble down AFL clubs' revenue ladder for 2020. In a Covid-affected 2020, Club membership reached 992,854. The AFL spent almost $30 million on COVID-19 related costs in 2021, taking it to a combined $76 million during the past two seasons. Picture: AFL Photos, Dees' tall duo sets up big win, another injury worry for star Tiger. However, because of government intervention, severe cost-cutting, lower expenses and pay cuts, catastrophic losses were avoided. As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic. The club recorded a standard operating profit of $2,308,667 prior to the inclusion of $2,254,069 of expenses relating to the Swans HQ development at the Royal Hall of Industries (tender costs, rent and depreciation). The Port Adelaide Football Club has declared a record operating profit for the 2021 financial year. Geelong has named its squad to take on Brisbane in Thursdays practice match, Daisy Pearce arrival to Geelong has been almost a lifetime in the making, Daisy Pearce has joined the Cats' coaching ranks. In a statement, Geelong said it was focused on identifying new opportunities to substitute gaming revenues to ensure a sustainable operating model into the future, including expanding its investment in the health and fitness and hospitality industries. 2018 Annual Report. In a funding table that reveals remarkable and growing differences in allocations to clubs, the Saints were clearly the most subsidised of the Victorian clubs, obtaining close to $17 million more than the next Melbourne club, the Western Bulldogs, in variable funding over the decade to 2021. While the AFL recorded a cash surplus, the AFL's underlying operating loss for 2021 was $43.0 million, compared to an underlying operating loss of $22.7 million in 2020. Richmond President Peggy ONeal said the Clubs financial position was the result of a collective effort to keep the Club strong during challenging times. We have survived the most challenging two years in the games history and while we know the next 12 months will continue to surprise and test us, our priority remains to keep our game as affordable and accessible as possible for all. The Club delivered another record membership of 105,084 a remarkable result under any scenario. There were significantly less travel and accommodation costs in 2021 compared to 2020. Sydney has managed to scrape together a $54,598 net profit following an AFL season in which it spent large periods outside of New South Wales because of Covid-19 lockdowns. Collingwood has posted a net loss of almost $700,000 as it deals with the on-going financial impact of Covid-19. both clubs having stronger balance sheets than ever before, the Demons selling the Bentleigh Club for $23.7 million this year, topping $20 million in 2017, 2018 and 2019, They lost $6.1 million in 2020 due to the COVID-19s impact on their largely crowd-free home games, but have fared far better to record a small profit. As society starts to spin back into gear, the AFL is preparing for a challenge it hasn't faced before how to rebuild. These unprecedented results were a significant driver in achieving such a fantastic financial result in 2021, Pert said. Storms threaten north-east United States after tearing through the south, leaving 10 dead, Timely reminder: How to respond if you test positive to COVID-19. West Coast lost $42m from a very high income and simply didn't make their usual massive profit. North Melbourne has also been able to lock in coaching great Paul Roos for another season as a mentor and leadership consultant to the coaching group. Its the Bulldogs eighth straight year of total profits, and sixth with a total profit in excess of $1 million. to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time. These expenses included extensive covid testing, additional travel and accommodation requirements and the setup of multiple high-performance centres to house travelling teams and families. This operating result has contributed to the Club declaring a statutory net profit position of $20,257,029 for the year ended 31 October 2021 - inclusive of government grants and philanthropic contributions towards the IKON Park Redevelopment, which has now surpassed 50 per cent completion. The improved financial position places the club in a strong position to bounce out of the COVID-19 pandemic and strive for success on and off field in season 2022. Show publisher information The AFL has today forwarded its 2021 financial results to the Presidents and Chairs of the 18 clubs, in the lead-up to next months Annual General Meeting. These facilities were extinguished in 2021 following the continued focus on managing the overall cost base and driving revenue growth, while delivering the season safely in a pandemic environment,Mr Auld said. North Melbourne and Sydney are slated to have their funding slightly increased in 2022.But most AFL clubs will receive a little less in the first instance. In his review of the year, AFL Commission Chair Richard Goyder said the entire industry was collectively tested as it navigated through the on-going effects of the pandemic. The Swans won't be one of the most affected clubs by the coronavirus, but they also won't be immune . Many new members signed on after the end of the AFL cut-off period, despite knowing they couldnt even attend matches. "Revenue of the Australian Football League (AFL) in Australia from 2012 to 2021 (in million Australian dollars)." Get full access to all features within our Business Solutions. It is also essential to the northern market teams, albeit the Swans need much less help than the Lions, Suns or Giants. Once again, we would like to thank our members for their continued support. The once cash-strapped Kangaroos now have money in the bank and a locked-in future at their traditional Arden St home base after posting a 13th profit from the last 14 seasons, despite a second year of Covid interruptions. As a result, the club is debt free as at 31 October 2021. Posted Tue 24 Aug 2021 at 1:52am Tuesday 24 Aug . Across all clubs, revenue dropped $342m, or an average of $19m per club. The report also provides assurance that the City presents fairly its financial position as verified by independent auditors. An investigation by The Age into the different funding of the 18 clubs over 10 seasons also found that Richmond now a competition benchmark on and off the field had surprisingly been given more funding than seven clubs over the past decade, gaining variable funding of more than $13 million compared with Collingwoods none, West Coasts $525,000, Geelongs $2.6-$2.8 million, Essendons $2.3 million, Hawthorns $4.106 million and Fremantles approximately $6 million. For them, the pain was as hard as in any other sector. The government's rollout of JobKeeper helped reduce the level of cuts, with clubs accessing around $70-80m collectively from the scheme. The clubs revenue growth of $14.5 million - a 47 per cent rise - came off the back of a $3 million increase in match receipts, a $2.7 million increase in merchandise sales as well as $1.7 million growth in membership revenue. In a statement on the club funding differences, an AFL spokesman said: We have a club funding model that is integral to the competitive balance of the competition and supports the notion of any given Sunday, and clubs get different levels of funding depending on their individual circumstances.. AFL Club Member Summary 1984-2021 Clubs - 1992-2015 GWS Members MCC Member Survey - 2008, 2010 & 2015 Swans Melbourne Memberships AFL Participation 2008 AFL Participation 2009 AFL Participation 2012 AFL Participation AFL Sponsorship News Club Jumper Manufacturers Marks for marques: new car intention at AFL clubs AFL Stadiums 2019 AFL Venues It also raised questions about the level of support needed for a Tasmanian team. The net operating profit of $1,282,346 for 2021 was a dramatic improvement on the break-even result achieved in 2020 of $34,639. A sell out Dreamtime game in Perth has helped Essendon post a $1.2 million operating profit for 2021 and emerge from a second Covid-stricken year bank-debt free. It has been a significant achievement to turnaround a heavy financial loss incurred in 2020, to post a profit in 2021 while clearing all debts to the AFL, Sydney Swans CEO Tom Harley said. Shares have lost about 1.9% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500. $85,000 - $100,000 a year. While it's often easy to think of professional sport being rife with cash, that often doesn't trickle down to the lower-paid staff supporting the on-field product. By portadelaidefc.com.au on Feb 14, 2022, 1:30pm The Port Adelaide Football Club has declared a record operating profit of $4,209,451 for the financial year ending 31 October 2021. Statista. In the past, the AFL fully funded the player payments. The AFL view and that of smaller clubs is that this shift to a more genuinely socialised funding system has been successful in that teams such as the Bulldogs and Melbourne have managed to win flags and build stronger balance sheets. The club increased its membership base by 6000 from 2020 with more than 82,000 Pies fans making up the club support base through its AFL, AFLW and netball programs. It operates through the followings segments: Aflac Japan and Aflac United States (U.S.). These expenses included testing for COVID-19, travel and accommodation requirements and the creation of hubs across the country. Still, the club remains in a stable financial position and boasts a talented young list. The effects of COVID-19 can be seen in club annual reports. To the Federal and respective State and Territory Governments, along with the Chief Health Officers, your continued leadership and guidance played the most significant part in us being able to complete both our AFLW and AFL seasons and, on behalf of the entire football community, we are very grateful for that continued supportand the tireless efforts of all front-line and essential workers.In yet another pandemic-affected year AFL revenue increased by $63.3 million, however this increase was offset by the costs associated with the return to the standard club funding model, distributions relating to obligations under the collective bargaining agreement and the additional costs to operate the season under the relevant covid restrictions. All clubs receive the same standard distribution, which was $10.45 million in 2021 and will reduce to $8.45 million in 2022, when Richmond, West Coast, Hawthorn and Collingwood will receive only that amount, with the remainder of the money re-allocated to teams deemed to have the greatest need. Professional sport is a business largely centred around travel and the gathering of crowds two things verboten when dealing with a pandemic. 4-1 Hybrid work schedule (4 days at home - 1 in the. This year, we experienced the largest aggregate growth in membership of any club in the AFL, Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell said. AFL Clubs Adelaide Crows Brisbane Carlton Collingwood Essendon Fremantle Geelong Gold Coast Suns GWS Giants Hawthorn Melbourne North Melbourne . 8 hour shift. We could not have achieved these kinds of results without the support of the 54,493 dedicated Demons who signed on in 2021. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. 2020 Annual Report. Stories of football department staff taking on jobs in other industries are rife, as are tales of staff left in the lurch. Get a Leaderboard Chart for AFL? GWS, thus, is expected to get a small boost in funding, while the Bulldogs who rank only behind the Saints among Victorian clubs for extra funding will have their funding chopped. Live attendance forms the backbone of the spirit of football but as technology has improved, in-person attendance isn't the only way you can support your team. The strong financial result was underpinned by the sale of The Brook gaming venue in November 2020, resulting in a gain on sale of $2.4 million. The club also made a profit from discontinued operations, including the gain on the sale of gaming operations, of $3.98 million. We acknowledge the ongoing support of our major partner Ford and other principal partners GMHBA, Cotton On, Deakin University and Morris Finance; No crowds at our final four AFL mens home games; Continued restrictive trading conditions for our hospitality business Higher Mark and Geelongs Gym due to government health measures through the COVID-19; and, Depreciation and amortisation expense of $3.0 million. By portadelaidefc.com.au on Feb 11, 2021, 7:00pm The Port Adelaide Football Club has announced a net loss from continuing operations of $278,806 for the financial year ending 31 October 2020. They lost $6.1 million in 2020 due to the COVID-19s impact on their largely crowd-free home games, but have fared far better to record a small profit this year. Essendon tackled Richmond at Perth Stadium for the Sir Doug Nicholls Round after the game was moved to Darwin in 2020. The club is now debt free for the first time in decades and positioned to bounce out of COVID-19. The gap in funding and the extent of the socialised model was evident in a table, obtained by The Age, that showed what the profit and loss position of the 18 clubs would be, from 2017 until 2020, with and without variable funding. All clubs receive the same standard distribution, which was $10.45 million in 2021 and will reduce to $8.45 million in 2022, when Richmond, West Coast, Hawthorn and Collingwood will receive only that amount, with the remainder of the money re-allocated to teams deemed to have the greatest need. Were working to restore it. That step is reminiscent of a failed attempt in 2012 by Wilmington city officials to bring an Atlanta Braves minor league team to the Port City. All hopes are that it is plan A or B embarked upon in the future. Full-time. The best of the best: the portal for top lists & rankings: Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). AFL Headquartersalso embarked on a significant restructure to stay afloat. Even adjusted for inflation, half of the league's modern clubs earned more revenue in 2019 than the VFL as a whole did in 1987. A grand final appearance has helped the Western Bulldogs to another healthy profit. The club has embarked on a major upgrade of RSEA Park in Moorabbin which has become the clubs home again after the failed Seaford venture. In adopting a new funding model that reduced the base amount for clubs from $10 million to$8 million, the AFL has singled out those four wealthy clubs to lose all the $2 million per club that the league has put in a pot for redistribution. Premium events and corporate boxes were mostly impossible and many fans opted for options such as reduced cost memberships or fees deferred toward next year's membership. Battle lines between clubs are expected to be drawn when the AFL reviews the 2022 funding. The total payments to AFL Executives equated to $9.8 million, compared to $7.0 million in 2020, and $10.4 million in 2019. It showed that West Coast, who made a monstrous profit after the 2018 flag, would have an aggregate profit of over $32 million ($8 million plus per year) without variable funding, and that under the same scenario the top six clubs would have averaged more than $3 million in profits, but that only eight clubs would be in the black. Geelong said the ongoing support of its membership base, the team reaching the 2021 preliminary final, and its managements response in reducing the cost base materially during the previous financial year all assisted the club in producing the exceptional financial result given the circumstances. AFL clubs and broadcasting manager Travis Auld speaking to media in 2020. Whatever way it goes, [we] want to have a strong voice in that discussion.. A paid subscription is required for full access. It was another testing year financially, but I want to thank the boards and staff of the 18 clubs, our players, umpires and our own AFL Executive and team, led by Gillon McLachlan, for the work they did and the decisions they made to ensure football continued around the country. While Australia has faced big, life-altering challenges before such as the 1918 influenza epidemic and two world wars, sport in Australia has been more of a semi-professional pursuit than a fully professional one. engages in the provision of financial protection services. However, the prospects of future outbreaks, and related shutdowns, still loom onthe horizon. Learn more about how Statista can support your business. For the league, having stores of cash and a positive asset position was a help to getting through the financial pain. More analysis for UNM: IBD RATINGS FOR AFL Management have developed a clear strategy under new CEO Steve Hocking for crowds to return in season 2022, kicking off with the AFL W season in January. The figures showed St Kilda would have lost $32.6 million, Melbourne $19.1 million, Port Adelaide $14.56 million, Brisbane Lions $35.2 million and Gold Coast and GWS would have had aggregate losses of $45.2 million and $50 million, respectively. COVID-19 has not disappeared from the public landscapeand likely won't for a fair while. Eighty per cent of all jobs across AFL headquarters and the clubs were either cut or furloughed during the peak of the COVID shutdown, with the players taking a 50 per centpay cut over the period. Professional football in Australia has not always been a high-money, high-stakes game. Pert said the Demons had sold almost four years worth of merchandise in the month leading up to and after the clubs 2021 premiership success. A drop in revenue was at least partially matched with a drop in expenditure. The focus remains on the rebuild and strengthening of the industry balance sheet that will enable future investment in the growth and development of our game from grassroots through to the elite platforms. 2014 Annual Report. Of the $36 million the AFL has taken from all clubs, more than $26 million will be re-allocated to 14 of the 18 clubs, on a needs basis - a move that has already drawn the ire of Richmond, Collingwood, Hawthorn, the Eagles and Essendon. We saw all areas of the club display great flexibility and agility in making significant changes to the way we operate. Amarfio told the Herald Sun last year that the Kangaroos had made it a priority to become debt-free, after finishing 2020 only $400,000 left in arrears. The news caps off a great week for North Melbourne following on from the signing of experienced midfielder Hugh Greenwood after a Gold Coast list miscalculation backfired. National cabinet encourages wearing masks to combat COVID-19. Melbourne will also have a reduction after winning the premiership, but they will not be cut as heavily as the Bulldogs, according to competition sources, because the Dogs have had a longer period of profitability. Next season shapes as a huge year for the Saints as Brett Ratten attempts to win a new contract and steer the club into finals after a 10-win season this year. All times AEDT (GMT +11). We will continue to strive to achieve our goals in 2022, both on and off the field., The hard running Gryan Miers' making an early impression on the back of an uninterrupted pre-season, Geelong has named a 34-player squad for its first VFLW practice match of 2023, Catch The Greatest Team of All this Monday night, Cats expect a handful of veterans back for Round 1, with full forward Hawkins an outside chance. The loss of $2 million each to the first four of those four clubs means that, in effect, as one source from a wealthy club pointed out, there will be a gap exceeding $6 million each year between what the AFL provides to the richer clubs and the total player payments (TPP). Aflac, Inc. is a holding company. The expansion teams have consistently been funded to the tune of more than $20 million, covering their player payments and most of the soft cap, over the past several years, except for the COVID-curtailed 2020, when AFL revenue shrank. 2021 Annual Report. The games collective unity and determination enabled us to withstand what some would say was an even bigger test than the year prior. We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn, and work. The Geelong Football Club has announced a statutory net profit of $4.7 million for the year ended 31 October 2021. The club was precariously placed when it owed as much as $9 million in the years after rejecting a massive financial carrot from the AFL in late 2007 to turn its back on Melbourne and relocate to the Gold Coast. This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set Kennett had been under pressure for the clubs handling of a messy succession plan that saw Sam Mitchell take the coaching role from Clarkson who still had a year to run on his contract. Distributions increased $117.0 million through increases in club and AFL Players Association distributions; these were reduced in 2020 to offset lower revenue and increased costs of running the mens Toyota Premiership season and returned toward pre-COVID levels in 2021. Consistently analyze financial information based on both routine and ad-hoc reports. Tanner Bruhn showed a glimpse of his talent in a great showing against the Lions in Geelong's final practice match of the pre season. A payment is due to be made to the players retirement fund in May 2022. Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites. Roos is currently in Hawaii, but he was able to come to terms with the club this week and played a big role in helping to guide the coaching staff this year. Mr Goyder also thanked the respective governments and health officials for the integral role they played in assisting the AFL deliver footy to all fans across the country. Sources said this was a travel allowance. ", Australian Football League, Revenue of the Australian Football League (AFL) in Australia from 2012 to 2021 (in million Australian dollars) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1299806/australia-revenue-of-the-afl/ (last visited March 04, 2023), Revenue of the Australian Football League (AFL) in Australia from 2012 to 2021 (in million Australian dollars) [Graph], Australian Football League, March 7, 2022. Of this year's crop of key position players, the premier tall is Sam Darcy, who stands at 204cm and looms as a future star. 2 nd in group. The club now proudly has no direct revenues from all forms of gambling and gaming, and is focused on identifying new opportunities to substitute gaming revenues to ensure a sustainable operating model into the future, this includes expanding its investment in the health and fitness and hospitality industries through its award-winning Higher Mark business. The redistribution from rich to poor over the decade and especially figures from 2017 to 2020 that counts one year of the pandemic also raises questions about the sustainability of the financial model in the eyes of some clubs, given the large number of teams that rely on the AFL to remain in the black or to manage debt. Their support ensures we can continue to re-establish Melbourne as a powerhouse of the competition.. Club president Ben Buckley and chief executive Ben Amarfio will make the announcement at a special media conference at Arden Street on Friday morning. . Attributable to the results were as following: Sponsorship and advertising revenues $11.7m compared to the $10.1m in the prior year. We saw all areas of the club display great flexibility and agility in making significant changes to the way we operate. The Giants have received about $100 million more funding from the AFL than the Pies over the past decade. In another season affected by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, including games with heavily-reduced capacities and at times no crowds at all, it is the first time in history the total club membership number has exceeded 1.1 million. AFL clubs have emerged from two chaotic, Covid-hit years in reasonably healthy financial shape. Please try again later. Crowds in 2020 were at their lowest point since the middle of World War II, with just 826,458 punters walking through the turnstiles. Key items contributing to the financial outcome include: Whilst our result was underpinned by the sale of The Brook gaming venue, we must acknowledge and thank the ongoing contribution of our Geelong Strong members in season 2021, in what was another disrupted and challenging year in being able to attend games of football Geelong Cats Chief Operating Officer Simon Kelleher said. The clubs that think that theyve probably sacrificed too much already will want something else. A report from The Age shows the league's variable funding of clubs from 2012 to 2021, with a huge $100 million gap between the top (GWS) and bottom club (Collingwood).