Rita Panahi: Arrogant league only has itself to blame for underperforming AFLW
The highly political AFLW is a massive drain on the league with low attendance levels, a shrinking TV audience and massive losses but as is often the case with the AFL it’s a problem that’s entirely self-inflicted.
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The AFL has an expensive problem. And, as is often the case with the AFL it’s a problem that’s entirely self-inflicted, a result of an unhealthy mix of arrogance and ineptness.
From the start the AFLW has been a highly political product; one that was backed by corporates more than footy fans. But that corporate support has not translated into profit or even self-sufficiency; the AFLW is making huge losses annually and its existence is dependent on the largesse of the men’s competition.
This is despite the AFLW enjoying media coverage that has consistently been disproportionate to the level of interest the game generates. It turns out you can’t manufacture interest by shoving the sport down people’s throats, you actually have to grow the game organically, authentically.
Right now the AFLW is a massive drain on the league with low attendance levels that are falling further, a negligible TV audience that is shrinking and massive losses totalling a reported $50m a year.
It was only a few months ago when AFL CEO Andrew Dillon was trumpeting the women’s competition as the league’s greatest opportunity for growth.
“I absolutely see the future for us, and how we’ll grow and be even bigger, is the AFLW competition,” he said in March.
Well, he is right in a way; when you’ve hit rock bottom, the only way is up.
In 2024 the AFLW’s average attendance was fewer than 3000 and its TV audience has plummeted by about 70 per cent since season one.
The reality is that after a modest start in 2017, bolstered by corporate support and crowds boosted by free entry, the AFLW has failed to grow interest in the game.
It is a long way from becoming viable and given the meagre TV audience, it is difficult to see how the league can score an advantageous broadcast deal on its own.
Part of the problem is the standard of the game, but the politicisation of the league has also turned off many potential supporters. At times it has seemed that the W in AFLW stands for woke not women.
Among the missteps was the decision to dump a tribute to the late Queen in the days after her passing in 2022 because some players were against honouring “western imperialism”.
A fledgling competition cannot afford to turn off potential fans with divisive political posturing.
Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist
Originally published as Rita Panahi: Arrogant league only has itself to blame for underperforming AFLW
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