Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham admits jobs will have to be cut in order for AFL clubs to survive
Both Sydney and GWS executives were locked in urgent crisis meetings with AFL headquarters on Sunday night as the game tries to frantically thrash out how it can navigate through the unprecedented challenge ahead.
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Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham has made the frank admission that AFL clubs, including the Swans, will have to cut jobs to survive.
AFL chief executive Gill McLachlan warned that the decision to suspend the league season due to the coronavirus would demand “drastic measures” be taken if the game is to cope with the biggest financial crisis in its history.
Pridham, who has been part of a committee advising McLachlan over the past week, says the sobering reality is that those “drastic measures” will mean a gut wrenching human toll.
Both Sydney and GWS executives were locked in urgent crisis meetings with AFL headquarters on Sunday night as the game tries to frantically thrash out how it can navigate through the unprecedented challenge ahead, but Pridham concedes redundancies among club staff is inevitable, including at the Swans.
“Yes,” Pridham told News Corp Australia.
“We’re not immune from the rest of the world. It’s happening everywhere. It’s the harsh reality.
“I think the drastic measures relate to being the material reduction of the cost base, and that’s obviously people.
“That’s a large part of it. The material reduction in revenue coming in, you’ve got to cut costs quickly and that’s really what that’s going to be. And that’s probably from an insiders’ point of view, that’s the hardest thing about it.
“… At a human level it’s going to be extremely difficult. I know from a personal level, the impact on people’s lives is terrible … I know so many people who that’s going to really have a big impact on. Big impact.”
The Swans and GWS Giants will look at ‘training from home’ arrangements for players in the wake of the AFL competition shut-down, which will last until at least May 31, with a review of the coronavirus situation to take place in a month.
However, that is all secondary compared to the extreme fight for survival of clubs, and the impact on families that job cuts will have.
The Giants are one of the smaller clubs, but Pridham says he was moved by the one-in-all-in mentality of the competition to do whatever necessary to guarantee survival for all.
Asked how the Swans were placed to ride out the storm, Pridham says all clubs are united in the same position, regardless of their wealth.
“I think all 18 clubs, our fortunes are inextricably linked,” he said.
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“In terms of the competition, it’s a symbiotic relationship between the AFL and the clubs. We’ve got a challenge and it’s going to be really painful. It’s going to be very painful for the AFL and the clubs, the Swans are no different.
“I think there’s a very united objective to keep everyone afloat. I don’t see any question of that.
“If one club needs more help than another club, that’s the way it is. I haven’t seen one iota of (selfishness).
“All we can do is plan for the worst and hope for the best. That’s my mantra.”
Giants chief David Matthews said the club will work closely with the AFL to make sure the burgeoning Giants business can come out the other side.
“This is first and foremost a community-wide issue that is impacting everyone, not just the AFL industry,” said Matthews.
“Today’s developments are a reflection of the worsening situation in the community and in response to decisions by Federal and State Governments.
“Ultimately we will not do anything to compromise the health and well-being of our players and staff.
“We’re clearly hopeful the season can get back under way at a later date but in the meantime we will continue to work closely with the AFL, as we’ve done in recent weeks, to ensure we find a way through this.”
Originally published as Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham admits jobs will have to be cut in order for AFL clubs to survive