Hubs take heavy toll on AFL bottom line, hence push for all 153 games to be played
The massive cost of housing clubs in hubs and COVID-19 testing is hitting home for he AFL, with the squeeze on its finances exacerbating its desperation to ensure every scheduled game is played.
AFL News
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The AFL will spend more than 10 per cent of this season’s revenue on interstate hubs that will cover flights, accommodation and meals for roughly 1500 people.
News Corp understands the league will generate about $400 million from getting away all 153 home-and-away matches this season.
The AFL banks close to $20-25 million per round, which is keeping the sport afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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It was revealed this week that the hubs cost north of $3 million per week, and that bill is set to hit close to $4 million as more players, families and possibly clubs — with Sydney and GWS on standby for relocation — jet north.
Every club is allowed to invite 100 guests at the AFL’s expense. The cost of extra attendees will be split 50-50 between the club and the league.
Dr Peter Larkins told the Herald Sun recently that each COVID-19 test cost $100, equating to another $4 million cost that was not budgeted for this season.
But even if the bill from coronavirus testing and interstate hubs exceeds $50 million the AFL would still be $350 million ahead from playing the season.
Victorian clubs held emotional staff meetings at their Gold Coast resorts on Wednesday night as they grappled with the prospect of spending another nine weeks away from home.
They felt blindsided by the AFL’s proposal given last week’s guarantee they would be home in 35 days.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said on Thursday he would continue to “log” the emotional and physical wellbeing of his players during their long sting in hubs.
“There’s some discontent around pay and all these peripheral thing that might creep in to our thinking and there’s an number of different levels,” Beveridge said.
“That mindset of, ‘I’m doing everything for the future so look after me now’ is going to creep in to every playing group I would have thought. But hopefully that doesn’t affect performance.
“I’m hoping it doesn’t seep in, the mentality or the psychology that you don’t want to expose yourself to collision or get injured. I’m hoping that’s not there.”
Beveridge said the initial news his team would be in Queensland for the rest of the season was “disconcerting” and players rushed to make extra arrangements to try and get family members to move.
Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli says the club would fully support any player, coach or staff member who decided to leave their Gold Coast hub to support their own family back in Victoria.
“It’s not just the players, it’s so much bigger, there are staff up here who are sacrificing their own circumstances and being flexible to support the league and players and the game, they’re doing an incredible job, so we want to support them as well,” he said.
“Of course (we would understand if some need to go home), they’ve already made decisions and been flexible and adapted to what the new season looks like.
“I think our people are very aware that we will support them in whatever decisions they need to make to support their partners and families. They’ve definitely got our full support from a club perspective to do that.”
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Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin says the Demons have embraced their hub life and the prospect of the rest of the season on the road.
“We were really fortunate as a club that we brought up the families pretty early on in our time away.
“So a lot of our players are settled. (We have) the next batch of people that will come up to our hub in Queensland, we have got another bunch of families that will join us as well.
“They have embraced it. I think they are just getting their heads around now the length of time that they will be away.
“But we are here to perform and here to spend a lot of time together now so we are looking forward to it.”
The team will relocate to the Gold Coast on Monday after their clash against Hawthorn at Giants Stadium on Sunday.
Goodwin acknowledged the sacrifices being made not only by the players, but staff and coaches as well, and said the club was open to anyone returning home if they had to.
“If there are people that need to go home at any stage for any reason that is always there for that person to take,” he said.
Originally published as Hubs take heavy toll on AFL bottom line, hence push for all 153 games to be played