AFL players sacrifice $90 million in 2020 in wage cuts, with average player to lose more than $100,000
Most AFL players have sacrificed more than $100,000 to get the season off the ground in the pay cut agreed to due to the league’s COVID-19 shutdown.
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AFL players have sacrificed $90 million to help keep the game alive, with the average footballer set to lose around $110,000 this year.
The Herald Sun on Wednesday night confirmed that figure, based on the 50 per cent pay cuts that are in place for the rest of the season.
About $65 million has been slashed out of this year’s Total Player Payments (salary cap) after a pay deal struck between the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association in late March.
But the total hit felt by players jumps to $90 million when lost match payments, Additional Service Agreements (ASAs) and contributions to the player retirement fund are also included.
The pay cuts were agreed to at a time when the COVID-19 outlook appeared far bleaker than what it is today.
The AFL Players’ Association is now desperately fighting to avoid cuts to next year’s salary cap.
The NRL will not reduce its $10 million salary cap in 2021.
Player managers have been frustrated that club figures are already campaigning for further pay cuts without knowing what next year’s landscape will look like.
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Richmond star Dion Prestia told the Herald Sun the resumption of games would only serve as financial relief to players who are entitled to match payments.
“Having matches coming up now is going to be great for people who are on the match payments. That’s going to help them a lot more than what’s been happening for the last two months,” he said.
“I absolutely understand what’s happened this year with our pay cuts.
“I think the players have been pretty good in supporting the AFL and what’s been happening in the entire world at the moment.
“If you look at it like a 50 per cent pay cut it seems pretty bad, but we did get a pretty good chunk over the start of the 2020 contract (November to March).”
Draftees and rookies will pocket $2000-2500 per game.
Melbourne recruit Harley Bennell is understood to be on less than $70,000 this year.
Similarly, 2019 Grand Final hero Marlion Pickett was receiving around $3000 per month during the shutdown period.
Pickett will now receive $2000-per-game match payments.
Collingwood’s Taylor Adams said: “We have taken a pay cut but from this point on I feel like it just needs to be reviewed.”
A leading player manager said on Wednesday night: “It’s an enormous effort, they’re taking a huge cut.
“But it’s just not going to happen (pay cuts in 2021). The two most important parts of the game are the players and the fans, go and make some cuts elsewhere.”
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Originally published as AFL players sacrifice $90 million in 2020 in wage cuts, with average player to lose more than $100,000