Local football clubs turning over more than $500,000 as strain mounts on volunteers

How much does it cost to run a local football club? With even humble bandage tape costing up to $10,000 a year, volunteers say growing expenses are threatening the future of some clubs.

Local football clubs are spending thousands to remain competitive. Picture: Christopher Chan

From dim sims to Dencorub, meat pies to medics and Sherrins to strapping, increasing running costs are seeing local sports clubs rack up more than $500,000 a year in everyday expenses.

They’re the behind-the-scenes costs that local clubs, essentially run like small businesses but by a small band of volunteers, absorb to provide the crucial foundation for the game.

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Bandages alone can set a club back $10,000 a year, while clubs could spend more than $3500 a season for game-day footballs (and that’s just in the seniors).

Then there are the thousands spent on utilities, insurance, competition fees, league affiliation, trainers, club maintenance, medical expenses, player and coaching resources and council ground hire.

Rowville president Paul Mynott revealed the Hawks’ senior and junior clubs turned over $580,000 in 2018.

Rowville president Paul Mynott says times are lean.

“It is difficult, and it’s (tough) getting volunteers as well … the volunteers are starting to dwindle because there is just too much pressure on them,” Mynott said.

“It’s probably hard to put a figure on it but I would think club presidents, club secretaries, club treasurers, football director, they would (put in) 30-plus hours a week.”

Mynott said the Hawks had recently hired a general manager to help guide the club.

“That’s where clubs are going to get to, they’re going to have to start paying people to do it,” he said.

“It gets harder every year and personally I can see clubs falling over in years to come.”

Southern Football Netball League club Mountain Lions put out a “call to arms’’ last month in a bid to save the club as it battled to fill volunteer committee positions.

It faced the prospect of recess or extinction if it failed to fill the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer positions.

Player payments for EFL clubs range from $70,000 to $215,000, but this only makes up a fraction of what clubs may spend each year.

“The player payment component of our total business is only a third or less,” Wantirna South president Steve Draper said.

“I think there’s a perception out there that clubs raise all this money to pay players. Well two-thirds of it goes back to other costs for the players and clubs.”

The fight is on to save the cash-strapped Mountain Lions.

Draper said clubs could make a profit from consumption items, including gate takings, canteen, bar, midweek meals and membership.

Sponsorship also plays an integral part in keeping the game afloat at the grassroots level, with volunteers working their knuckles to the bone knocking on business doors.

Vermont president Michael Rennie said the Eagles had paid people to run canteens and barbecues.

“We probably used to rely a lot on volunteers to do a lot of the jobs and a lot of the work that goes on around the club,” Rennie said.

“I think they’re some areas where we’re finding it’s getting harder and harder to get help because people’s expectations are they want money.”

South Croydon president Cathy White said the Bulldogs’ turnover was about $500,000 a year.

“Clubs aren’t really coming out in front so it just goes around — comes in and goes out,” White said.

“I choose to do (the volunteer president role) and it depends on what’s going on but it certainly can (take a toll) on people.”

South Croydon president Cathy White says while volunteering is a choice, it can still be gruelling.

Mooroolbark president Scott Hassan said costs were increasing as clubs battled to remain competitive.

The player points system, which rewards clubs for nurturing homegrown talent, is also putting an emphasis on investing in juniors.

The salary cap has also been in place for two seasons as an equalisation measure.

“The only thing that has (increased), especially in second division, is player payments,” Hassan said.

“Local footy is getting a little out of hand. It’s becoming a lot more professional, it’s still a fun sport to go watch and play, but increasing costs are hurting many, many clubs.

“That’s mainly to do with player payments because some clubs are stronger than others … it’s very hard to generate sponsorships.

“You’re talking $150,000 (salary cap) in second division and that’s fine but to attract the players and be competitive, you’ve got to pay that these days and it’s just getting harder and harder.

“The biggest hurdle for any club at the moment I think is just player costs.”

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