AFLW credited with bringing footy to a new audience
The AFL has recorded a booming profit as fans flock to the footy in droves, and one key competition is credited with boosting the code’s popularity.
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Footy supremo Gillon McLachlan will spend $22.4m on AFLW this year compared to $16.4m in 2019 as he ploughs booming profits into growing the women’s game.
The news comes as the code confirmed its status as a money making juggernaut, delivering a $48.5m profit on the back of booming attendances, higher broadcast income and commercial sponsors.
This is slightly down on the $50.4m in 2018 as more money was spent on the growth of AFLW from 10 to 14 teams, boosting funding for country footy and expanding the game in the north.
Overall AFL revenue leapt by $15.3 million to $793.9 million on the back of income boosts, including an increase in broadcast income of $5m to $6m.
It is understood the income from the finals series — a key driver of AFL income — was even with the previous year.
And AFL clubs also had a profitable year with their aggregate profits expected to increase by $2m to $4m compared to last year.
Clubs also reduced debts by a collective $8.3m in the last year.
And in the last year it can be revealed the AFL handed $314.7 million to AFL clubs — which is a mixture of base payments all clubs receive and special variable payments.
The AFL has had a strategy of trying to get the clubs to stand on their own feet through a number of equalisation strategies.
Distributions to clubs only grew $4m — or one per cent — and this is believed to be related to the AFL covering increased total player payments.
It is believed the variable funding allocated to help clubs in need has not changed much in the last year.
And the bosses wages were flat with the total payments to AFL executives and commissioners coming in at $10.57 million in 2019. This compared to $10.73 million in 2018.
Other expenses by the league included an additional $18m investment in country football across the next three years to 2022.
The AFL also gave $37.7 million to the AFL Players Association to cover things ranging from operating grants to cash for the players retirement fund.
Local footy is also set to be a big winner in the coming year with the AFL budgeting $64.8m in 2020 after spending $58.8 million on Community football development in 2019.
The club coffers benefited from an all-time attendance record for the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Clubs collect revenue from the home and away season and this record was broken for the third consecutive year with 6.95 million people attending the 198 AFL matches.
AFL club membership — which combines club and direct AFL membership — hit its 19th year of consecutive growth.
This also surpassed one million members — hitting 1.06 million — for a second-straight
year.
Participation in the sport also boomed with growth in female players significantly contributing to that increase with 586,422 women and girls playing football nationally – an increase of almost 11 per cent.
The expansion of AFLW saw record attendances with a total of 244,000 people attending matches in 2019.
The league’s overall “consolidated result” figure which includes its other businesses — such as ownership of Marvel Stadium and Champion Data — came in with a profit of $27.9 million, compared to $25.9m in 2018. This is lower due to having to depreciate assets like the stadium.
In his review of the year, AFL chairman Richard Goyder said it had been a significant year for the league.
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“The success and popularity of the game can be attributed to so many at all levels – both
community and elite – who contribute so much,” Mr Goyder said.
“Our men’s competition continues to be strong – a year of records across home and away
attendance, membership … and participation – but the desire of women and girls to be part of our game at every level drives our growth.”