Sydney boss Andrew Pridham calls on AFL to adopt revenue-share model to ensure future of clubs

As the AFL investigates a plan to host all footy in Melbourne, or base the 18 teams at two or three quarantine hubs, one club chairman has urged the league to ensure clubs will share the cash.

Brisbane would be among a number of clubs that would have to relocated. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

The AFL has been urged to implement a revenue sharing model so that clubs don’t absorb extra costs they cannot afford when footy returns in locked stadiums.

Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham said clubs, players and the AFL should all profit from the restart that will take place across one, two or three centralised hubs.

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“My focus is there’s some sort of a revenue model where the clubs don’t end up taking all the costs for no extra revenue,” Pridham told the Herald Sun yesterday.

“Clubs are going to need to make sure they share in that (AFL) revenue somehow, because they’re going to have extra costs.

“The cost will be travel, accommodation and salaries … people that have been stood down, you’ve got to pay them (again).

Brisbane would be among a number of clubs that would have to relocated. Picture: AFL Photos/Getty Images

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“If you’re not playing home games you don’t have the opportunity to sell digital signage, for example.

“So by playing without crowds at an away venue for the whole season we’d be incurring extra costs, but not getting extra revenue. So there needs to be a discussion around the revenue model.”

The AFL’s primary revenue source is the $2.5 billion six-year broadcast deal, which generates around $100 million quarterly.

While COVID-19 has stalled those payments, when games return some of that cash should start flowing to league headquarters again.

“No one should be worse off – players, clubs and the AFL – playing versus not playing,” Pridham said.

“That’s one of the things I’m focused on. I do think the AFL is doing a good job.”