Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson declares the Demons made a profit in 2014 despite just four wins

MELBOURNE chief executive Peter Jackson has achieved a football miracle with the Demons preparing to declare a small profit this year.

Melbourne Demons agree to another two years in alignment with the NT.Demons CEO Peter Jackson

MELBOURNE chief executive Peter Jackson has achieved a football miracle with the Demons preparing to declare a small profit this year.

The extraordinary financial turnaround comes without the aid of the $1.45 million AFL bailout that allowed the Demons to survive the 2013 season.

Last year the Demons reported a $3.1 million loss after a $4.4 million drop in revenues and a total restructure of the football department.

The league’s decision on Melbourne’s priority pick submission will come from the AFL Commission at their meeting on the morning of the Brownlow Medal.

The AFL confirmed yesterday that decision was on the agenda at the September 22 Commission meeting, which comes before the October trade period.

Mitch Clark during his time at Melbourne. Mitch Clark

Demons CEO Jackson said yesterday he hoped the AFL would consider the loss of Mitch Clark, Melbourne’s best player, as they pondered their decision on special assistance.

The AFL has already said handing Melbourne an extra pick was “less likely than likely”, but the assistance could be a second-round pick or even a selection the Demons must immediately on-trade.

Jackson confirmed yesterday the Demons would be in the black despite just four wins and only 35,911 members.

“I think we will report a small profit. The money (from the AFL) was in and out last year, it was nothing to do with this year,’’ he said.

“We didn’t get any additional funding from the AFL at all this year and we still paid the AFL gate levy.”

Like many clubs the Demons receive money under the AFL’s disequalisation funding but have not requested any extra funding this year.

The Brisbane Lions have asked for as much as $3 million as their debt balloons out to $12 million.

Melbourne’s expected profit comes as a majority of the AFL’s clubs are set to record losses again, a worrying sign for the AFL.

Debt levels among Melbourne clubs are reported to be around $30 million, but that could expand when clubs lodge their financial reports in coming months.

Some club administrators believe they will blow out massively, with the AFL’s equalisation funding not providing the windfall most struggling clubs had hoped.

St Kilda last year made a statutory loss of $2,614,837 with their debt levels to again expand this year.

Even Port Adelaide is expected to make a loss this year despite a significant boost in returns from Adelaide Oval.

Melbourne’s payouts and one-off costs relating to the tanking investigation totalled $2.8 million last year and allowed them to move on coach Mark Neeld and former footy boss Chris Connolly,

Jackson has committed to the club until at least October next year while coach Paul Roos will stay for another two seasons.

Originally published as Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson declares the Demons made a profit in 2014 despite just four wins