St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt says AFL must consider private ownership to help save clubs

AFL great Nick Riewoldt has floated a radical solution to help clubs survive the coronavirus cash crisis which has led to widespread job losses in the industry.

St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt says the AFL must consider a “drastic” return to private ownership if it ensures the survival of the league’s 18 clubs.

As the league grapples with widespread job losses amid the coronavirus shutdown, Riewoldt said AFL clubs had to be prepared for “the most dire of circumstances”.

The former Saints skipper said clubs should be bracing for a drop in membership and a significant hit to their bottom line.

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“We know the members have been the lifeblood of football clubs, but members of footy clubs, they’re out there suffering just as badly as anyone,” Riewoldt said on Fox Footy Live.

“Are we going to have the same level of membership? Sure, there’s going to be that emotional attachment, but some people might not be able to commit to clubs financially the way they have in the past.”

Geoffrey Edelsten watches a Sydney Swans game during his time as the club’s owner.

Riewoldt said private ownership could be mutually beneficial for clubs and owners.

“Actually take on a temporary ownership type structure and even run it as a loss leader for some of their other businesses that they have interests in. We have seen it work,” he said.

“You look at some of the American sports and the ownership model that they have over there.

“They might be able to ride things like this out better than clubs that rely on a membership base to survive.”

Dr Geoffrey Edelsten with Sydney Swans coach Tom Hafey. Players (from left) Gerard Healey, Tim Barling, Stephen James, David Bolton, Bernard Toohey, Greg Williams and Merv Neagle during first training session for the 1986 season.

Reuben Pelerman owned Brisbane Bears during the 1990s.

Riewoldt said private ownership could be required to “drag the clubs off their knees”.

The AFL has not had a private-ownership model since Reuben Pelerman took charge of Brisbane Bears in the early 1990s.

Dr Geoffrey Edelsten became the league’s first private owner in 1985 when he brought the Sydney Swans.

“What that could look like, where you get some of these high-net wealth individuals that might be able to come in and not just as a donation, where they hand over money to a club, but they actually have a vested interest, a vested commercial interest in the club for a period, to be able to drag the clubs off their knees and derive some sort of commercial benefit out of it themselves,” Riewoldt said.

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Originally published as St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt says AFL must consider private ownership to help save clubs