The AFL has released its financial results for 2011, announcing a loss of $23.6 million, despite posting record revenue of $343 million.
The loss was explained by Commission chairman, and former Carlton champion, Mike Fitzpatrick, as being a direct consequence of the AFL having fast-tracked the admission of two new teams over 2011 and 2012, referring to the Suns and Giants respectively.
With the new five year TV rights deal commencing in 2012, Fitzpatrick expects that the AFL will more than cover those losses over the next five years.
Other indicators for the AFL for 2011 were quite healthy.
Australian Football boasts record participation numbers of 791,178, up from 751,015 in the previous year.
There were also record club memberships of 650,373, up from 614,251 in 2010 (the trend year to date is that that figure will be surpassed in 2012).
Average attendances took a bit of a hit with the introduction of the Suns, but home and away average attendances still finished at 34,893, placing the AFL fourth across the world in attendances at club competitions.
Total attendances across all matches in 2011, including the NAB Cup reached an all-time high of 7,488,198, but of course that includes 11 additional home and away games compared to 2010 (although that year included the grand final replay).
Four players in 2011 topped the $900,000 annual salary mark, and they were Chris Judd, Nick Riewoldt, Jonathon Brown and Matthew Pavlich, although there has always been speculation that Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau are both earning more than that, but not as football salaries.
The financial news came through soon after the first ever official AFL combine had been completed in Dublin, with the testing of 15 Irish youngsters, most importantly, with the approval of the GAA.
This follows up on combines already held in Fiji and New Zealand with plans to expand the combine program into the USA and China.
AFL national talent manager, Kevin Sheehan, sees this as an important first step in adding significantly to the 23 players already on AFL lists who are born overseas.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
AFL looking to play a game for points in China in the next five years: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/china-on-the-horizon-for-afl/story-e6frf9jf-1226274637881
The Cattery
Roar Guru
AD talks candidly this morning in the HS about the future of the game, club debt levels, etc: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-boss-andrew-demetriou-has-a-giant-challenge/story-e6frf9ix-1226274501213
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
same. Im not overly concerned about critical posts - as long as people arent trolling. I never report posts though. too lazy...
Phelpsy
Guest
whereas you would expect the Suns to easily beat last years figure and possibly head into the 17-20 thousand mark. Which will be interesting as the stadium only holds 28 thousand I think. The upgrade, with the Com Games, will be sorely needed by then - hopefully ythe AFL aren't putting in for that also.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Phelpsy, 17k always seemed quite ambitious - most of us here have said that they will match their foundation membership number of 12,000, and I reckon that's good enough for the first season, given their context - also average attendances of around the same number, maybe creeping up to 13k.
Phelpsy
Guest
I think the GWS will be struggling to get the 17,000 they were aiming for based on numbers so far. Next few weeks will be interesting for them.
Phelpsy
Guest
And this mornig was the Suns formal season opener/family day- so expect membership to rise from that. There were a few there - maybe a couple of thousand - but they were coming and going throughout the day. You need to get a free ticket and have it scanned to get in - so they will know eactly how many went - be interesting to see how this transfers into membership. I went along and watched the intrahouse matches. K Hunt was impressive - seems to have somewhat more awareness and foot skills were good. Has trimmed down incredibly. Still seemed to have the role of get in and under and give the ball off - so something to work on as if this is his main way of operating - then they will be on to it pretty early other clubs. Anyway - see the Suns beating last years membership. By the way - the ground is a pearler. Like a modern suburban ground of yesteryear. Right on top of the action - great seats - great ground - yet you feel like you are at your local ground - anot a bad feel.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
AFL memberships as of this morning: Collingwood 53,000 West Coast 48,141 Hawthorn 47,678 Adelaide 40,704 Essendon 39,235 Richmond 34,314 Carlton 32,433 Geelong 30,891 St Kilda 25,724 Melbourne 24,195 Port Adelaide 24,040 North Melbourne 22,113 Western Bulldogs 21,337 Sydney 19,429 Brisbane 14,023 Gold Coast 9,397 GWS 5,290 Fremantle N/A
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Trust Me your comments are always welcome on my threads, as long as your courteous and respectful.
Australian Rules
Guest
But then the world would be denied comments such as yours above!
Trust Me
Roar Rookie
AFL censorship is alive and well – remove any comments that don’t praise AFL and only allow comments from AFL supporters. Why don’t you get rid of all of us and just start an AFL Self Admiration Society.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
In fact this article gives a bit more info on this aspect of AFL operations: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/afls-push-north-creates-a-23m-hole/story-e6frg7mf-1226274200075 AFL has invested in the redevelopment of the showgrounds, Carrara, the MCG and the SCG - all grounds in which the AFL has zero ownership stake.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I think it would be great for both codes to work together on this. If you have a dozen teenagers coming out on scholarships each year to give it a go, only one or two are going to stay long term, and the rest would return to the GAA as better players, and play with the GAA for the next 12 years. I don't think there is a huge downside for them, and plenty of upside.
It's called football
Guest
I think you pointed out in another post, Cattery, that the AFL is the only sports body that puts money into stadiums
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Its the Irish as always. They've never liked their best talent coming here. Ricky Nixon used to do an Irish Combine thing I believe and Kennellys operation may be an offshoot of that.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Just reading yesterday's Age - it would appear that the GAA did not give their imprimatur to the combine. Tadhg Kennelly had some role in organising it, and he instst tht the GAA had been informed of the names of the young Gaelic footballers invited to the camp. It has been reported in the Irish press that the GAA bosses deny being formally notified by Kennelly. Judging by the careful selection of words - I can't help thinking that someone is playing funny buggers.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
And as Wookie says above, there have been other contributions to infrastructure. Also, either last year or the year before, another $10 million would have been contributed to the Carrara upgrade.
Redb
Roar Guru
$10M of that loss alone was the AFL's contribution to Skoda stadium in Sydney. A one off investment.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Im not even sure the loss or demetrious salary should have been the bigger story how about the record revenue, membership, attendance, and participation. On the basis of the meagre details released yesterday there were 6 records set last year alone for the AFL - ■ Revenue up 2% to $343 million ( a new record) ■ Operating surplus up to $245 million (a new record) ■ Club membership up 5.9% to 650,373 ( a new record) ■ 791,178 Participants – up 5.3% ( a new record) ■ Total attendance including finals and NAB Cup – 7.5 million (a new record) ■ Distributions to clubs of $159 million (a new record) Not only did GWS require $22 million in funding last year (reported in The Age only), but the AFL threw an extra $17 million at the club last year, so to come up $23 million short isnt too bad in that scenario. What about the 600 clubs that have been able to develop projects worth $240 million since 2007 with the help and assistance of the AFL. The loss should have been expected since they said they had probably had to borrow to get the teams off the ground. That shouldnt have been the main story
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Not to worry, two new teams, will take their time, especially because they aren't in traditional football strongholds, but the Tv rights deal, should eventually cover a lot of that loss. The game continues to grow at ALL levels and the national compoetition continues to reach new, exciting heights.