Millions spent on new clubs Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney has led to the AFL’s first operating loss in a decade. And figures released on Friday show that league boss Andrew Demetriou took a $400,000 pay cut last year.
He banked $1.8million compared to $2.2million in 2010 when he received a long-term retention bonus.
The AFL recorded a deficit of $23.6 million.
AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said the rare loss would be quickly made up by anticipated profits over the next five years.
“Our strategic focus on the long-term future of Australian football has positioned the AFL strongly for the next five years and beyond,” Fitzpatrick said.
He said new television and digital media rights would be critical for financial growth in the near future.
“These agreements will underpin the finances of the game from 2012-2016 which includes allocating more than $1 billion to AFL clubs under new equalisation and revenue-sharing arrangements.”
Overall, the league recorded record revenue of $343 million – a two per cent increase – and an operating surplus of $234 million, up from $230 million.
Clubs were provided with total funding of $159 million.
Demetriou’s salary included a base payment of $1.4 million and a $400,000 bonus.
In total the nine-member executive team earned $5.08 million in salaries and bonuses.
The league also released other figures including:
. Record participation – 791,178 from the previous mark of 751,015.
. Record club membership- 650,373 compared to 614,251 in 2010.
. Average attendance – 34,893 which puts the AFL in the top four in the professional sporting world.
Last year’s total attendance for all matches from NAB Cup to the finals was 7,488,198, another new record. It also tops the 2010 figure, which was boosted by the grand final replay.
Fitzpatrick said Demetriou’s wage package was justified by the success and growth of the game.
“The AFL’s executive salary packages reflect this reality and reward the achievement of key targets whilst ensuring we retain our valued team,” Fitzpatrick said.
Demetriou’s salary is still almost $1 million more than the game’s highest paid players.
It is estimated Carlton’s Chris Judd, St Kilda’s Nick Riewoldt, Brisbane’s Jonathan Brown and Fremantle’s Matthew Pavlich were all paid between $900,000 and $1 million last year.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Republican it was a bloody rant and a bloody crazy rant and you bloody well know it! Random left field anti-kiwi nonsense! I'll tell a sheep shagger joke as readily as the next man but you take the cake.
Republican
Guest
Goodness. You haven't got the message at all - enjoy a few weeks break Republican. Come back when you can avoid sprouting the same old nonsense. Nathan of Perth - you are far too kind ;) Thanks, Roar Mods
Republican
Guest
Another rant against New Zealand. Please, go elsewhere to talk about this, and keep comments on topic. Thanks, Roar Mods.
Plotter
Guest
Republican has a massive issue with overseas expansion. Demetriou mentioned China yesterday as the likely first overseas premiership match. I have no problem with clubs or the league taking games off-shore. Hell, I would have loved it when I was living overseas!
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
oh i believe it too...im just tired of being reminded of it lol
The Cattery
Roar Guru
yes, but I believe there's a bit of truth in it
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
And thats what the richmond rank and file would have you believe to. This is when we usually here about the 30 years without a premiership and still going strong crap that warps many a membership/attendance thread on football forums.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
who the hell bought up NZ? You did. None of us have talked about it in this thread, the Op doesnt refer to it - Im kind of begining to believe your a troll. This was nothing more than a rant against Kiwi expansion.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Plotter I was listening to SEN radio last night, and they were talking about Richmond's huge supporter base, speculating that if Richmond ever managed two quasi-decent seasons, the MCG would be a virtual sell out every home game.
MyLeftFoot
Roar Guru
Cameron - keep mindful, that unlike AFL players - the administrators/executive are in a global marketplace. With transferable skills. Keep mindful that the FFA set a standard in Australia (with Fed Govt funding for opex) and poached first John O'Neill from the ARU and then Ben Buckley (Demetriou's number 2) from the AFL. That set the cat well and truly amongst the pigeons. Now, Spiro wishes us to believe that the Man Utd job was John O'Neill's for the taking. What's that tell you then of the responsibility that the AFL Commission has to pay global rates to ensure retention of performing key executives. Note too - how can you cancel out a $23 million loss from a reduction in pay to a group of exec's earning collectively $5 million. The maths don't work!!!!
Republican
Guest
This current climate of expansion obsession that is perpetuated by the code cold war is fraught. It will all come tumbling down soon enough I believe. What i find incredulous is many supposed experts within the rank and file of the AFL, amongst others, are already talking more than prematurely, about options for the next expansion, like NZ. What a preposterous notion NZ is. Honestly the bankers who are responsible for the governance of our elite leagues today are of the same breed as those responsible for the GFC. GFC mark 2 is nigh which may well have a positive sobering effect on all these soul sucking commercial top down vandals, who's only criteria to growing sporting 'brands' is the bottom line commercial one, while their agendas are along way from being altruistic, despite their rhetoric, I assure you.
Plotter
Guest
Actually, Richmond is one of the biggest-drawing interstate clubs when they play in Queensland. Those of us living up here don't really care who Brisbane or the Gold Coast are playing - it's just great to have 23 opportunities to watch footy in the Sunshine State each year. I follow Geelong, and they are playing up here three times this year (including NAB Cup), whereas only two years ago there was no guarantee that they'd even visit Queensland in a given year. That's great news for all footy fans here, and I'm sure footy followers in Western Sydney and Canberra feel the same way.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Not really possible, they've already projected an EXTRA $140 million more than they originally thought they were going to end up.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Much of that wont be known until the full report is released - generally in march. The future fund at the end of 2010 had 59 million it. So if they've spent all that and still come up 23 million short, then who knows. Whatever information i have is on footybusiness,wordpress.com. Its where i keep all the crap i keep looking up so I dont have to go back and find it again.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
That's a possible scenario, but a worst case scenario, probably the least likely of a range of possible scenarios.
Prince of B-Town
Guest
More losses to come. The next 5 years will see over $100 million lose. Hope the people of western sydney and Gold coast care because the struggling clubs won't be happy when they are playing in VFL in front of 50,000 people and the 20,000 people from Gold Coast and Western Sydney couldn't care about the richmonds, ports and north melbournes.
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
Its reported in multiple outlets that the top 9 exectives earn a total of 5.03 million between them - if Demetriou earns 1.8 million, that leaves 3.3 million between the other 8...at around 412k a year. How nice of them to meet your expectation already
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
they already do help the teams that are struggling and manage and organise a sport with some measure of responsibility for 800,000 participants, plus employees and other hangers on, in an industry worth over a billion dollars a year. So the salary is probably in line with that to keep the top people from being stolen like Ben Buckley was to the soccer mob.
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
Eh? How many executives do you think the AFL employ?
Cameron
Guest
The people in AFL Headquarters earn too much. If they all reduced their salaries to at least $400,000 or $500,000 a year, then I doubt very much that the AFL would have made a loss this year. Also, they would be able to help support teams that are struggling financially, like Port Adelaide, Richmond, Brisbane etc.