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The full Annual Report for 2011 has been released by the AFL, and if you’re into that sort of thing, it makes some fascinating reading.
While much of it is just numbers to many, there are a few tidbits for the AFL supporter who needs things to argue about pointlessly on a rainy day at the pub with friends.
Attendance
Total attendance was 7,488,198 – a new record for the AFL. Even though the average was down, the AFL believes this figure is in the top four in the world.
Subiaco, Docklands and the MCG were the only old stadiums to record slight increases. The Gabba had a 30 percent drop, while Manuka also dropped 28 percent.
Participation
According to the report, “The Australian Football participation census is compiled annually and measures participants who play in a structured competition of more than six weeks’ duration.”
Participation numbers were 790,905 in 2011, with 94,412 female participants. The AFL also announced that participation outside Australia reached more than 100,000 for the first time.
In 2011, 2537 community clubs participated in competitions across Australia each week in 273 leagues. 17,971 school teams competed as well. Andrew Demtriou notes in the chairman’s report that participation in New South Wales was 36,390 in 1998 – today that figure is over 136,000. School football reported the highest growth in 2011.
Participation by State
Membership
AFL record of 650,373, up 5.9 percent on the previous record in 2010. It was still a record even when you exclude Gold Coast members.
Players
The draft
Finance
The AFL total revenue increase by two percent to $343 million with an operating surplus of $234 million and $159 million paid to clubs. As already reported, The AFL made its first net loss in ten years – 23.6 million, due in part to the extra costs for Gold Coast and GWS, as well as a profit share payment of 10 million to the AFLPA.
Things to note
Gold Coast and GWS funding
Club Funds
The AFL has allocated $1.1 billion in funding to the clubs over the next five years from 2012-16 (about 52 percent of total funds), including a $144 million Club Future Fund.
The Club Future Fund, as defined in the Annual Report:”During 2012-16, the Club Future Fund will be invested into the specific needs of each club to improve viability and improve competitiveness. The investment aims to leave a legacy of improved facilities, reduced debt, more and better resources to grow club revenues, more and better resources to improve on-field performance and to compensate for revenue and cost disadvantages that affect a club’s ability to compete.”
The major beneficiaries of this over the next five years:
The minimum funding for each club is 3.25 million (Geelong, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Gold Coast and GWS). All other clubs recieve 4.25 million.
The Club Future fund has been specifically tied to funding needs for clubs, including:
Clubs receiving significant funding will have to meet tougher benchmarks and frameworks.
Media Rights
The Financial Report
Where the money went:
Its important to note that while the AFL made a loss this year, it was in line with predications, and the AFL believes it will generate profits of at least this much in following years.
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