Gap is widening between the haves and have-nots Caroline Wilson
July 12, 2011...
The AFL is promising a more-equal distribution of revenue to its clubs but there is still no resolution regarding the division of the $1.15 billion in broadcast revenue because of the stand-off between the players and the competition's governing body. The poorer clubs are waiting desperately to learn how much extra cash they can spend next season.
In the case of Richmond, which had volunteers tin-rattling for the Fighting Tiger Fund 10 days ago as the club capitulated by more than 100 points to Carlton, this could partly be blamed for delays in crucial decisions such as the redevelopment of the Punt Road oval. The club has finally moved cricket from the arena but will now not remove the wickets or expand its training venue to match-size proportions for at least 12 months.
That project will cost at least $1.5 million, meaning the Tigers - or any other club searching for extra millions in revenue - looking to establish a stand-alone VFL team is years away from such a move. It is no coincidence that Collingwood and Geelong are the only two sides with their own VFL sides.
The Tigers will rightly insist they are on the right path, but back in May the Tigers were being discussed as potential finalists. It all began to turn pear-shaped when they headed to Darwin and lost to Port Adelaide, having sold home games there for the next two seasons.
On Saturday the tired young Tigers head to Cairns to play the Gold Coast - a game that looked far more winnable had it been played further south. The following week the Tigers face Geelong.
Richmond says it would rather earn $500,000 selling a home game than losing money at Etihad Stadium. Richmond fans wonder when it was that the MCG ceased to be a no-brainer for all their club's home games.
Lack of money leads not only to losses and a failure to make finals but a loss of identity....
Last season Collingwood spent close to $20 million on its football department - $5.5 million more than the Kangaroos. This year that figure will have jumped again and watching the form of fresh-from-Arizona Dane Swan and the increased promise of a now-injury free Darren Jolly, showed again how potent is the combination of dollars plus good personnel and sound planning.
And this is not just about the strength of Collingwood, the weakness of the Kangaroos and the desperately under-resourced Port Adelaide. Last year six clubs - North, Port, Richmond, Adelaide, the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne - spent less than the competition's football department average of $16.4 million. Not one of those clubs sits in the top eight today.
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