Footy crowds, profits soar
February 29, 2008 01:52pm
THE AFL - and chief executive Andrew Demetriou - reaped record revenue in 2007, according to figures released today.
While Demetriou banked a salary of $1.4 million last year, AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said the league and its clubs recorded unprecedented profits and attendances.
Fitzpatrick revealed that the league had been forced to boost Demetriou's pay - which included salary and performance bonuses - to retain him.
He said a review by the commission's remuneration committee in 2006 found the AFL needed to pay competitive market salaries to stop other sports poaching its top executive talent.
"The AFL is Australia's largest sporting organisation and Andrew and his team lead an organisation that generates $285 million in revenue," Fitzpatrick said.
He said the league also set the agenda for a wider football industry that generated more than $3 billion a year and employed 9,500 people.
"We are in a very competitive marketplace and we have seen that other sports are prepared to pay well to secure our top talent."
He said that Demetriou's bonuses had been earned with growth in revenue, membership and participation targets met last year.
"Since Andrew took over as CEO he has brought stability to the management team while the AFL has increased participation by 22 per cent, revenue by 67 per cent and our other key measures are at record levels."
AFL average crowds were also the second highest football crowds in the world, according to the league.
Fitzpatrick said last year's average crowd per match of 38,107 trailed only the American National Football League's average attendance of 67,738.
The Commission also said 15 of its 16 clubs recorded a profit last year - up from 12 in 2006, with a total profit of $22 million - a jump of $10 million over the previous year.
Other figures show: * Record revenue for the league of $285m in 2007, a 34 per cent increase from $225m in 2006.
* Record profitability of $26m in 2007 before distributions to reserves and the Future Fund.
* Record total distributions of $176m with record distributions to AFL clubs of $125m - up $29m on the previous year.
* Record investment of $36m to support game development across Australia, including supporting a community network which consists of 2600 clubs, fielding more than 11,600 teams each week in 269 leagues.
* Growth in all key areas of the game was recorded in 2007 including:
* Record attendances at premiership season and finals games of 7.05 million - a jump of four per cent on the previous record year in 2005.
* Record attendances for the premiership season of 6,475,521, despite 10 games in 2007 being played at limited-capacity venues in Launceston, Carrara, Manuka Oval and Marrara Stadium and capacity at the SCG being affected by reconstruction work.
* Record AFL club memberships of 532,697 - up by 2.6 per cent on 2006.
* Record participation of 638,000 - a rise of 9.8 per cent or 56,989 on people playing the sport the previous year.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23296660-19742,00.html
