From the AFL Site:
Struggling clubs hit jackpot
By Luke Holmesby
5:30 PM Mon 26 Sep, 2011
PERENNIAL financial strugglers North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs are the big winners in the AFL's latest club funding and equalisation strategy.
The Bulldogs and the Kangaroos have each been allocated $10.2 million under the AFL's $144 million club future fund strategy.
The future fund forms part of a $1.1 billion package delivered to the 18 AFL clubs in 2012-16 - an increase of $320 million on 2007-11 - and will see money invested in the specific needs of each club. These include facilities, debt reduction, football departments, membership, sponsorship, fan development and digital media.
Melbourne has received the next highest amount with $9.1 million, while St Kilda follows closely behind with $8.9 million.
The AFL's expansion clubs Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney will receive just $3.25 million as they have been entirely funded by the league so far.
Geelong, Hawthorn and Adelaide will also receive the basic $3.25 million package.
AFL officials met with club representatives in Melbourne on Monday after an 18-month consultation process.
Chairman of the AFL Commission Mike Fitzpatrick said the strategy would ensure the league had 18 viable clubs in five years time.
"The clubs needed certainty for planning purposes and today we gave them that certainty by unveiling the package that will go to clubs over the next five years to ensure we also leave a legacy of having 18 sustainable and viable clubs at the end of the next five-year broadcasting period," Fitzpatrick said.
Under the new agreement, the AFL will approve all key appointments at clubs and will hold the ability to conduct a detailed review of procedures if required.
AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou described the process of consultation with the clubs for the distribution as the most comprehensive the AFL had ever undertaken.
And he warned that clubs having to pay coaches out after breaking their contracts would risk affecting their package.
"Clubs will have to think twice about that if they're receiving club funding out of the club future fund," Demetriou said.
"As long as they operate within their means it shouldn't be an issue. But they do know that if there is any material shift to what has been signed on as the plan there will be consequences."
The announcement just two weeks after the AFL Players' Association rejected a $1.144 billion offer from the AFL to be spread over five years.
The AFLPA instead pushed for a three-year deal.
Demetriou said the negotiations with the AFLPA would affect the settled distribution as the league would not offer any more than the $1.144 put on the table.
"There won't be any more money going to the players. We've said that."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/124148/default.aspxFor full details of how much each club gets see:
http://mm.afl.com.au/portals/0/2011/finals/club_funding_presentation_260911.pdfPage 14 to be precise
