There is too much money in football.

[10 FLAGS]

Too much money in footy - I ACTUALLY AGREE 100%

My reasoning is simply this! For those of us who have been around a long time and for those of us who remember -

I remember when OUR CLUB came out and said that if we got 10,000 members we would survive.

I remember afew years later that 20,000 members was now the magic number. 20,000 members and we would be able to compete in the AFL on a proper basis.

I remember afew years after that 20,000 members was then no longer acceptable and that we needed 30,000 members to stay competitive.

And then 30,000 members became the need to match the big clubs at 40,000 members.

Now we need 50,000 members with the ambition of getting to 75,000 members for the club to mix it again with the big boys and have success.

Its all Bulltish IMHO!

The AFL clubs are like Resource companies on the ASX, every year they issue new shares and raise new capital in the hope that they will eventually succeed. AFL clubs are the same, every year the issue new seasons tickets and call them memberships so that people like us feel part of it- but where does the money go? The players - yes and deservedly so, but then there are the others. Clubs with well over 100 employees most of whom are on massive money (and for most clubs not do it very well either)- to do what - run 1 football club and manage a group of 40 blokes who play on the weekend for 6 months of the year. The AFL clubs are one of the biggest wasters of financial resources in this country IMHO.

So I leave this post asking these questions - what happens when 50,000 members is not enough to run a club, or 60,000 members, or 70,000 members or 100,000 members and then those same members wont even get in to see a game of footy. What happens when there are no more members left to get and costs still increase? Who will fund the club? Who will fund the game?

 IMHO we will end up like NFL Footy in America, clubs will be privately owned and be full on 100% businesses and those of us who just love our club wont have any say or any part of it all.





 

[The Big Richo]

China?

[Penelope]

Gee you sound like a commie Flags, bagging the the great capitalist system like that. 

[10 FLAGS]

Gee you sound like a commie Flags, bagging the the great capitalist system like that. 

G'day Comrade 

[The Big Richo]

What are your thoughts on the Australia Day incident 10Flags and the Tent Embassy in general?

[10 FLAGS]

What are your thoughts on the Australia Day incident 10Flags and the Tent Embassy in general?

Tent Embassy has an important place in Australian history and from 1972 onwards I feel its important that everyone recognises the struggle and commitment that our indigenous peoples have gone through. And its important to respect that.

What happened yesterday - Im not sure anyone can or should accept violent behavior but some of it seemed to be a put on for show. But Im a cynical mongrel so my opinion doesnt matter.

[10 FLAGS]

Getting back to too much money in footy.

2012 player salary cap is less than $9 million.

Question is why do clubs need $30 million to breakeven or $40 million or $50 million.

What the hell are these clubs doing? Complete waste of money. And people being funded by the general footy public for no reason at all.

There should be an inquiry into whats been happening in AFL footy and why so much money is being spent.

[yellowandback]

What are your thoughts on the Australia Day incident 10Flags and the Tent Embassy in general?

Tent Embassy has an important place in Australian history and from 1972 onwards I feel its important that everyone recognises the struggle and commitment that our indigenous peoples have gone through. And its important to respect that.

What happened yesterday - Im not sure anyone can or should accept violent behavior but some of it seemed to be a put on for show. But Im a cynical mongrel so my opinion doesnt matter.

I'm a dark skinned, Jewish, lesbian, left handed golfer - where the effin hell is my embassy? 

[The Big Richo]

ALP Headquarters.

[Dubstep Dookie]

ALP Headquarters.

 

[tdy]

To Ekto

I think most guys play for their own ego.  Tribal domination of other men makes em feel good.  The fame also helps and the female attention that comes with it.  Some guys would play for that alone.

Why would you play for Richmond over and above any other club?  If your entirely rational and you have the choice, which you don't cos your drafted, then you could say at Richmond you will get paid more, because we're an average middle ranked club with a large latent supporter base which can pay the $$ and we rarely have a lot of good players so on average you'd get paid more, assuming you are an average player.

If your taken by an emotional argument,  the tigers have a long history of great success that has created a massive latent supporter base.  If your one of the few who raise this club up again then your going to be a hero to 100's of thousands.

If your a pragmatic then it seems we are finally getting our house in order and given its really hard to move, where'd you'd end up is probably melbourne or the kangas, two teams that might be well who knows where in 5-10 years.

[DCrane]

2012 player salary cap is less than $9 million.

Question is why do clubs need $30 million to breakeven or $40 million or $50 million

$9 million for the players, $21 million for the apology department. Other clubs don't have to spend as much on their apology department as we do.

[tdy]

Getting back to too much money in footy.

2012 player salary cap is less than $9 million.

Question is why do clubs need $30 million to breakeven or $40 million or $50 million.

What the hell are these clubs doing? Complete waste of money. And people being funded by the general footy public for no reason at all.

There should be an inquiry into whats been happening in AFL footy and why so much money is being spent.

Its an off field arms race, involving many sports scientists, trainers, coaches, expensive facilites etc
Because of the draft and salary cap teams have to compete in other areas to be best.  That's why Sydney could sell their software to big soccer clubs like Chelsea because soccer clubs don't invest in getting the best out of the players they have.  They invest in the best players they can buy.

The only real way to stop this is either a competitive balance fund or an off field spending limit.

What I really really dislike about it is all of the clubs being funded by gambling now.  That's a bad road to be going down but while its legal there is little the AFL can do about it.

[tony_montana]

Getting back to too much money in footy.

2012 player salary cap is less than $9 million.

Question is why do clubs need $30 million to breakeven or $40 million or $50 million.

What the hell are these clubs doing? Complete waste of money. And people being funded by the general footy public for no reason at all.

There should be an inquiry into whats been happening in AFL footy and why so much money is being spent.

I think the pies spent 19mill on their footy department last year? That includes all staff and junkets to arizona, then $$$ for rent and other day to day running costs.

Agreed its out of control, when will enough be enough, surely there is a ceiling somewhere? 75k members and in 5 years that wont be enough lmao. BTW pies will liklely break 80k this year

[Mr Magic]

Too much money in footy - I ACTUALLY AGREE 100%

My reasoning is simply this! For those of us who have been around a long time and for those of us who remember -

I remember when OUR CLUB came out and said that if we got 10,000 members we would survive.

I remember afew years later that 20,000 members was now the magic number. 20,000 members and we would be able to compete in the AFL on a proper basis.

I remember afew years after that 20,000 members was then no longer acceptable and that we needed 30,000 members to stay competitive.

And then 30,000 members became the need to match the big clubs at 40,000 members.

Now we need 50,000 members with the ambition of getting to 75,000 members for the club to mix it again with the big boys and have success.

Its all Bulltish IMHO!

The AFL clubs are like Resource companies on the ASX, every year they issue new shares and raise new capital in the hope that they will eventually succeed. AFL clubs are the same, every year the issue new seasons tickets and call them memberships so that people like us feel part of it- but where does the money go? The players - yes and deservedly so, but then there are the others. Clubs with well over 100 employees most of whom are on massive money (and for most clubs not do it very well either)- to do what - run 1 football club and manage a group of 40 blokes who play on the weekend for 6 months of the year. The AFL clubs are one of the biggest wasters of financial resources in this country IMHO.

So I leave this post asking these questions - what happens when 50,000 members is not enough to run a club, or 60,000 members, or 70,000 members or 100,000 members and then those same members wont even get in to see a game of footy. What happens when there are no more members left to get and costs still increase? Who will fund the club? Who will fund the game?

 IMHO we will end up like NFL Footy in America, clubs will be privately owned and be full on 100% businesses and those of us who just love our club wont have any say or any part of it all.

Interesting post and definitely food for thought.
peees me off a little when the state of the game forces a club to reach to it's members & supporters pockets for things like TFTF, not to be great as it suggests but really just to remain competitive with the big clubs.
Sure I made contributions but how many times can you go to the well? I love my club but it all seems a little out of whack to me.