The full annual report for 2010 has been released by the AFL, and for the keen observer, it makes for interesting reading. Helpfully, the AFLs annual report includes comparisons going back to 2001, so it’s a relatively simple task to explain it. Here’s a brief summary.
Finance
First off, the financial side of the ledger, and it’s business as usual at the AFL’ helped along by the $16 million earned from the second Grand Final. The AFL reports revenue grew by nearly $36 million to $367 million. After distributions and grants, the AFL turned up an operating profit of $10.6 million in 2010.
The AFL spent $24 million in its new regions of the Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney, at the same time adding $18 million to its future fund. The AFL’s Future Fund now stands at $69 million.
The AFL returned dividends to the clubs in the order of $142 million in 2010. All clubs received the base payment of $4.1 million, and then a bonus $1.2 million from increased broadcast rights.
The AFL paid out $7.1 million from the Special Distribution fund, including:
- Western Bulldogs ($1.7 million)
- North Melbourne ($1.4 million)
- Port Adelaide ($1.25 million)
- Melbourne ($1.0 million)
- Sydney ($0.8 million)
- Carlton ($0.6 million)
- Richmond ($0.4 million)
The annual report notes that five clubs made abnormal losses during the year.
Of great interest is the AFL acting as guarantor for Carlton, Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda, Richmond and Footscray for amounts of up to $5 million per year.
Media
To the media side of things, and the AFL reports that, in 1998, there 621 accredited journalists and broadcasters covering the AFL. In 2010, that figure has jumped to 1,600.
In more mundane information released, the AFL’s public relations arm released 820 media releases during the year. It points out that the Folau move to Western Sydney generated print media coverage worth more than $12 million – all free!
It easily accounted for the Hunt move to Gold Coast.
The AFL assumed the license of AFL Films in 2010, including all of its archives, which includes much of what is owned by the Seven network.
In terms of TV, an average audience of 4.16 million viewers watched each round during the Permiership season. 1.1 million viewers watched the Brownlow medal.
The top five rating matches were:
Rd 9. Geelong v Collingwood (1.33 million)
Rd 2. Brisbane v Carlton (1.2 million)
Rd 5. Collingwood v Essendon (1.18 million)
Rd 8. Fremantle v Collingwood (1.14 million)
Rd 3. Collingwood v St Kilda (1.12 million)
On radio, the AFL had an average of 1.37 million listeners in the five metro areas.
Online, the AFL website remains Australia’s most visited sport website, with 3.8 million unique visitors per month in 2010. The AFL reports more than 250,000 fans on Facebook, 17,000 followers on Twitter, and 60,000 followers of Telstra’s AFL Youtube channel.
Of the clubs, Collingwood was the most popular website, with more than 238,000 vistors per month.
Attendance and Members
The AFL report shows attendances were up to 7.470 million for 2010.cThe MCG saw 2.5 million people through its gates (not including finals) and Etihad had 1.6 million (not including finals).
The best attended clubs were:
- Collingwood 63k
- Carlton 48k
- Essendon 44k
- Geelong 39k
- St Kilda 38k
The AFL reports club memberships reached an all-time high of 614,251, with seven clubs exceeding the 40,000 member mark in 2010, and two passing 50,000.
The AFL itself had 53,959 members in 2010.
Player Payments
In 1990, the AFL reported that 440 players earnt between 0-60k, with the top eight earners getting between 100-200k per year. In 2010, only 40 players will have earnt between $0-60k, the majrotiy earning between $100-400k, with the top four earning between 900k- $1 million.
In 1998, the total player payments was just $62 million. In 2010, that figure had risen to $137 million. In 1998, the average player earned $117k. In 2010, the average AFL player will earn $220k.
Participation
In 2010, Australian Football had more than 751,015 particpants.
The AFL reports:
- 305,997 in club competitions
- 246k in school competitions
- 166k in NAB Auskick
- 4k in recfooty
- 7k in veterans footy
- 18k in women’s footy.
The AFL also reports an increase of 70,000 particpants in NSW to 125,000. In Queensland, the numbers jumped 9 percent to 122,447.
So the AFL rose on all of its benchmarks: crowds, members, revenue, profit, club distributions, and particpation numbers.
Make of that what you will, doomsayers.