AFL faces up to post lockdown changes

Having last week secured a line of credit with two major banks to allow it to keep operating during the Coronavirus pandemic, the AFL is facing up to significant changes when the league resumes.

With the league and clubs having stood down significant numbers of staff until 31st May to reduce costs, the sport is facing up to drastically reduced budgets when playing resumes, as a result of falls in income through TV money, gate takings and other commercial opportunities.

Off-field spending, capped at $9.7 million before the Coronavirus shutdown, looks set to be cut further.

Western Bulldogs AFLW coach, whose role was recently cut to seven hours per week, told the ABC “the (AFL clubs are) probably going to have to look at their whole business model of how much do they put into their next-generation academies, their school programs and their community programs.

"And they need to decide - what's our core business? Do we cut out an assistant coach or do we cut somebody from the marketing department?”

Reduced income reportedly means that some clubs that fielded AFLW teams during the incomplete 2020 season are questioning whether they can afford to continue doing so beyond this year.