AFL generates record revenues

The Australian Football League generated record revenue of $446 million and more than doubled its net profit in 2013, according to the AFL's latest annual report.

The AFL registered a net profit of $16.06 million in 2013 a $9.9 million rise on 2012, while revenue increased by 4% from $428 million. The league's expenditure also increased by 3% to $137 million in 2013, which AFL Commission Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said was due to "revenue-related increases and legal fees", with the latter being linked to the ongoing supplements saga involving Essendon.

Fitzpatrick said that the league's 2013 profits would be invested into the AFL's Future Fund.

The league also said that the club's cumulative number of members had increased for a 13th consecutive year, with the total, 756,717, representing a 7% year-on-year rise. Crowd attendances were also up by 2.1% up on 2012, with a total of 6,368,346 spectators coming through the turnstiles an average of 32,163 per game.

Fitzpatrick added "the football public continued to support the 18 AFL clubs and maintained their extraordinary enthusiasm for the game despite being annoyed and frustrated by the off-field events of 2013 and the time it took to resolve them."

Total player earnings rose from $185.9 million to $197.5 million in 2013.

17th February 2012 - AFL RECORDS RARE NET LOSS WHILE PARTICIPATION AND MEMBERSHIP RISES