AFL Premiers Melbourne welcome $2.4 million sponsorship increase

AFL Premiers the Melbourne Demons have advised that they increase sponsorship and corporate hospitality revenue by more than 40% ($2.4 million) during the 2021 season, with sponsorship revenue ending the year at $7.9 million.

Co-principal partners Zurich and Jaguar remained the Demons’ principal sponsors will new partners Beyond Bank, Coinjar, Bleasedale Wines, Torrens University, Australian Bond Exchange, Prats and Snooza joined the Club’s list of sponsors.

Nonetheless, total operating revenue was $45.1 million for the year, $3.5 million below the 2019 (pre-COVID) operating revenue of $48.6 million.

Looking forward, the club has announced that it will establish a ‘Future Fund’ in 2022 following the sale of multi-faceted sports and entertainment venue, the Bentleigh Club, from which the Demons will benefit by $23.3 million when the sale is settled.

This follows the trend of sporting clubs divesting gambling activities, with the Demons having sold out of the Leighoak venue in 2018. The Bentleigh Club generated $2.1 million gaming revenue in 2021.

Manoeuvres by the club around COVID cost it revenue from several major home games, including the Queen’s Birthday long weekend match, which was moved to Sydney as well as the finals series that shifted to Perth.

However, it pocketed $4.7 million at the gate and $1.1 million from the finals along with income from merchandise sales after winning the premiership.

Aside from the men’s AFL, the women’s team made the preliminary final for the first time.

Off the field, Kate Roffey became the 22nd, and first female president of the club after Glen Bartlett stepped down after eight years at the helm.

Image: The Demons before the 2021 AFL Grand Final at Perth's Optus Stadium. Credit: VenuesLive.