Funds from new broadcast deal to boost community-level AFL

The announcement of the new television rights deal between the AFL with Foxtel and Seven West Media is to provide a massive input of funds for the grassroots game, with the AFL Commission agreeing to commit 10% of gross League revenue to the sport at community-level, with a heavy focus on growth in the female game.

Worth $4.5 billion over seven years from 2025, the proportion of income from the television and digital rights deal announced yesterday will be committed across school-based programs, facilities and funded development officers.

Advising that separate changing rooms for male and female players at local grounds will be part of the commitment, AFL Chief Executive, Gillon McLachlan stated “it will provide many different pathways through football, we aim to improve facilities at grassroots level. The commitment is significant.”

In a statement, AFL Chairman, Richard Goyder, claimed the new deal “provides a clear and supported pathway for girls to play, umpire and coach in the sport”

Going on to detail how the new broadcast deal will benefit the game at all levels, McLachlan stated “we want to be the game for everyone. And this partnership will help us to do more to engage with all communities, in all states and territories and across Indigenous and culturally diverse communities.

"This partnership will provide unprecedented levels of financial support to invest more in ensuring every person who wants to play footy will be able to play footy.  

"It will allow us to invest heavily in expanding our reach into the local community and also to invest in the next generation through more digital products that are targeted at attracting kids and providing a pathway to engaging physically with our game."

New AFL team for Tasmania
Commenting yesterday on the Tasmanian Government’s ongoing demands for a new team to be based in the state, McLachlan said that the granting of a new franchise “has to be right for football”.

McLachlan, who has previously suggested that the development of a new stadium in Hobart would be a requirement for a 19th AFL team said the AFL was ”prosecuting it correctly”, adding “it has to be the right deal for football and that includes involving our current 18 teams and the Tasmanian Government in the discussion.

“If it is the right deal for football, we’ll push ahead with (a new team) If not, we won’t.”

Tasmanian Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, has been vocal in his support of a new AFL franchise, last month distributing a press release stating that the success of the NBL’s JackJumpers sends a message to the AFL.