tap in 79 wrote:
Doc Sherrin, I respect your opinion on this topic. What do you think is a fair reward for winning the premiership? 1.21 m, preliminary finalists: $330,000 etc
Can you just clarify from your viewpoint do you think the price is ok, or do you think more prize money should be given?
I think it should be increased. I still think the AFL should be grateful Carlton (and Richmond) assisted them in the 2013 finals with great PR and a real vote of confidence via 94,500 people.
I thank the honorable member for 79 for his question. Yes, I believe the AFL is justified in taking finals' gate takings, but at the same time distributing prizemoney. Is $1.21 million fair for winning the Grand Final? Yes. Yes it is. Because it is what you make it. Hawthorn sold $400k of Premiership related merchandise at its family day on the Sunday. The day after the Grand Final. Including the prizemoney - they're looking at well over $2 million. Not bad.
There may come a time when the clubs lobby for the AFL for both (prizemoney and share the gate) because with the increase in uptake of Foxtel and all games available on mobile devices, there's already a plateau (and therefore a ceiling) of supporters who will purchase a membership and see games live.
Back to the Hawks...there's great money in TV rights, memberships and sponsorships - but the real money is in assets. The Hawks are reinvesting their cash into building the clubs' asset base. They have net assets of $26 million, which includes its Ricoh Centre training facility at Waverley, and the gaming venue. What their annual report also says is the Hawks have a share portfolio worth almost $1.85 million and a gym leased to Goodlife Health Clubs worth about $4 million.
They have set themselves a target of netting $8 million from membership income by 2017. That equates to 80,000 members. They have set themselves a target of growing sponsorship income from about $12 million this year to $17 million by 2017 and for annual merchandise sales to increase about 35 per cent to $3.72 million. But the best bet is they plan on having net assets of $38 million by the end of 2017.
Now that's good money. That's where you hire the experts and that's who sits on your board and works with your CEO. Build your assets. Because your staff are busting their balls on the membership, marketing and sponsorships - but the coin that counts are your assets.