There has
been considerable comment on the financial side of football recently, but the
average football follower probably couldn’t tell you how much it costs to run
his favourite club. Perhaps he
would be even staggered to learn it costs top clubs in the vicinity of $200,000.
A
successful season brings added rewards, but it also means added weeks keeping
their team in training and the expense rises accordingly.
Last
year the total expenses of the first top clubs, who naturally fielded sides in
the most number of games, were all around the $200,000 bracket.
Premiers
Carlton revealed in their annual report, expenditure of $204,764.
Runners-up
Richmond had expenditure of $194,925.84 but third club St Kilda had the higher
figure of all - $243,432. It’s
hard for club officials to give an exact average of what it cost to put a team
on the field on one given Saturday, because there are a number of differing cost
factors which make costs some weeks higher than others.
But
if you average it out over the possible 26 or 27 games a top side may play, a
figure of about $8,000 to get the side out to play on a Saturday afternoon would
be a reasonable assumption.
Last
year North Melbourne finished on the bottom of the ladder, and their expenditure
for the year was $114,819.10, and according to North officials it was hard work
to keep their expenses down to this figure.
They
pruned expenses wherever possible and limited their spending – in other words
they had an austerity campaign in an attempt to get the club back on a sounder
financial footing. With the
importation of new coaches and 10 year players from other clubs for the 1973
season, their expenditure this year will skyrocket much higher than last
year’s amount. A major factor
that worries clubs is that they have to rely heavily on success on the field to
help them meet their expenses and remain successful.
The
more games you win, the more you play and although the costs are extended the
rewards that come in from finals appearances and from happy supporters are a
much needed help – failure on the field doesn’t find this finance.
The
concern amongst clubs is that costs are spiralling each year in the every day
business of running a club, let alone taking in the factor of increased payments
for players.
Officials
at all clubs agree that over the last five years, the general costs of running a
club have virtually doubled. Which
means that each year they have to find more money than the previous year.
The
introduction of the 10-year player rule, and the provision to put players under
contract after seven consecutive years boosts the payout to players
considerably.
Added
to this, the overall payment to players will increase this season.
For
instance, bottom side North spent $26,003 on payments to players and associated
expenses last year. With Doug Wade,
Barry Davis and John Rantall recruited as 10 year players, plus the advancement
in experience of other players it will be considerably higher this year.
Second
last, South Melbourne, who had a number of young players, paid out $18,598 for
their senior players but when you add associated costs such as board and
travelling expenses, sick, accident and lost time etc, the costs of the two
bottom clubs were similar.
But
then you skip through the list to premiers Carlton and you find their team
maintenance payments were $43,441, and runners-up Richmond were even higher at
$51,557.
And
it is amazing how what used to be regarded as minor expense in things such as
chemical and medical supplies can build-up to costly amounts.
Uniforms,
playing and training materials, medical and physio charges, training staff,
traveling expenses in country zones, after match entertainment, education
expenses for young players, trophies all mount up.
Expenditure
has become so high, that you may have noticed most clubs have been cutting out
the annual end-of-the-season trip away, usually to Surfers Paradise.
Also
in the payment for team maintenance there’s usually a pretty substantial
amount for coaches, although with the demands of time called upon to be a coach
in present day football a rise for coaches would be quite justified.
Administration
costs are also high. Full time
secretaries have been very important people in all clubs in modern day football.
To
find men with the ability, know how and to work the hours demanded means to get
a good secretary you naturally must pay him well.
Discussing
the finance of running a club is virtually an unending story, which goes much
deeper than the areas we’ve touched on.
But
it should make it obvious to you, that running a league football club today is
big business – and costly.
Footnote to story – this edition of Football Life (The official publication of the VFL) cost 40c.