The true test will come when it has to fund itself.
Will it need to fund itself though?
Given the massive sums of money the AFL has put into GWS and Gold Coast, and continues to put in to propping up some of the Melbourne based clubs, it would seem almost hypocritical of the AFL to expect that the women's game needs to be self funding, at least in the medium term.
However, I think the game will eventually fund itself.