AFL Clubs and Pokies

[ManWithNoName]

Article about Essendon trying to rely less on pokie machines, it currently has 190, reveals just how much AFL clubs are into them

North Melbourne is the only Victorian AFL club not to have pokies.

The other nine footy clubs control 18 venues — with a 19th on the way — and more than 1350 machines.

Hawthorn sits atop the pokies revenue ladder, with its Vegas at Waverley Gardens and a 73 per cent stake in the Westwaters Hotel generating $19.5m in player losses.

It has applied for 10 more machines at Westwaters, with a hearing set for August 18.

The Western Bulldogs will more than double their stake in pokies when the club’s Edgewater complex opens with 70 machines.

SURELY there's enough money in the game that we can start to rely less on these things? I knew there was a lot, but had no idea there was this many.

http://www.news.com.au/national/ess...ines-for-revenue/story-e6frfkp9-1227459088163

 

[Despair]

Mooooore Chilli!!

 

[Chief]

Nobody would protest about getting rid of them.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Ive never heard of a company/club saying "thats enough money"

 

[ManWithNoName]

Ive never heard of a company/club saying "thats enough money"

Football clubs don't exist to make a profit.

 

[The 747]

Yadda yadda yadda community, diversity, tolerance yadda yadda. Funded through the gambling losses of the poor. Viva AFL.

 

[Prudster]

Football clubs don't exist to make a profit.

But all we hear about is how there's a growing gap between the rich and the poor. Even if they don't exist to make a profit, clubs who can reinvest millions more back into the club will always have an advantage over those who can't.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Disgusting machines, but you can bet your bottom dollar the AFL will turn the blind eye and allow the odd "gambling is bad lolz" message to be sent out.

Hypocritical shits the lot of them.

 

[ManWithNoName]

But all we hear about is how there's a growing gap between the rich and the poor. Even if they don't exist to make a profit, clubs who can reinvest millions more back into the club will always have an advantage over those who can't.

Hawthorn making almost $20M from their pokies compared to North who make $0 is probably a large contributor to that gap though.

 

[El Topo]

Football clubs don't exist to make a profit.

It's also about clubs who become reliant on dirty pokies money to pay their debts. It's a shadow hanging over Carlton, and Essendon are wise to cut the cord while they're in a financial position to do so.

 

[scarecrow2k1]

I agree with the OP regarding pokies being a blight on our state. With a fairer distribution of funds from the AFL it wouldnt be necessary. But look where its got north

 

[Lensen]

SURELY there's enough money in the game that we can start to rely less on these things? I knew there was a lot, but had no idea there was this many.

This is what people don't get in their continual arguments that more broadcast $$$ etc are good for the game - there is never enough money in the game because it is distributed disequally.

There is enough $$$ in the game to not need "big" clubs getting more than their fair share of marquee fixtures. There is enough $$$ in the game to not require bending to 7's whim in terms of timeslots. There is enough $$$ in the game for clubs to not have to go cap in hand to members for raffles etc.

The game would get by just fine with AFL setting the fixture in a fair and equitable way and earning $100 million a year less in TV rights - and I'd doubt that $100 million would be the impact TBH, it would be much less.

But there's never "enough" as clubs are willing to spend millions to get half a percent advantage over the comp, and the mindset is the more revenue they can make the more they can spend to try and get this advantage. It's a never ending cycle of trying to keep up with the Joneses (or in this case, the West Coast/Collingwood/Hawthorns).

 

[Furn2]

Im more concerned with sugar filled Gatorade being pushed in our kids faces at every opportunity.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Im more concerned with sugar filled Gatorade being pushed in our kids faces at every opportunity.

I'd rather be a fat than a degenerate gambler.

 

[Furn2]

I'd rather be a fat than a degenerate gambler.

You'd rather have diabetes, heart disease, liver failure, peripheral arterial disease etc etc than owe money ?

You can also get make more money, new legs not so easy.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

nothing wrong with gambling revenue. people are free to make their own decisions when it comes to spending their money. if they're going to gamble then it might as well be to the benefit of footy rather than james packer.

 

[rocket18]

Im happy my club are one of the few that have not gone down this path, they are a blight on the community, in every neighborhood pub. Should have just put them in at the casino.

Not a good look that some afl clubs leech off he community like this.

 

[Prudster]

Hawthorn making almost $20M from their pokies compared to North who make $0 is probably a large contributor to that gap though.

Pretty sure that's not 20 million in profit. Besides, Hawthorn have invested a lot of money into pokies venues. Even if they sold them, Hawthorn then have a **** ton of money to invest into other things which North won't have.

The point is, if it's not pokies, clubs like Hawthorn, Collingwood and West Coast (no pokies for them anyway) still have more money to invest into whatever money making cause they want. Sure, they don't exist to make profit, but profit sure as hell ensures they continue to exist.

 

[kranky al]

Glad my club doesnt touch them


Good Old fashioned drug trafficing is one thing .....

 

[The 747]

nothing wrong with gambling revenue. people are free to make their own decisions when it comes to spending their money. if they're going to gamble then it might as well be to the benefit of footy rather than james packer.

Nothing wrong with hard drugs, people are free to make their own decisions when it comes to spending their money.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Nothing wrong with hard drugs, people are free to make their own decisions when it comes to spending their money.

because hard drugs are legal, right?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The cash gained from pokies is always greatly exaggerated by the media.

They always quote raw revenue, it doesn't take into account any expense of running the entire business before you get to profit.

And often other areas of these clubs run at a loss subsidised by the pokies, so the costs can be significant.

And then tax of course.

After that you get a profit, and often clubs aren't 100% owners, and don't get the full amount.

Issue is still there but clubs don't pocket the ridiculous figures highlighted.

 

[JUBJUB]

Im more concerned with sugar filled Gatorade being pushed in our kids faces at every opportunity.

 

[Probitas_]

because hard drugs are legal, right?

Because gambling doesn't destroy lives, right?

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Because gambling doesn't destroy lives, right?

no more than alcohol, fast food and prescription drugs