News National seconds comp

[anchor man]

Every team except Adel, Port, Freo and WC are already in the VFL, we’re the ones who would need to cough up, all 4 can afford it.

Yes maybe all the Melbourne based clubs are in there, but a large number of them feed off the AFL. They are not financially sound.
I don't believe that with the reserves coming in that it would benefit Fremantle financially or make us any better.

 

[pK75]

Yes maybe all the Melbourne based clubs are in there, but a large number of them feed off the AFL. They are not financially sound.
I don't believe that with the reserves coming in that it would benefit Fremantle financially or make us any better.

Oh I agree, I am not advocating for us to join a national seconds comp, but money is not the reason we wouldn’t. I like the WAFL, I like that players not in the 24 travelling party don’t need to fly every other week and I like that our kids not in the firsts or second teams gets to play in the peel reserves, plus peel would probably die if freo left.

 

[Taylor]

See, freo and WC could afford that and still turn a profit. AFL would sell the tv rights, at least half the games every week would be a double header with the AFL game coming before or after the seconds game, there’d be increased sponsorship money to have logos on the seconds team uniforms.
Money is not the main issue, it’s if we and the AFL can be bothered with the logistical problems and what do they do with all the stand alone teams in VFL currently, it’s already a 21 team comp, making it 25 would be ridiculous not to mention they would be stretching their budgets coming to WA or SA without piggy backing on an AFL team.

How much exposure do you think a second tier side gets?
The broadcast rights for the WAFL about ten years ago was $800,000.
Same era AFL broadcast rights cost $1,250,000,000 - 250m a year.

Assuming the sponsorship deals scale with the value of the exposure then the the WAFL sponsorship will be worth 1/312th of the AFL sponsorship deal. The biggest sponsorship deal ever for the AFL at the time, with the Pies, was $3m a year from Holden.

That's the best case, then Holden on the Pies 2nd tier top is worth $9600.

I really don't think there is the money in it. I'm not even sure the AFLW broadcast turns a profit and it's the top tier for that side of the code.

 

[CapitalA]

Do they? Thirty people per team (24 + staff) at $200 a ticket each way every second week is $132,000. Sharing a hotel room two per room at $200 a night for two nights is another $66,000. Let's pay all the players and staff $40,000, that's $1,200,000 for a total footy department spend of $1,398,000 excluding all kits, meals, medical expenses, insurance, equipment etc.

And I suspect that the prices I've used here are potentially out by up to 100%.

WAFC royalty payment last year was $2,250,000. Total profit for 2022 was $2,428,000.

I don't think Freo can afford that footy program and we are quite well off AFL wise.

They will be travelling with the afl team on a paid for charter flight. Their flight is free essentially.

 

[pK75]

How much exposure do you think a second tier side gets?
The broadcast rights for the WAFL about ten years ago was $800,000.
Same era AFL broadcast rights cost $1,250,000,000 - 250m a year.

Assuming the sponsorship deals scale with the value of the exposure then the the WAFL sponsorship will be worth 1/312th of the AFL sponsorship deal. The biggest sponsorship deal ever for the AFL at the time, with the Pies, was $3m a year from Holden.

That's the best case, then Holden on the Pies 2nd tier top is worth $9600.

I really don't think there is the money in it. I'm not even sure the AFLW broadcast turns a profit and it's the top tier for that side of the code.

If Southport can find the funds to field a team that travels to Melbourne every second week, with flights accommodation and the rest of the expenses you mentioned, then Freo and WC can afford it.
Not to mention we have all the support networks, management, training facilities in place already.
The difference between a 45 man squad and a 60-65 man squad is a couple of development coaches and S&C staff.
Money is not the issue, the fact that if we’re close to fully fit 20 odd players don’t get a game each week is a much bigger problem, you need them in case you do have an injury crisis and 10-15 players are unavailable. But what do they do the rest of the time?

 

[Kapow!!!]

If Southport can find the funds to field a team that travels to Melbourne every second week, with flights accommodation and the rest of the expenses you mentioned, then Freo and WC can afford it.
Not to mention we have all the support networks, management, training facilities in place already.
The difference between a 45 man squad and a 60-65 man squad is a couple of development coaches and S&C staff.
Money is not the issue, the fact that if we’re close to fully fit 20 odd players don’t get a game each week is a much bigger problem, you need them in case you do have an injury crisis and 10-15 players are unavailable. But what do they do the rest of the time?

Southport? One word: Pokies. Four words: Ungodly amount of Pokies. They've since branched out into other ventures as well now to consolidate and their sports club is monumental (probably as big as the Brisbane Broncos leagues club). They are a very well run business with a football team. But yeah, they've built themselves up to be the one of biggest sports clubs on the Gold Coast through monumental pokie revenue. They'd rival some of the smaller NRL clubs in terms of revenue* (perhaps hyperbolic, I'm not sure so take that with a grain of salt but they are massive) so it's pretty easy to see how they can afford to put players on a plane every few weeks or so. It's also not every second week due to the weird schedule of the VFL plus the local games against Brisbane and Gold Coast reserves. They also play less games with far cheaper flights on the east coast. They also aren't being gouged heavily by the WAFC and are an independent venture (which is the main reason they refused to run the AFL club and instead we have the Suns). Perhaps not the most relevant comparison to make in this argument.

A Freo reserves team would be spending a gargantuan amount on flights and accommodation compared to the East Coast teams (and even the Adelaide teams). We're not a poor club by any means but we don't really turn big profits either. I'd be interested to see the financials of it but I get the feeling if we're left to pay for a reserves team that travels every second week for a 23 week season on top of everything we may struggle. It would impact our not exactly substantial yearly profit margin quite a lot

 

[anchor man]

Southport? One word: Pokies. Four words: Ungodly amount of Pokies. They've since branched out into other ventures as well now to consolidate and their sports club is monumental (probably as big as the Brisbane Broncos leagues club). They are a very well run business with a football team. But yeah, they've built themselves up to be the one of biggest sports clubs on the Gold Coast through monumental pokie revenue. They'd rival some of the smaller NRL clubs in terms of revenue* (perhaps hyperbolic, I'm not sure so take that with a grain of salt but they are massive) so it's pretty easy to see how they can afford to put players on a plane every few weeks or so. It's also not every second week due to the weird schedule of the VFL plus the local games against Brisbane and Gold Coast reserves. They also play less games with far cheaper flights on the east coast. They also aren't being gouged heavily by the WAFC and are an independent venture (which is the main reason they refused to run the AFL club and instead we have the Suns). Perhaps not the most relevant comparison to make in this argument.

A Freo reserves team would be spending a gargantuan amount on flights and accommodation compared to the East Coast teams (and even the Adelaide teams). We're not a poor club by any means but we don't really turn big profits either. I'd be interested to see the financials of it but I get the feeling if we're left to pay for a reserves team that travels every second week for a 23 week season on top of everything we may struggle. It would impact our not exactly substantial yearly profit margin quite a lot

Great post. And the last thing we need is pokies in the state.

 

[south beach]

Great post. And the last thing we need is pokies in the state.

Not sure I agree with all the negativity with us having a reserves team. Surely better for our club to have a team that gets to experience travel particularly for the next tier of players. Peel isn’t Freo and not all our players get to play with Peel at finals time. Not concerned about the WAFL only have a fleeting interest in Peel. Would consider it a disadvantage noting having a reserves team in fact.

Great post. And the last thing we need is pokies in the state.