The AFL reported an underlying operating profit of $20.7 million in 2022, compared with an underlying operating loss of $46.1 million in 2021, an increase of $66.8 million. This result includes the AFL’s controlled state subsidiaries, Marvel Stadium and Champion Data.
Total AFL Club membership reached an all-time record 1,190,671 members in 2022, surpassing the record of 1,113,441 that was set in 2021 – a jump of 6.9 per cent growth on last year.
One in every 22 Australians is currently a member of an AFL club.
The AFL’s operating revenue increased by $131.8 million due to a combination of improved commercial returns from Marvel Stadium, sponsorship and broadcasting. This revenue was used to fund the following investments:
• $337.5 million to AFL clubs;
• $60.8 million to Game Development;
• $45.3 million in running the AFLW competition, including Season 6 which ran from January 2022 to April 2022 and part of Season 7, which ran from August 2022 to November 2022;
• $27.1 million to the AFLPA;
• $17.4 million to infrastructure comprising of elite and community facilities and contributions for stadia redevelopments; and
• $0.7 million to corporate and social responsibility initiatives.
Operating expenditure increased by $63.0 million due to a combination of revenue-related increases and the expansion of the AFLW competition, including the introduction of four new teams and completion of two AFLW Home & Away seasons in the 2022 financial year.
Distributions to Clubs increased by $36.5 million.
The AFL’s cash balance at the end of the financial year was $178.2 million; the balance included $60.2 million payable to the AFL Players Association for a share of revenues captured over the 2017 to 2021 season which was paid in November 2022.
The total payments to AFL Executives equated to $11.8 million, compared to $10.4 million in 2019 pre-Covid.
After all revenue, operating expenditure and distributions, the AFL recorded an underlying operating profit of $20.7 million, compared with an underlying operating loss of $46.1 million in 2021.
