Boom times at Punt Rd

100,000 members, record profits, huge crowds for Richmond

RICHMOND’S extraordinary membership growth and bumper crowd figures could fuel the biggest profit in the club’s history.

The Tigers are hunting an AFL record of 100,000 members by the end of July and are currently sitting at 97,517 paidup fans.

Chief executive Brendon Gale said yesterday that while a six-figure tally would be a challenge, “we felt we had to have a swing at it”.

Richmond’s rapid membership growth — up from 75,777 last year — will reap significant profit through higheryield memberships with reserved seat and finals guarantee categories.

The Tigers lead the league in home attendances — 54,889 per game — and have home games against Collingwood, Geelong, the Western Bulldogs and Essendon to come.

If Richmond can continue its strong form through the back end of the year, last year’s profit figure of $3.06 million could be eclipsed.

Gale said yesterday the Tigers were optimistic about their forecasts, but needed to continue driving strong profits given their ambitious agenda. The Tigers will soon have four AFL teams — two men’s and two women — and are planning for an expansion of their Punt Road facility.

Strong profits also give them options as they consider exiting their investment in poker machine venues.

Richmond will play a prime-time Thursday or Friday night fixture on five of the final nine rounds, helping drive strong TV ratings and exposure for its brand.

“It’s going to be a strong year off the field but it needs to be. We are considering further expansion of Punt Road, we have three football teams and will soon have four,” Gale said.

“We have the AFLW team coming on and football programs are expensive.

“We need to keep growing and to make sure they get appropriate support. We have a lot of home games at the MCG left and clearly we have got the tailwind of last year and that will flow into this year.

“Our crowds should start to pick up even further with those games at the MCG.

“With those free-to-air and Friday night marquee slots our ratings will pick up and our crowds as well.”