Virus-hit clubs fear pain will linger on

Financial clouds hanging over AFL

EDDIE McGuire’s doomsday “run on the clubs” by members may yet eventuate.

Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon says he fears the competition’s already cashstrapped clubs face an even bleaker financial outlook in 2021 because of the coronavirus flow-on effect.

Clubs are also anxiously awaiting advice on whether the variable balance funding they’ve been receiving from the AFL over many years will be restored, at least in part.

Loyal fans came to the rescue of clubs in 2020, with about 90 per cent of members honouring their subscriptions.

McGuire famously warned in April that clubs would go to the wall if big numbers of members demanded refunds.

Gordon, pictured, said memberships, sponsorships and the restoration of variable AFL distributions would be crucial in determining the financial health of some clubs next season.

“The next big problem not just for the Bulldogs but for most clubs comes in 2021,” Gordon said. “Members who stayed incredibly loyal in 2020 are about to be asked to sign up again in circumstances where they don’t know what sort of value for their membership money they are going to get.

“Membership for 2021 requires supporters to take a leap of faith – both that there will be games and that … they will be able to get to games.”

Clubs are exploring alternative membership packages, including changes to reserved seating arrangements.

“For a lot of our members, their reserved seat is a very big part of the value that they get,” Gordon said. “They’ve gotten to know the people who sit next to them, behind them and in front of them over many years, and we are conscious of that, but … we are uncertain as to whether 2021’s COVID requirements will allow people to bunch up next to each other like in the past.

“We need to maintain the flexibility to seat our members at distances that the AFL and the Victorian government may mandate. It’s complicated and we’ve had a bit of pushback from members on that. Once we explain it, most of our members understand.

“The whole industry remains vulnerable to another COVID spike; and while we’re all happy with recent COVID numbers in Victoria, what we are now seeing in America and Europe is a stark reminder that this virus, especially at the start of winter, can come back quickly and come back hard …. and if it does, it will hit footy.”