North Melbournes financial position

[GVGjr]

How great would it be to announce s result like the Roos are about to this week?
I wonder what the secret for their success is. I tip my hat to Brayshaw and co for this result.

This from the Hun

NORTH Melbourne will announce its first $1 million profit this week.

A year after rejecting the Gold Coast as a permanent base, North is expected to declare it had a $1.1 million operating surplus on the 2008 season.

It is believed the club has also managed to reduce its debt, from $4.2 million to $3.2 million, during the year.

The 2008 result was accumulated largely from membership, which grew from 22,000 to 34,000.

Despite the club failing to emulate the preliminary final finish to 2007, and thus be eligible for nearly $300,000 extra prizemoney that was earned in that year, the 2008 profit bettered last year's by more than $800,000.

North's board committed an additional $800,000 to the football department in 2008 and has pledged to again bolster that department next year.

The club's auditors are set to sign off on the 2008 books, which will record a "total profit" of $6 million, a figure that takes in an "abnormal" $5 million of State and Federal Government funding associated with the redevelopment of the club's Arden St headquarters.

Work is expected to begin on the redevelopment by February, with the local council formally approving the club's plans last week.

Five companies are considering tendering for the $16 million project, which will provide new offices and training facilities.

A multicultural centre will be incorporated into the site, along with other community benefits.

As well as membership on the 2008 books, North recorded significant revenue increases in sponsorship and corporate support, as well as its annual running of the official AFL Grand Final breakfast.

Match-day returns were down, because of the conversion of many supporters into members.

It is believed the club made less than $600,000 from its eight home matches at Telstra Dome, a figure that Geelong makes in profit from each of its home games at Skilled Stadium.

While North will next year lose Vodafone, one of its joint major sponsors from 2008, it recently re-signed a lucrative deal with long-time backer Mazda.

That major sponsorship will run for the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

The Western Bulldogs, Melbourne and Richmond remain without a major sponsor for 2009, a worrying situation and one difficult to overcome given the global financial crisis.

[ledge]

This year Nth were always going to do well after all the pleading but its the next year when most of the ones who felt sorry for them drop off becomes the problem.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

This year Nth were always going to do well after all the pleading but its the next year when most of the ones who felt sorry for them drop off becomes the problem.

They'll be fine for next year and perhaps the one after, because the relocation drama is still relatively fresh and new. After two or so years, though, it might wear off and it'll be interesting to see how many members they have in the 2010 season.

[ledge]

Interesting about the money they made from home games at Telstra, looks like we were not the only ones done over by Telstra Dome, no wonder the AFL has to give some clubs more money than others, just to even up the discrepancies. Would like to know how much we made from our home games.

[Mofra]

I'm still a conspiracy theorist - GC17 had no mascot named so they will be easier to merge later, and WS18 has had even less effort put into development. There will be two clubs in Melbourne put under pressure to mrge/relocate and as cruel as it is to say, I hope there are two clubs below us on the survivability ladder at the end of 2010.

[LostDoggy]

I'm with you Mofra.

I really hope we win a premiership soon cos the sooner we do the sooner I will abandon the game.
I'm sick and tired of the AFL and its BS.

[LostDoggy]

We made a good profit last year, and I would expect a larger profit this year, after all the membership upgrades

[GVGjr]

We made a good profit last year, and I would expect a larger profit this year, after all the membership upgrades

I hope you are right but I feel as though we will come in well under expectations. I think if the result was going to be brilliant we would be subtly conveying that to the media

[LostDoggy]

I hope you are right but I feel as though we will come in well under expectations. I think if the result was going to be brilliant we would be subtly conveying that to the media

Hasn't it been mooted in the press we will make upwards of $800,000 this year ??

[GVGjr]

Hasn't it been mooted in the press we will make upwards of $800,000 this year ??

Not from what I can recall. All season long we seemed to be chasing our tails. Membership was very slow off the mark.

I hope you are right. That sort of figure would be terrific especially if we are lowering any debt as well.

[LostDoggy]

Fightin the Maribyrnong Council through VCAT would not come cheap, quite a few thousand would have gone down that path. I hope this is resolved soon.

[bornadog]

Hasn't it been mooted in the press we will make upwards of $800,000 this year ??

I read the same thing somewhere.

North's membership will be lucky to hit 30,000 next year. Game day they were well down on other clubs, which goes to show the members were sympthy membership. Home games they only averaged 27k compared to our 30k plus.

[Prince Imperial]

Caroline Wilson mentioned the expected profit figure of at least $800k in an article a few weeks ago:

The Bulldogs remain a conundrum. This year the club reached a preliminary final, spent most of the season in the top three and moved into an impressive new training facility, and had financing that has become the benchmark for at least four other Melbourne-based clubs.

The club, albeit after $1.7 million in special assistance, will make a profit of at least $800,000. That is a massive achievement. And yet, despite LeasePlan's decision to part with the club and announce it well before the finals, no serious new sponsor has come forward. Most disheartening.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/new...48.html?page=2

[hujsh]

Herald sun gave a headline to SEN

Dogs in black but still chasing pack.

Story not up yet but at least it's a profit.

[GVGjr]

With news on how the Swans, Lions, Port and Collingwood all had big losses it makes the North result that much better. On top of that the Cats are budgeting for a very modest profit in 2009.