Bulldog4life
27-05-2017, 12:32 PM
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/western-bulldogs-move-from-strugglers-to-financial-strength-after-historic-premiership/news-story/bbe17c53e19bd2164316f25cd696cbfb
THE WESTERN Bulldogs believe their phenomenal growth in the past season will bulletproof them financially when lean times hit.
The Dogs are set to make another strong profit after last year’s record $3,641,018 figure after record membership and sponsorship growth.
Once saved by an emotional tin rattle and bailed out by wealthy patrons, the Dogs aim to grow into one of the AFL’s financial success stories.
The Dogs have soared past their record membership by more than 5000, signed a new principal partner and have cut debt to $1.9 million.
A new Etihad Stadium agreement will kick in next year and the AFLW team has generated new sponsors and 1000 new memberships.
Merchandise sales were up $1.5 million last year and remain strong after tie-ins with Bob Murphy’s 300th game and the premiership flag unfurling.
It has laid a platform for chief executive Gary Kent to believe the Dogs can sustain profits even if the team’s on-field form dips temporarily.
“One of the great things with the premiership was building a stronger club with a stronger base,’’ he said.
“We are building a bigger membership and fan base and getting more people to our games.
“So if you do that through a couple of tough years and you do drop back, you don’t drop back as far.
“It does come with costs, so we are managing revenue and costs, but it’s about a more sustainable future and going to that next level for our club.”
Membership is up 27 per cent in two years — from 36,000 in 2015 to last year’s record of 40,081 to this year’s 45,500 with that number still growing.
The club has signed 10 new sponsors, with Mercedes-Benz Vans to feature on the back of player jumpers from 2018-20 and Mission Foods extending their deal.
The Dogs still sell a home game to Cairns (Round 18) and will also host Port Adelaide in Ballarat (Round 22) as they attempt to recruit a new generation of members in the west.
“I don’t think we will be replicating the profit we had last year, it was a pretty unusual year with prize money and merchandise,’’ Kent said.
“We are targeting to make a reasonable profit but it’s balanced with what we are investing in.
“We have been bottom quartile in footy spend and we would like to get to a middle level.
“We don’t have to be top quartile, we just have to be very smart with it.”
The Dogs secured coach Luke Beveridge on a contract extension until 2020 just months before the historic premiership but both coach and club are comfortable with his terms.
“He has been coach of the year in the last two years. It was done mostly with Peter Gordon and Luke and it didn’t take a lot of time,’’ Kent said.
“Luke thinks it’s a fair deal and we are really happy with it. You should get rewarded for performance and Luke will get rewarded for last year and going forward.
“Everyone is happy with that.”
THE WESTERN Bulldogs believe their phenomenal growth in the past season will bulletproof them financially when lean times hit.
The Dogs are set to make another strong profit after last year’s record $3,641,018 figure after record membership and sponsorship growth.
Once saved by an emotional tin rattle and bailed out by wealthy patrons, the Dogs aim to grow into one of the AFL’s financial success stories.
The Dogs have soared past their record membership by more than 5000, signed a new principal partner and have cut debt to $1.9 million.
A new Etihad Stadium agreement will kick in next year and the AFLW team has generated new sponsors and 1000 new memberships.
Merchandise sales were up $1.5 million last year and remain strong after tie-ins with Bob Murphy’s 300th game and the premiership flag unfurling.
It has laid a platform for chief executive Gary Kent to believe the Dogs can sustain profits even if the team’s on-field form dips temporarily.
“One of the great things with the premiership was building a stronger club with a stronger base,’’ he said.
“We are building a bigger membership and fan base and getting more people to our games.
“So if you do that through a couple of tough years and you do drop back, you don’t drop back as far.
“It does come with costs, so we are managing revenue and costs, but it’s about a more sustainable future and going to that next level for our club.”
Membership is up 27 per cent in two years — from 36,000 in 2015 to last year’s record of 40,081 to this year’s 45,500 with that number still growing.
The club has signed 10 new sponsors, with Mercedes-Benz Vans to feature on the back of player jumpers from 2018-20 and Mission Foods extending their deal.
The Dogs still sell a home game to Cairns (Round 18) and will also host Port Adelaide in Ballarat (Round 22) as they attempt to recruit a new generation of members in the west.
“I don’t think we will be replicating the profit we had last year, it was a pretty unusual year with prize money and merchandise,’’ Kent said.
“We are targeting to make a reasonable profit but it’s balanced with what we are investing in.
“We have been bottom quartile in footy spend and we would like to get to a middle level.
“We don’t have to be top quartile, we just have to be very smart with it.”
The Dogs secured coach Luke Beveridge on a contract extension until 2020 just months before the historic premiership but both coach and club are comfortable with his terms.
“He has been coach of the year in the last two years. It was done mostly with Peter Gordon and Luke and it didn’t take a lot of time,’’ Kent said.
“Luke thinks it’s a fair deal and we are really happy with it. You should get rewarded for performance and Luke will get rewarded for last year and going forward.
“Everyone is happy with that.”