The paper responds to an AFL document on equalisation, presented to clubs in December 2012, and outlines the Western Bulldogs’ position on how best the AFL can distribute revenue from the game.
President Peter Gordon said the paper named “catch up footy” provided a response that aimed to ensure the AFL’s distribution policies going forward were “the right ones.”
“We’ve sought to articulate a position based on sound economic principles and our overriding objective is, what is the best way to grow the game?” Gordon said.
“Catch up footy” explores the United States’ National Football League (NFL) as a case study of a well-run league that distributes a large portion of the games’ revenue evenly between its clubs and subsequently provides a greater spectacle for its fans, with the average winning margin in recent years only three points.
“The NFL actually distributes 70% of total revenues evenly between its clubs. That’s almost three times what the AFL currently does,” Gordon said.
“A good league is one where every game is one that you want to watch because you just don’t know who is going win.”
Equalisation options such as centralising stadium costs and attendance income were discussed in the recently submitted paper, where the Club’s focus remained on “equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcome.”
To read the equalisation discussion paper in full, click here.
To provide your feedback on the discussion paper to the club, please e-mail godogs@westernbulldogs.com.au.
