2013 SANFL ANNUAL REPORT MUNIT OM Y C L NF SA B LU C L L A B T F L O O L O OTBA F E D I A L E D C A T R O P M S AGPIE 1 Glenelg’s Ty Allen runs through the banner for his 100th match. (Paul Melrose, SA Football Budget) A primary school student goes through her football paces 2013: A YEAR IN atREVIEW a Port Adelaide development zone training session. 2013 will be remembered as a watershed This work was undertaken against a background of year in the history of the SANFL and South continued financial prudence in what can only be Australian football. described as sustained, tough economic conditions. Nevertheless, the SANFL continued to oversee strong It was a year which marked the end of an era, with the growth in the health of the game, with increases in 40th and final season of elite football at AAMI Stadium. participation rates at grass roots level. Since 1974, our West Lakes facility has witnessed thousands of games in front of millions of people. It has The development of our next band of elite footballers played its part in some of football’s biggest stories over was highlighted by South Australia’s breakthrough win that time. in the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships and no fewer than five of our championship players being named as All For South Australian football, it has been a home in the Australians. true sense of the word. South Australia again performed strongly at the AFL And, in what was a fitting send-off, the last three major National Draft, our senior State League team continued events to be held at the stadium – the final AFL match, to assert its presence and there were positive indicators the SANFL Grand Final and the Bon Jovi concert – drew across all levels of the game, headlined by Port Adelaide’s in excess of 130,000 people, proof of the stadium’s ability return to form. to deliver results to the end. Even when measured across the League’s 136 year Its legacy – and that of the visionary leaders who were history, 2014 will bring some remarkable changes to the authors of its enduring success – will be long and football in the state. profound as a future fund for football in South Australia as we move through the process of redeveloping the Not the least of these is the move to Adelaide Oval – a precinct. new home for football in the heart of the CBD and, in many ways, a new start for the game in South Australia. The year will also be recorded as a turning point in the history of the SANFL competition itself, with the SANFL It is up to all of us in football at every level to ensure we League Directors voting to enable the Adelaide Football work together to maximise this fantastic opportunity – Club to enter the competition from 2014. not just for 2014 but for the generations of young SA footballers to come. The Port Adelaide Football Club accepted the proposed terms and conditions for the Magpies to act as an AFL support team in the SANFL competition in 2014. In many ways, these decisions – which were reached through a lengthy and detailed process managed by the SA Football Commission – are redolent of the courage shown by the game’s forefathers in taking football to West Lakes in the early 1970s. Then, as now, football’s leaders joined together to make a judgement call they believed was in the best interests of the game in South Australia. It is the Commission’s belief that the vision shown by the League Directors in 2013 will protect the integrity, relevance and viability for the long term. The Commission also spent a great deal of energy on the final transition arrangements for the move to Adelaide Oval, as well as continued work with the AFL on the Picture: John Lyons, Sharon Stephens and Leigh Whicker AM, transfer of the two AFL licences. before the SANFL Grand Final. 2 FINANCIAL HEALTH OF THE PERFORMANCE GAME The SANFL made an underlying profit of $2.13m in 2013 As the custodian of football in South Australia, the SANFL (excluding depreciation, the stadium write-down and oversaw an overall increase in participation across the abnormal items). This was a strong result given there State, with more than 113,000 participants involved in 2013. were no AFL finals hosted at AAMI stadium. The result was largely achieved by implementing a 3% operating Involvement at club level across South Australia rose to expenditure reduction. more than 45,000. In the 2014 financial year, SANFL will bring an asset onto The number of children aged 5 to 12 playing football its balance sheet that represents the value of the licence increased by 7.5%, while total Primary and Secondary SANFL holds over Adelaide Oval for the Football period. school participation increased by 13.5%. There was further The licence has been independently valued at $93.5m. growth in the South Australian Women’s Football League When recognised, the SANFL net asset position will with participation jumping by 27.5%. increase from $27.9m to in excess of $100m. This is the equivalent of the SANFL net asset position in 2011 prior to Our junior representative teams had a great year with stadium write-downs. the South Australian Under-18 team going through undefeated to win the National Championships. With the decision in 2011 to move to Adelaide Oval, the stadium value has been written-down each year since. Five players - defenders Matt Scharenberg and James This has no bearing on the SANFL operating cash surplus Battersby, midfielders James Aish and Luke Dunstan result but reduces the statutory operating result. and forward Darcy Hourigan - were selected in the All- Australian team, along with coach Brenton Phillips. These continued (although planned) write-downs in the Our Under-16 team finished second in the AFL National value of AAMI Stadium ($8.45m) and grants provided to Championships after defeating both Vic Metro and PAFC as part of a funding agreement that ended in 2013 Western Australia. contributed to a statutory operating deficit of $12.42m. The SANFL provided PAFC $2m in 2013 and total grants The SANFL’s long term commitment to equality received of $14.75m in the past five years. very public recognition with Eleni Glouftsis becoming the first female Field Umpire to officiate at State League The SANFL achieved a positive net cash flow from level in Australia when she umpired the match between operating activities of $3.8m compared with $1.28m in Glenelg and North Adelaide on August 25. Eleni also 2012 and achieved an increase in cash on hand at the end umpired the SANFL Reserves Grand Final. of the year of $0.49m. Our reputation as one of the nation’s great talent pools The financial outlook will improve considerably at was enhanced, with 16 South Australians upgraded or Adelaide Oval from 2014. The SANFL and the two AFL drafted in the AFL National Draft. Eight players were clubs will all achieve a strong financial uplift from the selected in the AFL Rookie Draft, an increase on five new stadium. The SANFL will also significantly reduce its chosen in 2012. operating costs as it refines its core business model and ceases to own and operate a stadium which hosts AFL South Australia enhanced its standing on the State football. League stage with an 82-point win against the NEAFL at City Mazda Stadium in May. The financial uplift, along with the proceeds from the sale of land at AAMI Stadium, will enable the SANFL to reduce West Adelaide became the first South Australian team to debt levels from 2014. win the Foxtel Cup, with a four-point victory over WAFL rival East Fremantle at AAMI Stadium in August. 3 Glenelg’s Ty Allen runs through the banner for his 100th match. (Paul Melrose, SA Football Budget) A primary school student goes through her football paces 2013: A YEAR IN atREVIEW a Port Adelaide development zone training session. AAMI STADIUM AND KEY PARTNERSHIPS ADELAIDE OVAL In 2013, the SANFL negotiated two new major partnership In 2013, we farewelled AAMI Stadium after 40 memorable agreements that will be integral in maintaining the long- years as the home of the game in South Australia. term health of the League and football in South Australia. The SANFL led the way in 1973 when it backed its faith in In November, the SANFL announced Independent our great game to build what was then a state of the art Grocers of Australia (IGA) as the new naming rights football complex at West Lakes. partner, with the competition to be known as the SANFL IGA League from 2014 in a three-year deal. The stadium has been an asset to our game – the heart of the game in South Australia as well as the sport’s Seven Network was announced as the SANFL’s preferred financial bedrock. commercial broadcast partner under a three-year agreement commencing in 2014 with Channel 7 and The SANFL, working closely with its partners, ensured it McGuire Media. went out in style. The League continued to maintain its highly-valued More than 45,000 witnessed the final AFL match between partnerships with both the corporate and government Port Adelaide and Carlton while 36,600 watched the sectors in South Australia. 2013 SANFL Grand Final between Norwood and North Adelaide. In December, more than 50,000 attended the The SANFL’s partnership with Lion entered a new phase Bon Jovi concert.