💥 The harsh reality: AFLW is losing money fast, fans are tuning out, and the product isn’t delivering excitement.
📉 1. The Financial Black Hole
- 💸 Annual Loss: $50 million every year
- 📊 Total Loss Since 2017: Around $450 million ( $50M × 9 seasons )
- 💰 Costs Outpace Revenue: Operating expenses hit $100 million annually, while revenue lingers near $50 million
- 🚨 Expansion Fallout: If AFLW pushes for a full home and away season by 2031, losses could soar to $200 million per year
🏟 2. Fans Are Walking Away
- 📉 TV Ratings: Down by 70% since the league’s 2017 debut
- 👥 Match Attendance: Dropped by 60%
- 😴 Engagement: Fans see AFLW as background noise, empty stadiums are common
⚽ 3. The Product Is Struggling
- ➕ Rapid Over-expansion: Jumped from 8 to 18 teams in five years, stretching talent thin
- 🥅 Low-Scoring Games: Goalless matches and scores below 30 points have become frequent
- 🌟 Lack of Star Power: No breakout player like Caitlin Clark to ignite national interest
💵 4. Wages vs. Revenue Disconnect
- 🇦🇺 AFLW players rank as Australia’s 4th-highest-paid athletes, average $87k, minimum $67k
- 🔌 But: Player wages are completely out of sync with the league’s limited revenue
⚖️ 5. The Bottom Line
🪦 After a decade, AFLW remains a charity case with no clear path to profitability.
Fans have voted with their feet and remotes, attendance and viewership keep dropping.
As it stands, AFLW is not sustainable in its current form.
