Despite missing out on this year’s West Australian Football League finals series by half a game, South Fremantle Football Club’s impressive off-field results continued in 2024.
Despite missing out on this year’s West Australian Football League finals series by half a game, South Fremantle Football Club’s impressive off-field results continued in 2024.
Ahead of the club’s annual general meeting on Monday, the Bulldogs announced a net surplus of $167,464 for the 2024 season, up from $110,100 in 2023.
Under the leadership of chief executive Cam Britt, the Bulldogs have placed a large focus on commercial sustainability and exploring alternative positive income streams in order to remain viable off the field.
“We’re delighted really,” Mr Britt told Business News.
“It’s basically a result of having a really sustainable operating model here now in terms of our membership – and our commercial partnerships have been growing year on year which is really nice.
“And we believe maintainable and sustainable profits are part of our model.
“To not play finals footy in both our WAFL and WAFLW programs was disappointing from an on-field perspective.
“But we certainly feel as though we’ve got the business model and operating principles in pretty healthy shape, which allows us to continue to grow the balance sheet for what may lay ahead, and primarily thinking re-development.”
In the 2024 annual report, club treasurer Clint Mitchell said the Bulldogs generated around $3.7 million in revenue – which marked the first time the club had surpassed more than $3.5 million in a season.
“It’s circa about half a million dollars more turnover this year which is outstanding because we know the WAFL economy as a collective, you have to work pretty hard for your earnings,” Mr Britt said.
“But, we’ve been able to grow some of our key income streams, as well as attract some other opportunities to the club, which has been terrific.
“As a not-for-profit, our profits are invested back into our model. There are no dividends – but hopefully the “dividends” around to our club, players and broader community are to offer an improved club and experience year on year.”
The Bulldogs generated $3.1 million worth of income in 2023, with $809,197 in sponsorship dollars.
In 2024, the club generated more than $900,000 in bar and function sales alone from home games and events at Fremantle Oval.
“It’s by far a club record in terms of our effort in this space,” the Bulldogs CEO told Business News.
“Really, it’s courtesy of having a fantastic partnership with the Benny’s Bar and Café crew.
“We partner with hospitality experts to run quality hospitality – that’s really important I think for a footy club, as we do footy.
“But our obligation is around content and crowds. How can we attract more games, bigger crowds and more traffic through the football club to benefit our joint venture on hospitality?
“And that’s what really saw this year.
“An increase in events, more games here through the partnership with East Fremantle, given their situation, and we also picked up the AFL Masters carnival in October.”
Swans, Claremont and all other WAFL clubs are likely to release their 2024 financial results in coming weeks.
