Australian Football League side Sydney Swans will reap about A$15M ($13.9M) in sponsorship revenue this year, believed to be "one of the highest amounts for an Australian sports club," according to John Stensholt of the AUSTRALIAN FINANCIAL REVIEW. The commercial income and a record membership number "should provide a boost in net profit for the Swans this year." Already, the club is one of the AFL's most popular in terms of TV ratings, "with the team being the most watched across any
sports clubs in Australia" on Foxtel in '13. Swans President Andrew Pridham said that the Swans "are on the way to at
least exceeding" last year's A$647,000 net profit from revenue of
A$42.7M. Pridham: "We're clearly one of the best in the AFL in terms of commercial income. . . and our membership is growing." Pridham, also the CEO of investment bank Moelis & Co,
said that the Swans are "considering options for some investments outside of
football, and also the possibility of upgrading its training and
administration facilities adjacent to the SCG." Otherwise, Pridham said that the Swans have "worked hard to sign new and
service existing sponsors." Major sponsors QBE Insurance and Volkswagen
have committed to the club until '19 and '17, respectively. Swans CEO Andrew Ireland said, "You'll find that as you run out of traditionally sponsorship
inventory you have to work harder and be a bit more innovative in the
way that you service sponsors" (AFR, 9/1).
