Australian Football League side Brisbane Lions have requested A$3M ($2.8M) from the AFL to "enable them to fund their football operations and shore up their troubled finances, and expect to find out next week whether their bid is successful," according to Jake Niall of THE AGE. Brisbane has requested the A$3M as part of a "package of measures involving equalisation and has made increasing player payments a priority, with the Lions having the room" to pay as much as an extra A$1.6M "under their salary cap next year." The Lions, who have a debt of A$12M and will make a loss of
close to A$3M, have presented a '15 budget "in which they would
likely have the lowest football spend in the competition," a "staggering" A$2M-plus less than the new cap on football department costs.
The Lions are budgeting to spend only about A$7.3M outside
player payments -- more than A$2M below the new A$9.5M cap on
football department spending. Brisbane CEO Greg Swann "confirmed the club had asked the AFL" for A$3M, which would be used in football and across "all parts of the business" (THE AGE, 9/10).
ROAR APPEAL: In Melbourne, Caroline Wilson wrote Brisbane has taken a "determined lead from the AFL's push to dress up its home games." The club is looking to "secure a live lion to parade on the Gabba arena before each local fixture." Swann confirmed that he had assigned a member of his marketing team to investigate Southern Queensland zoo and lions parks "in a bid to present the formidable new mascot "in '14. Swann: "On the back of the AFL looking for greater supporter engagement and fan involvement, we think a lion would be a fantastic way to attract kids to the games" (THE AGE, 9/10).
