Australian Football League side Essendon's bill for its involvement in the '12 AFL supplements scandal has topped A$5M ($4.3M), according to the AAP. While
the "striking figure has been revealed for the first time, perhaps more
staggering is the Bombers remain a healthy business." Essendon is "again a club in the black, reporting a net profit" of A$721,517 compared with last season's A$2.15M windfall. The club showed its "off-field muscle" in the pages of its '14 financial report released on Wednesday. A record 60,716 members, with the club's "highest renewal rate, a new
major sponsor and more than half-a-million fans at home games have
carried the Bombers to higher ground." Essendon Finance Dir Paul Brasher reported the club spent
A$1,071,438 on legal and consulting fees during the year on its "response to the probe." In the '13 financial year, the Bombers spent almost A$3.94M -- including AFL-imposed fines. Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell said that "record sponsorship profits contributed to the result." Campbell: "Taking
into account the legal costs associated with the ASADA investigation,
the club is extremely pleased to record a profit of close to
three-quarters-of-a-million dollars" (AAP, 11/19).
