This is just a matter of different sources - you've quoted Caroline Wilson and I've quoted the actual financial reports released by the clubs, summarised here: http://www.footyindustry.com/?page_id=4121.
What do you think is more reliable - audited financial summaries released by the clubs or a journalist?
Sigh, same article again. Yes, the AFL have employed the Hawthorn president and Carlton president to investigate whether a reliance on gaming may be able to be reduced (and later explains the AFL successfully campaigned the Govt to have unrestricted gambling access). If you seriously think this means it is inevitable all pokies will be banned for clubs you are delusional. 'Possible' is a much better descriptor than inevitable as the AFL (and two club presidents who do very well out of it) are not likely to eradicate it altogether - they need to be seen to be addressing an issue of public concern and will likely result in a 'cap' or additional support back to the community (as already happens). Regardless, as was mentioned, Hawthorn have been top 5 without gaming for the entire last decade.
Firstly, the difference between 5th and 4th in negligible but it isn't made up - it is a longitudinal assessment. ON 2017 figures, Hawthorn is 5th for revenue without gaming. On 2016 figures, Hawthorn is 2nd. On 2015 figures, Hawthorn is 1st. They have been top 4 every other year in the last decade. A club like Richmond moved slightly ahead in 2017 following a big jump thanks to a premiership, which they will not win every year. 3rd/4th is an accurate (conservative) reflection of where they sit in terms of revenue without gaming.
Again it is you that is making stuff up. If you remove ALL sponsorship and social revenue from Hawthorn including Tasmania, iiNet, adidas and Audi, it still makes $56M in revenue. That is comfortably in the top half (if all other clubs keep all sponsors). Richmond, in 2016 (a comparable year) made $47M in revenue including everything. Leave aside the preposterous notion that Hawthorn would get no sponsors whatsoever (Tassie and adidas both on long term deals), Hawthorn without sponsorship money is still ahead of Richmond every year of the last decade bar 2017 (which is still quite close). How embarrassing.
Looks like I am flogging a dead horse here it seems.
You are that insecure ( and understandably so ) that simple logic and powers of deduction are beyond your capabilities
and not sure why you keep referencing Richmond?
Richmond have survived 40 years of being the worst club in Australia without relocating to Tasmania, and without a massive Waverly Park handout, and without completely prostituting themselves to gaming revenue like the family club. Hawthorn did all this, actually had to do all these things even though they won premierships. What do you think will happen if you miss finals for even 3 years in a row?
Yet Richmond, still, even though they were a basket case on the field, because of their MASSIVE fan support we still had 75,000 members and break records every week and every year with regards to crowd numbers, and we are now clearly not only the biggest AFL club in the league, but the biggest sporting organisation in the country. Period .
http://www.afr.com/business/sport/h...-biggest-afl-club-in-victoria-20170824-gy3ekm
Stop embarrassing yourself mate, it is quite sad to watch you dig this massive hole and not be able top get out.