Just so readers can wrap their heads around the enormity of this (and I'm still struggling to do it myself), the loss of 34 players for two years equates to losses (to the EFC alone) of:
- Approx fifteen million dollars in compensation to suspended players in the likely scenario that the players sue the club for negligence (if the players are not paid during suspension) or probably a roughly equivalent amount to pay an additional 34 players to play for the club for 2 years during suspensions.
- Add another approx 5 million for loss of endorsements and future revenue for said players.
- Probably another (conservative) ten million dollars for legal fees, loss of sponsorship and reduced gate revenue for two years.
At a conservative estimate I reckon this will cost them in the realm of
thirty odd million dollars by the time its played out.
If I was Little, I'd be seeking some pretty big assurances from the AFL right now.
Even assuming the AFL props them up for the next decade or so, theyre going to be really really shit for a very very long time.
This is unprecedented in the AFL.
James Hird: I'll be in a very good place when this is all over. Damn straight James; youre sitting in Paris in summer enjoying a million dollar holiday. At least you got that bit right.