Pokies money for AFL clubs

[gokangas]

Interesting figures in the Hun today re each Vic based AFL club and their pokies revenue. We start a long way behind most in terms of dollars. Not sure we leverage the no pokies enough. Interested in comments on how else we could use this situation to our advantage from a marketing perspective.

Victorian AFL clubs and their pokie takes in 2013-14

CARL $17.5m (4 pokie clubs)

COLL $12.7m (3)

ESS $11.9m (2)

GEEL $8m (2)

HAW $18.6m (2)

MEL $9.4m (2)

NM — Nil

RICH $4.1m (1)

STK $2.2m (1)

WB $4.3m (2)

TOTAL = 19 pokie clubs — $88.7m

 

[Zondor]

I'm interested in Profit Margins as opposed to revenue. :stern look

 

[Silent Alarm]

I always found it so cool how North never got involved with these cancerous, life-ruining boxes. The fact it's a club not showered in cash makes it all the more admirable, too

 

[Joshen]

We certainly don't leverage it enough. The average football fan let along community groups that would look on the stance favourably would have no clue.

 

[Luke72]

Move to get the league to ban them completely.

 

[DR Tipple]

yet another reason as to why i love this club

 

[Archerfan]

Essendon $11.9 m going to Essendon's lawyers

 

[TommyVercetti]

Equalization?

 

[scooby1279]

are pokie machines illegal in Victoria? Yes some people have a problem with gambling but many don't and whilst it is legal i dont see a problem with it, all month we hear about the spring carnival and we have a day off for a horse race and people are betting multi million dollars. Yes the club has made a stance in no pokies but is it really a smart business move?

 

[B4Bear]

are pokie machines illegal in Victoria? Yes some people have a problem with gambling but many don't and whilst it is legal i dont see a problem with it, all month we hear about the spring carnival and we have a day off for a horse race and people are betting multi million dollars. Yes the club has made a stance in no pokies but is it really a smart business move?

Who cares. We have made the correct moral move (regardless of how we got there), and the club is to be applauded and supported in my book.

We don't need to try and gain overt leverage out of their position, just sit back and enjoy the unique position we are in as a Victorian club.

 

[Kimbo]

Who cares. We have made the correct moral move (regardless of how we got there), and the club is to be applauded and supported in my book.

We don't need to try and gain overt leverage out of their position, just sit back and enjoy the unique position we are in as a Victorian club.

Hear, hear B4B. In today's economic rationalist world the distinction between what is smart or wise can get blurred with 'good for business'.

 

[King Corey]

are pokie machines illegal in Victoria? Yes some people have a problem with gambling but many don't and whilst it is legal i dont see a problem with it, all month we hear about the spring carnival and we have a day off for a horse race and people are betting multi million dollars. Yes the club has made a stance in no pokies but is it really a smart business move?

Pretty much exactly what I post when this topic comes up every 2 months.

 

[Tas]

No amount of equalisation is going to make up being $10-20m per annum behind everyone else.

Capping football department spending is the only hope we have of competing so that non-football revenue doesn't dictate success. We shouldn't have to whore ourselves out to keep up with the other whores.

 

[NO_CSG]

How many of these licenses were gifted?

Also revenue does not equal profit. How are Failscrap and the Go Dees travelling these days?

 

[Tas]

Profit margin from Pokies is still pretty high, turnover is also important for cash flow, especially given the seasonal nature of football revenue.

 

[dus]

We've taken the moral high ground. Nothing wrong with that.

Needs to be exploited and advertised more to stay competitive though. No point doing it if people don't know about it.

So, what if the TAB wanted naming rights on Arden St?? How strong is the clubs stance??

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

No one is forced to play the pokies. I see no reason why we have to take the stance we do.

 

[Orange Peanut]

If we try to leverage it we open ourselves up to talking about the 3 times we tried to do it. Moral high ground or gave up after f***ing it up too many times?

 

[Kimbo]

No one is forced to play the pokies. I see no reason why we have to take the stance we do.

You've not heard of gambling addictions?

 

[King Corey]

If we try to leverage it we open ourselves up to talking about the 3 times we tried to do it. Moral high ground or gave up after f***ing it up too many times?

Fair point but it's weird that the 'tried and failed' line has been pulled out before as a reason we don't do this now.

We also tried and failed to commit long term to 3 previous relocated home game schemes but that didn't stop us seemingly getting it right with Hobart.

The 3 Victorian clubs who have won flags in the last decade averaged $13.1 mill from pokies revenue last year.

Can't be a coincidence. Worth another shot.

 

[King Corey]

You've not heard of gambling addictions?

Is it illegal?

Should the club instruct Spotless not to serve alcohol at our games in consideration of the issues excessive consumption or addiction can cause?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

You've not heard of gambling addictions?

Yep. I've also heard of taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

[Pres]

As others have pointed out don't take those sensationalist Herald Sun figures on face value. For example a min 42.5% of those numbers above is immediately surrendered to the state in taxes.

Then they have venue costs, licence costs, labour costs etc. From memory Carlton pulled in around $19.5 mill in revenues from their 290 machines in 2013 but had circa $17 mill in costs.

 

[LT Smash]

People keep crapping on about a cafe at Arden St. I want to know when the club is going to get smart and replace the Huddle with a strip club and brothel. The area is screaming out for a decent whorehouse. And it's legal. Personal responsibility for one's own actions and so forth.

 

[Augustine]

Yep. I've also heard of taking responsibility for your own actions.

It's a really tricky area, not as simple as you make out. I don't want nanny state controlling what people eat, drink, how they spend their money etc, I don't think anyone does. I know that the only thing I'm hopelessly addicted to is North Melbourne. But when you see people so obese they can't walk anymore, so alcoholic that they lose their jobs and end up on the street, so addicted to gambling that they become abusive to their families, and they go into a cycle of depression and suicide, then you start realising they're past being able to take responsibility for their own actions. They actually need outside help. Whether that comes from government intervention or whatever is another question.

I reckon pokies, even though I occasionally use (and enjoy) the things, are pretty sickening. Imagine explaining the concept to an alien race. "People voluntarily go up to these flashing machines and insert all the tokens that are needed to get food and shelter and other things people might want. Then they go home." Its a bit f****d up. Got a couples of mates who are boarder-line addicted.