South Australia’s oldest football club, Port Adelaide, is in trouble. Port is said to be headed towards a massive operating loss this season – perhaps more than A$500,000. Club finances, even in an era of the AFL being underwritten by media deals, in particular from television, are still heavily reliant in membership and crowd figures. Port have arrested the slide on membership, but its attendances are falling – and, with an average of 24.410 this season, are at a record low. After rising from 12th to second last year, the Power has fallen to 14th with just five wins from 19 games.
South Australia’s oldest football club, Port Adelaide, is in trouble. Port is said to be headed towards a massive operating loss this season – perhaps more than A$500,000. Club finances, even in an era of the AFL being underwritten by media deals, in particular from television, are still heavily reliant in membership and crowd figures. Port have arrested the slide on membership, but its attendances are falling – and, with an average of 24.410 this season, are at a record low. After rising from 12th to second last year, the Power has fallen to 14th with just five wins from 19 games. Those who challenge what is happening at Power headquarters are labelled as ‘old Port supporters’ who are mired in outdated SANFL traditions and do not understand the AFL system. No business – in particular a vulnerable one – should offend its core customer base, that of the ‘old Port Magpies’. Some say that the franchise should be moved to Queensland’s Gold Coast, but the AFL has so far insisted that there should be football in Adelaide every weekend. It would be odd not to have it in the capital city of a major state.