Sponsor outreach and exposure remain a key focus for many of WA’s sporting codes, while grassroots development nurtures the next generation of stars.
The state’s sport and recreation sector is flourishing amid an unprecedented level of exposure via traditional media and, increasingly, online platforms.
However, with sporting organisations and those associated with them subjected to cost-of-living and inflation pressures, keeping a lid on expenses is an ongoing challenge.
This has resulted in national teams and state sporting associations based in Western Australia having to think outside the square to attract new people to their respective brands while also unlocking new income streams to ensure long-term financial viability.
Following the completion of its inaugural Victorian Football League campaign in 1987, the West Coast Eagles had 1,232 members.
By the end of 2024 the Eagles had 103,498 members, the third highest of all clubs in the competition.
During a recent Business News Success and Leadership breakfast, West Coast chair Elizabeth Gaines said the club was aware it is broader supporter base was in the vicinity of 1 million people.
Additionally, the Eagles also generated record revenue of $92.6 million, which was spurred on by increases in membership and sponsorship-based income streams.
West Coast posted a net profit of $675,924, down from $1.97 million in 2023, following its $1.78 million royalty payment to WA Football (formerly the WA Football Commission).
Off the field, the Eagles are one of the richest clubs in the AFL, with total equity reaching $113 million at the end of 2024.
For some context, Carlton and Collingwood – two traditional Victoria-based clubs – have total equities of $63.2 million and $61.3 million, respectively.
The AFL licences of both West Coast and Fremantle are controlled by WA Football, which requires both clubs to make annual royalty payments to the state-based governing body. The proceeds are used to reinvest into other layers of the code’s grassroots pyramid in WA.
While its senior men’s team didn’t play finals in 2024, the Dockers also enjoyed off-field success.
Aside from also posting a net profit of $1.85 million, up from $1.64 million in 2023, the club’s commitment to its staff and players was recognised when it was named employer of the year at the WA Business Awards 2024 (formerly RISE).
Below the AFL, at state league and community level, not-for-profit clubs and organisations within the West Australian Football League and Perth Football League rely heavily on sponsorship and matchday-based revenue streams in order remain viable.
A recent example of this is a three-year venue naming rights agreement between the East Fremantle Football Club and The Good Grocer – finalised last month – as the Sharks begin their new life at their redeveloped Moss Street facility.
Leather on willow
The 2024-25 summer of cricket might have just finished, however, a new era of the sport in WA is approaching fast.
By October 31, the $170 million WACA Ground improvement project will likely be ready for practical completion.
The project, which is part of the 10-year, $1.7 billion Perth City deal, is a concept funded by several parties including the federal and state governments, Cricket Australia and WA Cricket.
Along with a 50-metre pool and state-of-the-art indoor cricket facility, the iconic ground will also have waterslides and an all-abilities playground, which WA Cricket believes could not only add value to the off-field elements of its business but also entice non-cricket enthusiasts to the venue.
The project was also aided by the appointment of new chief executive John Stephenson, who began the role in November last year, following the end of Christina Matthews’ lengthy tenure in March.
WA Cricket holds the view that Mr Stephenson, a former Essex County Cricket Club boss who also spent 17 years with the Lord’s-based Marylebone Cricket Club, will be well-placed to add value to the venue’s potential, given his extensive experience.
Force future
Since beginning her tenure as full-time chief executive in February last year, Niamh O’Connor has focused primarily on three key areas at the Andrew Forrest-backed Western Force: community, accessibility and maintaining homegrown talent.
The Force participates in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, with these matches primarily broadcast on streaming service Stan Sport, behind a paywall.
However, the Force has been able to secure a handful of home games on Nine Entertainment’s digital platform, 9Gem, which provides opportunities to increase eyeballs on the brand both in metro and regional WA.
In January 2024 and again this year, the HSBC Rugby SVNS tournament at HBF Park, the Force’s home ground, has provided a wealth of vital data for the state government.
Working collaboratively with them in this space, Ms O’Connor said the Force was exploring ways to reduce barriers for Western Australians wanting to turn out on game day.
“We’ve worked a lot with the state government and stadium as well to make ticket prices and ticket access more affordable and accessible,” she said.
“So that will be really key, I think, as part of our growth going forward.”
League of its own
During the past 12 months, WA’s rugby league diehards have undergone a rollercoaster of emotions.
In mid-2024, a private bid consortium led by Cash Converters executive deputy chair Peter Cumins, dubbed the Western Bears, appeared on the cusp of admission into an expanded National Rugby League competition from 2027.
However, this bid was officially rejected by the Australian Rugby League Commission, which is chaired by Peter V’landys, shortly after the conclusion of the 2024 NRL season.
Mr V’landys has publicly stated his desire for Premier Roger Cook to help ensure a WA-based franchise can become a reality courtesy of substantial government investment across several areas, including facilities, grassroots and an additional financial contribution.
Despite WA Labor having signed a memorandum of understanding with the ARLC and NRL on the matter – which has resulted in letters and discussions between both parties – it appears no details or a potential timeline have been agreed upon.
Mr Cook has also made it clear “not a single taxpayer dollar” will be spent in securing a potential Perth-based franchise.
NRL and State of Origin matches have regularly been held in Perth since the demise of the Western/ Perth Reds at the end of the 1997 Super League season.
While this has all been playing out in the background, NRL WA staff, custodians of the game out west, have been doing all they can to ensure the game can prosper at junior and senior levels.
“Over the past twelve months, for us it has been more about the maintaining of our excellent relationships with a small group of loyal and supportive corporate partners,” NRL WA chief executive John Sackson told Business News.
“And at the same time maintaining, and in certain instances maximising, government grant opportunities, which have brought in additional revenue into the state and investment into development of the code throughout WA.”
NRL WA’s game development team is also boosted by the series of NRL Telstra premiership season matches, along with a Queensland-NSW clash held at Optus Stadium between April and June this year.
One of the teams heading to WA this month is the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a foundation NRL club playing its 12th game in Perth since 2009.
Mr Sackson said these matches provided a series of off-field benefits for the code, as they had the opportunity to further whet the appetite for rugby league in WA and also unlock potential new corporate partnerships.
Hoop dreams
Last year, both WA’s professional basketball teams – the Perth Wildcats and Perth Lynx – changed ownership, ushering in a new era for basketball in the west.
On May 30 2024, Craig Hutchison-backed Sports Entertainment Group received a non-binding indicative offer from tech entrepreneur Mark Arena, courtesy of his company MT Arena Capital Investment, to purchase the National Basketball League club for $40 million, by way of a staged acquisition.
SEG paid $8.5 million for the Wildcats in 2021, from the late Jack Bendat.
In July, the transaction was approved, with Mr Arena securing an initial majority stake of 52.5 per cent a month later, following a payment of $21 million.
Meanwhile, husband and wife Christian Hauff and Jodi Millhahn were confirmed as new owners of the state’s WNBL team, the Lynx, in June, taking over the club’s licence from Basketball WA, the state’s governing body.
Despite the ownership changes, it was understood SEN Teams, the sports business arm of SEG, would assist with day-to-day management elements of the Lynx.
By December, it was confirmed SEN Teams would take a majority stake in the club’s licence, with Mr Hauff and Ms Millhahn, who have kept a minority stake in the club, stating the move would help the Lynx prosper long term.
From the outset, Mr Arena has taken a proactive stance in his ownership of the Wildcats and looked for creative ways for the club to engage with its loyal supporter base.
One of these has been to increase and enhance the club’s digital process by way of increasing game day access and behind-the-scenes content.
“I think it’s been well received,” Mr Arena told Business News.
“The biggest focus I’ve done since taking over was more investment and resources going into social media content creation.
“What that actually meant was we sent our media team to every away game. Every time we went over east, our media team was there capturing content.
“And you’ve seen the output of that through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok etc. That was the big part, whereas in the previous season, I think they barely went on any.”
The Wildcats owner is also keen to extend the club’s close relationships with corporate partners and enhance its longstanding community programs.
“If I think about what we are going to be working on, it’s maybe more corporate partnerships outside of the traditional ones,” Mr Arena said.
Eyes on hockey
While corporate sponsorships with traditional partners are integral to all sporting codes, the exposure of a showpiece to a fresh set of eyes can be equally important.
For Hockey WA, grand final day each year at Curtin University Stadium is not just about putting all of its top state league teams on the big stage but also showcasing its product to potential new sponsors.
“It takes a collective effort across months of planning and execution to bring it all together,” outgoing Hockey WA chief executive Fabian Ross said.
“What makes grand final day so special is that it’s a full-day event, showcasing hockey at all levels.
“From the early morning junior grand finals, where the next generation of stars take to the field, to the highly anticipated Stiles Electrical Premier League grand finals in the late afternoon as the main event, it covers all areas of our community from age to gender.
“Each year, we continue to elevate the sport’s presentation, ensuring the on-field action is complemented by a top-tier production that enhances the overall spectacle for our members.”
At the end of last year, Mr Ross announced he would be leaving Hockey WA at the end of April. His replacement, Graham Reid, is due to begin on May 1.
Since 2021, Mr Ross helped the code through adversity from the pandemic, along with having a role in the state government’s $135 million bid for Hockey Australia’s high-performance program to remain based in the west.
As part of the bid, a new centre of excellence, 10,000-capacity indoor hockey centre, and four international hockey pitches will be built at the Curtin University site.
Mr Ross told Business News he feels that hockey is in a good place.
“The securing of the National Centre of Excellence in WA ensures that both the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos will be based here for the next eighteen years, solidifying WA as a national and international hub for elite hockey,” he said.
“At the grassroots level, our clubs are expanding into new regions, demonstrating growing interest and participation across the state.
“We are also committed to evolving the sport by introducing new formats that cater to changing lifestyles and player preferences, ensuring accessibility and continued growth.”
Cast a wide net
From a national standpoint, the West Coast Fever continues to be a hit with WA’s sporting public.
A total of 67,080 fans attended Suncorp Super Netball League matches at RAC Arena last season, with the Fever breaking its highest regular season home game attendance on three occasions.
Aside from looking to diversify its income streams beyond membership and sponsorship, the sport is also closely evaluating its facilities statewide in order to maintain high participation figures.
In September last year, Netball WA released its Strategic Facilities Plan 2024-2034: a document articulating to all three tiers of government where, ideally, funds should be allocated in terms of either upgrading facilities or constructing new ones.
Adopting a similar philosophy to the Western Force, Ross Pelligra-owned Perth Glory have highlighted the importance of flexibility in order to attract fans to matches.
The club – which fields both a senior men’s and women’s team – offered a five-game flexi membership throughout the 2024-25 campaign, which gave fans the opportunity to select the games they wanted to attend in the event they could not attend all home games.
Additionally, the club’s silver membership package gave fans an option to sit where they like within the general admission areas of the stadium, ensuring they are not locked into the same seat each week.
