Demons secure financial support
19/12/2008 6:16 PM
The AFL and the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) have come to an agreement to provide Melbourne with a $2 million support package for the 2009 season.
The MCC will provide $1 million in funding support for the Demons after the AFL announced an increase in the Annual Special Distribution funding from $250,000 to $1 million on Monday.
AFL Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Andrew Demetriou spoke of the importance of a financially strong Melbourne Football Club for the competition.
"Football and the Melbourne Cricket Club have a strong and long-standing partnership and this is another example of us working together," Demetriou said.
Melbourne CEO, Cameron Schwab, welcomed the agreement and paid tribute to both the AFL and the Melbourne Cricket Club for its support.
"The relationships we have with the AFL and the MCC are critical to the future of our football club and this funding is vital to the future of the club," he said.
"Our eventual goal is to get to the stage where we are not reliant on this support and – with the support of our members and supporters – we think we can achieve that in the future."
"Since Jim Stynes and the new board took over, we have continued to press ahead in our campaign to tackle debt and build our revenue base. Our members and supporters have shown fantastic support for the club by contributing $3 million to our debt demolition rally and to secure $2 million in funding from the AFL and MCC at Christmas time puts us in a good position to get on with the job in 2009."