West Coast’s major top-end off-field changes will hit football’s bottom line in the next in distribution of AFL royalties. But outgoing West Australian Football Commission chair Wayne Martin is confident the “impact” will be a “one-off” event. Long-time CEO Trevor Nisbett stepped down at the end of last season with a year remaining on his contract, while coach Adam Simpson parted ways with the club at the end of round 19 after nearly 11 years in the role.
Simpson was contracted til the end of 2025 meaning the club faced a payout of close to $1 million. The total payout could be as high as $3 million, including the CEO’s salary and tax on the soft cap for the coach’s outstanding contract. “West Coast’s issues on the field will have an impact on their profitability and the decisions they’ve made in relation to their CEO and coach will obviously also have an impact.
So we are looking at a reduction in revenue from that royalty,” Martin told The West Australian. “I am confident that will only be temporary and that West Coast will bounce back. “The financial impact of the CEO and the coach are one-offs so I would hope they will return to more substantial contributions next year and going forward.
” West Coast’s “royalty” dipped to $2 million in 2023, from $2.7m in 2022 and $3.8m in 2021, while the Dockers handed over a $1.
84m royalty for 2023, following a club record $2.2m in 2022, and $1.91m in 2021.
Royalties are used to fund football in the St.