The Chairman of the Greater Western Sydney GIANTS Tony Shepherd said the club continued to build a sound financial position as it headed into its fourth year in the AFL.
 
"We are operating in the biggest and most competitive market in Australia and yet we can be pleased with the progress the club is making after just three years," he said.
 
Mr Shepherd said achievements in 2014 included:
 
·        The opening of a new $11.5 million training and administrative facility at Sydney Olympic Park
·        Six wins, up from just one win in 2013
·        A record 13,000 members
·       A five year major partnership with Virgin Australia
·       Average crowds of just under 10,000 at Spotless Stadium
·        Strong links in Western Sydney and Canberra as evidenced by winning the Australian Multicultural Marketing Award
 
“There is no doubt that a second club working to develop NSW and the ACT has resulted in an uplift in participation, crowds, membership and TV ratings and will be hugely beneficial for the game long term,” Mr Shepherd said.
 
“Participation in Western Sydney alone has increased by 70 per cent over the past three years and continuing to develop this region is critical to grow the game and become a truly national competition.
 
“As well as growing the game at a community level, we have developed strong corporate partnerships and introduced new brands like Dyldam to AFL. We will continue to focus on securing the right suite of corporate partners who are aligned with our strategy and long term vision.
 
“The introduction of the Suns and the GIANTS has meant the game has also been able to grow the revenue from broadcast rights and this benefits all clubs and the code as a whole.”
 
Mr Shepherd said the club already had net assets of $11.6 million and total revenue of $33 million in 2014.
 
He said the club continued to work closely on a funding  model and strategy with the AFL. This included additional funds from the AFL in 2014, including an interest free loan of $1.25 million for its new training and administration facility, an opportunity available for other clubs.
 
He said the club had recorded a deficit of $529,000 for the year ending 31 October 2014 with a number of factors impacting the final result.
 
"To compete successfully in the elite AFL competition requires a significant investment in football alone. Player payments are at a level significantly higher than domestic soccer for example.
 
“We invested an extra $700,000 in our football program in 2014 to improve our on field performance and to assist recruiting Shane Mumford and Heath Shaw. This will continue to be a key focus for the club as we head into 2015 and beyond as it is critical we continue to invest in football," he said.
 
"Improved on field performance will also build attendances and membership. We have a world class venue at Spotless Stadium and want to further invest in it to enhance the entertainment experience.
 
"We have also invested in a state of the art training and administration facility at Sydney Olympic Park to give our players and staff the best opportunity of achieving success."
 
Mr Shepherd said the GIANTS had budgeted to improve revenue streams across corporate, membership and ticket sales in 2015.
 
"We will continue to invest strongly in all these areas of the club as well as football to ensure that we enjoy growth on and off the field and build a sustainable club for the long term future," he said.
 
"We have a strong fixture at Spotless Stadium and StarTrack Oval Canberra in 2015 and we think there has never been a better time to be part of the GIANTS as we look to continue our climb up the ladder and push towards the finals."