BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT REPORT

What a year it has been during the 2021 Optus WAFL Premiership season. It has been a pleasure to be part of this magnificent Club; in a year where we finished on top as 2021 WAFL Premiers for a 16th time in the Club’s 125-year history. After an interrupted 2020 COVIDaffected year, 2021 saw the Club continue to grow off the field. The Club continuing to strive to succeed in a vastly changed economic environment for the Club, especially with COVID-19 still lurking around every corner. This transition will continue in 2022 as we look to welcome new partners and to implement future innovative ideas as the Club looks to strive forward off-field.

CORPORATE PARTNERS

It has been a great 12 months for our new and existing partners, with each partner playing an important role in this year’s Premiership glory, especially on the back of last year’s COVIDaffected year. To those organisations who joined Subiaco as a partner in 2021, and those who renewed their partnership this year, I personally thank you for your support and look forward to long and fruitful relationships going forward. Without our Partners, the Club could not function as it currently does today. We would like to thank Wally Edwards from Holman Industries for their continued support of the Subiaco Football Club in what was Holman’s third year as Principal Partner of Subiaco, and we are ecstatic that Holman have extended their partnership with the Club for a further three years. To the Club’s Platinum Sponsors; Nick Catania and Frank Paolino from Bendigo North Perth Community Bank, Michael and Carol Hoskins from AE Hoskins Building Services, Aaron McDonald from Pragma Lawyers and Lee Parker from SKG Radiology, thank you all for your ongoing support of the Club. Subiaco welcomed new sponsors Stiebel Eltron, CSG Marketing, Lazco Refrigeration, H.I Lighting, Quest West End and Quest on Rheola, Sanwest, Camera Electronic and Marubeni Itochu Steel, thank you for coming on board in 2021, and we look forward to many years to come. To all other partners from 2021, we thank you for assisting this great Club.

COMMUNICATIONS

Our communications and social media reach have continued to grow. The Subiaco website pageviews and sessions have increased by 26.2% and 9.4% respectively, when compared to 2019 website analytics. Social Media continues being key to reach our membership and fan base, as we ensure that our fans have every opportunity to show their support for our Club; to engage with posts and other Subi fans. New content for 2021 included the refreshed-looking Game Day Score updates covering Colts through to League games every weekend, the Stiebel Eltron coach Q&A video, weekly photo galleries presented by Camera Electronic, and the addition of mini-matches containing the best highlights of each Subi game. The Club will continue to look to implement these throughout 2022, and the addition of new content. To celebrate the Club’s rich history and the contribution and legacy of all people who have played a part in the Club’s amazing story, a new 125-year brand was designed to appropriately mark the milestone during the 2021 season. The brand’s dominant feature was the shield surrounded by 15 laurel leaves on each side of the crest to represent the 15 premierships achieved in the Clubs history; and to signify the strength of the Club on and off the field.

Zac Acott

MATCH DAYS

Subiaco played host to Good Friday, NAIDOC Round, Family Fun Day and Men’s Health Round fixtures during the 2021 Optus WAFL Premiership Season. The Club recorded a total of 15,603 spectators across the ten (10) WAFL home games played at Leederville Oval during the home-and-away season; highlighted by the 2,905 attendance at the Good Friday match sponsored by the City of Vincent. Gate Takings ($) over the year increased by a staggering 47.9% compared to the 2019 season. This is a fantastic outcome, with the Club ensuring that game day environments are of the highest standard and appeal to a wider demographic of fans. The season concluded with the 2021 WAFL Grand Final; with over 32,000 tickets distributed for the game. An astounding 29,879 spectators scanned-in at Optus Stadium on Grand Final day to record the highest attendance for a WAFL Grand Final in 18 years.

APPRECIATION

Thanks goes to Peter Capes and the Board of Directors of the Subiaco Football Club for their continued support, guidance, and knowledge towards Business Development. To fellow staff members Teigan Freeman, Deb King, Kristian Dicton, Stuart Berryman, McKenzie Sheppard and Brodie Riach (WAFC Development Officer), thank you for your support towards Business Development this year. To Jack Foley, Mark Pisarskis, Alice Miller and Rob Divincenzo thank you for your assistance in 2021. These individuals have been crucial to the Club’s success in communications and ensuring match days were run smoothly this year. Thanks for volunteering your time and services over some time this year.

LOOKING AHEAD

The Club got through 2021 relatively unscathed; however, even with some lost profits due to COVID-19, the Club is in an improved financial position compared to that of 2019, which proves that the Club has made inroads in generating additional sources of revenue. As we look towards the future of the Club, there continues to be a growing pressure to generate income in an increasingly competitive market. We will constantly adapt and remain nimble in exploring alternative innovative solutions to generate funds for the Club. We will continue to look at generating activity around the facilities we have at our disposal to help improve our financial position; especially working with the City of Vincent and East Perth Football Club to obtain naming rights for Leederville Oval, as it remained unnamed for the 5th straight year.