‘PLAYER SHARES OF REVENUE’, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE: A COMMENT ON DABSCHECK

Abstract

Braham Dabscheck's recent article ‘Player Shares of Revenue in Australia and Overseas Professional Team Sports’ argues the financial position of Australian Football League (AFL) players has gradually weakened relative to growth in AFL revenue and wages growth in the Australian economy at large. This comment expands consideration of these issues and the ‘player revenue share’ in the context of AFL collective bargaining. The centrality of ‘competitive balance’ and fairness' to legal and economic dimensions of collective bargaining negotiations is explained. Analysis of long-term data suggests AFL player payment growth across the span of the last three collective bargaining agreements between the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association has been stronger than Dabscheck may suggest.