Case Study:
Australian Football League

Size & Scope Study

With a history spanning over 150 years, the Australian Football League (AFL) is the premier professional competition for Australian rules football. As the sport’s governing body, the AFL oversees the elite AFL Men’s and AFL Women’s 18-team national leagues, managing game scheduling, organizing major events like the Finals Series and the Grand Final, and promoting participation of the sport both domestically and internationally.

Since 2019, the AFL has partnered with IER to conduct an annual study to assess the size and scope of the Australian football sector. The study aims to demonstrate the economic contribution and employment generated by the Australian football industry through fan (membership, attendance, media and merchandise) and participant activity across Australia.

In addition to analysing the value-added contribution and full-time equivalent jobs created by football-related activities, the report also evaluates national engagement levels through participation, membership, and attendance. The study further examines the economic impact across states and territories, as well as the economic benefits generated for host cities by key events like the AFL Grand Final, AFLW Series, and Gather Round.