AFL powerhouse tops nation with highest brand value

by Admin
October 9, 2024

Collingwood fans will rejoice for the hard work their club has put in over multiple decades to be listed as Australia’s most valuable club brand, topping the likes of arch-rivals Carlton and Richmond.

The Pies have long dominated the AFL scene with their large memberships and accompanying crowd numbers, consistent level of excellence, marketable players, influential sponsorships, and strong connection to their history and the surrounding community.

According to a report from Brand Finance – the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy – measuring a club’s long-term success both on and off the field and its status within the league, the Magpies come out on top.

SEE MORE: 2024 AFL Club membership tallies

Mark Crowe, Managing Director, Brand Finance Australia commented:

“This valuation of Australia’s biggest sporting clubs shows that despite being almost entirely domestic competitions, Australian brands are as strong as some of the brands playing in the world’s richest and biggest European and American football leagues. The Australian clubs have incredibly valuable assets in the form of their brands – value that can be measured and built for the benefit of the AFL and NRL.”

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 29: Carlton fans celebrate a goal during the 2024 AFL Round 03 match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Carlton Blues at Marvel Stadium on March 29, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Collingwood is reported to have a whopping $145 million valuation, pipping Carlton ($115 million) and the Tigers ($101 million).

The Blues’ appraisal comes amid a 30-year premiership drought, while Richmond broke theirs (37 years) in 2017 before adding two more pieces of silverware within the three following campaigns.

Leading non-Victorian AFL clubs is unsurprisingly West Coast ($68 million), while Port Adelaide ($67 million), Sydney ($66 million) and Brisbane ($64 million) aren’t far behind.

The Eagles’ high membership count leads to their impressive valuation, while the experience at Optus Stadium and subsequent fan engagement are a huge factor in these results.

The Power also possess a uniqueness about them, which has led to great success off the field, whilst the premiership cup hasn’t been far away.

The South Australian club features at Adelaide Oval as the pre-game INXS anthem of ‘Never Tear Us Apart’ usually gets people through the doors.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – MAY 15: The Power mascot is pictured during the round 9 AFL match between the Port Adelaide Power and the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on May 15, 2021 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

However, the rival code, NRL, also has a strong standing in the nation, proving to be a powerhouse competition.

The Penrith Panthers, following their fourth consecutive premiership, have skyrocketed to fourth ($108 million) amongst all Australian football club brand values, only trailing the Brisbane Broncos ($124 million) among NRL clubs.

Starved of premiership success since 2006, the Broncos still reign as the NRL’s strongest brand, capturing the Brisbane market since 1988 before the arrival of the Dolphins last year.

Brand value is understood as the net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.

Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors.

AFL 2024 brand value ranking