Cost of Living Allowance

[Auntie.Gerald]

wouldnt you think that a contract is a contract and therefore on that basis is COLA is built in therefore this has to be honoured by the AFL ?

i would be amazed if the AFL canned the COLA that this would be retrospective ?

ie it would only apply to new contracts from 2014 onwards for example

[Mug Punter]

wouldnt you think that a contract is a contract and therefore on that basis is COLA is built in therefore this has to be honoured by the AFL ?

i would be amazed if the AFL canned the COLA that this would be retrospective ?

ie it would only apply to new contracts from 2014 onwards for example

That would be an issue for the AFLPA I imagine. As long as we are covered so we don't need to find a million dollars overnight

A prospective change that is means tested for newly issued contracts would be a fair outcome.

[linko]

The easy way to fix the COLA , or perceived problem with it would be to index it based on the Sydney cost of living at 100% of the cap and reduce the Melbourne clubs salary caps by the 10% odd that it is cheaper to live in Melbourne, Adelaide etc etc. that would shut them up pretty quickly.

To fix the problem with clubs not being able to spend 100% of their cap, if the rich clubs want to spend more than the cap, for every dollar more than the cap they need to pay a dollar into an equalisation pool. This pool can then be used to disperse payments on a prorate basis to the poorer clubs to be able to spend 100% of the cap.

[Ludwig]

Another way to look at the COLA is to forget the technicalities of how it is applied to contracts and if it has validity in respect to the actual cost of living in Sydney.

The COLA is one of many forms of equalization benefits that the AFL use to advance the competition.

So the questions that arise would be:

1. Does the COLA in fact benefit the Swans in their ability to recruit and retain players.
2. How critical is it to the competition that Sydney have at least one, if not two, competitive teams, and should the AFL use means at its disposal to insure this occurs.
3. What are the risks of Sydney sliding down the ladder is the COLA is removed, and what effect would this have on the investment the AFL has made to advance the game in NSW.
4. How important is the Sydney market to AFL's revenue stream from broadcasting right.
5. Can a modified COLA or other program maintain fairness across the competition, without diminishing the ability of Sydney teams to maintain a strong playing list and a profitable operation.

[BillyRayCypress]

Its obvious that there is perception that our COLA is not good for other Clubs.

Therefore we need to introduce them to the financially healthy JUICE. That is Joint Unifying Income Comparison Equation.

This formula takes into account a Club's membership size (please no large member jokes), blockbuster games, home games versus away and sponsorship deals. Specifically would apply to a club like Collingwood so as to help out a club like North. Share the money.

[Jewels]

Its obvious that there is perception that our COLA is not good for other Clubs.

Therefore we need to introduce them to the financially healthy JUICE. That is Joint Unifying Income Comparison Equation.

This formula takes into account a Club's membership size (please no large member jokes), blockbuster games, home games versus away and sponsorship deals. Specifically would apply to a club like Collingwood so as to help out a club like North. Share the money.

Sounds like an excellent idea to me Billy. I'm sure Eddie would have absolutely no qualms with sharing the wealth, I mean he is all for equalization isn't he?

[Chilcott]

I believe the COLA should be stopped for players on higher salaries.

The COLA was introduced to assist with relocation and higher housing properties in Sydney. Don't see how it can be justified if we are paying a player $1,000,000.00, and he gets an extra $100,000.00 in the kick.

Then we have players on $90,000.00 and they get an extra $9,000.00.

Doesn't make sense to me.

[Zlatorog]

I think it's been said already what COLA is all about and it seems to me people are still not getting it. The 9.8% is not per player but an overall increase in the salary cap. The club has already said that it is distributed evenly between the players. I can't believe it that people still listen to that crap coming out of Melbourne media and some other clubs officials.

[Meg]

I think it's been said already what COLA is all about and it seems to me people are still not getting it. The 9.8% is not per player but an overall increase in the salary cap. The club has already said that it is distributed evenly between the players. I can't believe it that people still listen to that crap coming out of Melbourne media and some other clubs officials.

I'm not aware that the club has said that the COLA money is distributed evenly but I would be pleased if you are right. Can you direct us to a quote or source? The quote below is from Colless last year when we had the outrage about recruiting Tippett. It confirms that every player gets a COLA but not that the amount is the same for every player.

"Every player contract at the Sydney Swans stipulates that the COLA must be paid in addition to the agreed contract figure. Every player has a manager, and every one of those managers is aware the Club has the COLA. The COLA is also added to the standard contracts of rookie listed players. Like all Clubs, each contract that is signed is reviewed by the AFL." See more at: The case for the cost of living allowance - sydneyswans.com.au

[Meg]

To add to my comments above I also recall (but haven't found the quote) that in regard to Franklin, Colless has said that a portion of his contract will be for marketing (adding that the Swans are allowed to do this) and the COLA will not be applied to the payments for this work.

[ShockOfHair]

It's like any other loading paid to a wage or salary-earner - the company is obliged to pay it to each and every staff member. A mining company can't salt away the remote living allowances for miners in order to 'free up' its wage bill like every meathead AFL supporter thinks the Swans do with COLA. Colless' point during the Tippett flap was that there's a built-in expectation that players get the 9.8% allowance - so if you're a non-Sydney player on 300k negotiating with the Swans, the bidding starts at 330k.

It's telling that critics of the Swans like Malthouse and Maguire explicitly say the Swans haven't done anything wrong. Basically they're arguing that the Swans are doing well enough not to need the COLA any more - that's a fair point and worth debating, but not the same as saying the Swans are abusing COLA.

[CJK]

This was at the bottom of the AFL Statement on the Lance transfer

Separately, Mr Dillon said the AFL had also reconfirmed to the Sydney Swans board and senior management that all club and player allowances, including the Cost Of Living Allowance, were currently being reviewed by the AFL with the prospect of variations from the 2015 season as part of broader revenue-sharing reforms to the competition.

Therefore, the Sydney Swans FC understood that it may need to accommodate the long-term Franklin contract in an environment in which the Cost of Living Allowance has been altered or removed altogether.

[Swansongster]

Nice Tweet from Patrick Dangerfield (whom I like, despite being a Crow). Retweeted by a Swans fan.

Patrick Dangerfield ?@dangerfield32
Flown to Darwin via Sydney today. Bottle of water was $6 who said they don't need the #COLA buddy expensive. @phildavis_1

Retweeted by Blair Doherty

[Ludwig]

The high cost of Sydney living helped send Andrejs Everitt to Carlton

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/the-high-cost-of-sydney-living-helped-send-andrejs-everitt-to-carlto/story-fndv8ujy-1226747091454

?The expense of Sydney compared to Melbourne was one of the key factors in Andrejs decision making process,? Everitt?s manager Winston Rous from Phoenix Management told News Limited.

?Rental costs are much higher in Sydney as are most living expenses.

?For players outside the top 25 per cent of salaries there are quality of life issues that you weigh up when looking at offers from other clubs.?

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We are going to have to ask for an increase in the COLA. We just can't retain players with the current allowance.

[Bloody Hell]

The high cost of Sydney living helped send Andrejs Everitt to Carlton

?The expense of Sydney compared to Melbourne was one of the key factors in Andrejs decision making process,? Everitt?s manager Winston Rous from Phoenix Management told News Limited.

?Rental costs are much higher in Sydney as are most living expenses.

?For players outside the top 25 per cent of salaries there are quality of life issues that you weigh up when looking at offers from other clubs.?

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We are going to have to ask for an increase in the COLA. We just can't retain players with the current allowance.

Absolute gift for the club...thanks Dre - obviously a good clubman.