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The Carlton Football Club has announced that, for the first time since 1996, it is debt free while also revealing it has reached an all-time club membership record.

The Board has ratified a management recommendation that will see the Club’s remaining $4 million of historical debt wiped out immediately and has informed the AFL that it will no longer be a financially assisted club of the competition.

The removal of their longstanding debt was one of the Carlton’s 10 targets within their strategic plan, launched in 2019.

The achievement comes as AFL giant announced that they have reached an all-time club membership record, with over 67,000 members signed on prior to the 2021 season, surpassing the Club’s membership record for a fourth consecutive year.

Commending the club and its fans, Carlton Chief Executive, Cain Liddle (pictured below) stated “to clear almost $7 million of debt in just three years is an incredible effort by our Board, made even more incredible when you consider the challenges of 2020. It’s been a total unified club effort, by our board, our players, our staff, our members and our commercial partners and sponsors. A totally united club.

“We have now surpassed our all-time membership record of 67,035 (set in 2020), to achieve that this early in the season is almost unprecedented.

“We remain well on track to hit 80,000 members in 2021, which represents approximately 50 per cent growth in three years and keeps us on track to hit our ambitious strategic target of 100,000 members by 2023. We just couldn’t be more appreciative of our members who have stuck with us and re-signed for 2021, particularly during what has been an especially challenging period for so many.

“We’ve said multiple times that it has felt as though our members picked us up, put us on their shoulders and carried us forward and today’s announcements confirm that is exactly the case. Every Carlton member should feel a great sense of pride.”

The Club now feels it has a greater level of flexibility and capacity to invest further into its Ikon Park Master Plan redevelopment and alternative revenue streams such as the Carlton College of Sport and Carlton IN Business, that continue to go from strength to strength. Most importantly, it ensures that maximum investment remains in both its AFL and AFLW programs, giving its players, coaches and members the very best opportunity to achieve on-field success.

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