Tennis Australia Chief Executive Craig Tiley has been revealed as the highest paid sporting executive in Australia, earning $US2.35 million ($3.78 million) in the fiscal year ending September 2023.
His salary has been brought to light in a 990 form, filed with the Inland Revenue Service in the USA that contains a level of detail far in excess of the organisation’s Australian annual report.
The document also disclosed that Tennis Australia Chief Content 0fficer Darren Pearce was paid $US690,798 ($1.1 million) and Cedric Cornelis, the organisation's Chief Commercial Officer, was paid $US590,818 ($951,000) over the same period.
As reported by The Age, former champions - Todd Woodbridge and Lleyton Hewitt - are also well renumerated for their work with Tennis Australia.
Woodbridge, 16-time grand slam event winner, earned $US264,000 ($425,000) as Tennis Australia’s 'media ambassador' while former US Open and Wimbledon champion Hewitt earned $US350,468 as Davis Cup captain.
In other sports, in 2023 Melbourne's Herald Sun revealed that then AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan was paid more than $4 million a year.
At present, the salary of current AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon is not specifically identified, although total payments to AFL executives were $13.6 million in 2023, up from $11.8 million in the previous year.
Among other executives, The Australian has previously reported that NRL Chief Executive Andrew Abdo receives a salary of $1.55 million,
According to the Australian Olympic Committee’s annual report for 2023 released early last year, outgoing Chief Executive Matt Carroll was paid about $646,000.
The Australian Grand Prix Corporation’s annual report tabled in the Victorian Parliament late as of November contains information that a postholder identified as the ‘accountable officer’ (presumably Chief Executive Travis Auld) was paid between $680,000 and $689,999 last year.
In other sports, James Johnson and Phil Waugh, Chief Executives of Football Australia and Rugby Australia respectively are each paid in the region of $800,000, while Australian Sports Commission Chief Executive has a base salary of $460,000.
Image: Craig Tiley.
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.
With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.
Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.
In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.
He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.
His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well, until February 2025 when she left us, caring a little pug named Stella.
Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.
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