Gillon McLachlan is one of the most influential and powerful figures in Australian sports. He has been the CEO of the AFL since 2014, succeeding Andrew Demetriou. He is responsible for overseeing the operations, finances, media, and expansion of the league, which is ranked fourth among domestic professional leagues in the world. He has also played a major role in dealing with various challenges and controversies that have faced the AFL, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the Essendon supplements scandal, the Hawthorn racism allegations, and the Tasmanian team bid.
But who is Gillon McLachlan, and how did he get to where he is today? What are his achievements and challenges as the AFL boss? How much does he earn and what is his net worth? And what are some of the interesting facts about his personal life? In this article, we will answer these questions and more.
AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan Salary
One of the most common questions that people have about Gillon McLachlan is how much he earns as the AFL CEO. According to various sources, McLachlan’s salary is estimated to be around $2 million per year, which includes bonuses and incentives. This makes him one of the highest-paid sports administrators in Australia, and possibly in the world.
However, McLachlan’s salary is not publicly disclosed by the AFL, unlike his predecessor Demetriou, whose income was reported in the league’s annual report. The decision to keep McLachlan’s salary secret was made by chairman Richard Goyder in 2017, who said it was his idea, not McLachlan’s. Goyder argued that disclosing McLachlan’s salary would create unnecessary scrutiny and criticism from the media and the public.
Some people have questioned the transparency and accountability of this move, especially given that the AFL is a not-for-profit organisation that receives significant funding from taxpayers and broadcasters. Others have defended McLachlan’s right to privacy and argued that his salary is justified by his performance and contribution to the game.
AFL CEO Net Worth
As for McLachlan’s net worth, there is no official figure available, but some estimates suggest that it could be around $10 million. This is based on his career earnings as a businessman and an AFL executive, as well as his investments and assets. McLachlan owns a $3.8 million mansion in Melbourne’s Toorak suburb, as well as a farm in Mount Pleasant, South Australia. He also has shares in various companies and ventures, such as Spotless Group Holdings Ltd., where his father-in-law Brian Blythe is a former chairman.
Career
Gillon McLachlan was born in 1973 in Adelaide, South Australia. He grew up on his family farm, “Rosebank”, located in Mount Pleasant. His parents are Angus, a former first-class cricketer, and Sylvia. He is the eldest of four brothers: Hamish, Will and Banjo. His uncle Ian McLachlan was an Australian government Minister for Defence and a long-term president of the South Australian Cricket Association.
McLachlan attended St Peter’s College in Adelaide as a boarder. He then obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Adelaide in 1995 and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the University of Melbourne in 1996. He was a resident at Trinity College during his studies.
McLachlan played Australian football in the Hills Football League colts competition for the now-defunct Pleasant Valley club. After moving to Melbourne, he played with Melbourne University Blues in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA). He played as a ruckman for more than 200 games for the club from 1994 to 2003. He was also captain (2000-2002), best-and-fairest (2000), committee member and life member
After his playing career, McLachlan joined the management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in 1997. He worked there for six years, specialising in media, entertainment and sports. He was involved in projects such as the development of the Australian Football League’s (AFL) media strategy, the establishment of the National Rugby League’s (NRL) independent commission, and the review of the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC) governance and funding.
In 2003, McLachlan was recruited by the AFL as a strategic planner. He quickly rose through the ranks and became the general manager of commercial operations in 2006, the chief operating officer in 2008, and the deputy chief executive officer in 2012. He was widely regarded as the heir apparent to Demetriou, who had been the CEO since 2003.
However, McLachlan faced some competition and challenges along the way. In 2012, he was offered the role of CEO of the NRL, but he turned it down after receiving a counter-offer from the AFL. In 2013, he was involved in a controversial decision to suspend Essendon from the finals series and impose sanctions on the club for its supplements program. In 2014, he was appointed as the CEO of the AFL after Demetriou announced his resignation.
Personal Life
Gillon McLachlan is married to Laura Blythe, a former lawyer and daughter of businessman Brian Blythe. They have four children: Edie, Cleo, Sidney and Rosie. They live in Toorak, Melbourne, but also spend time at their farm in Mount Pleasant, South Australia.
McLachlan is known for his passion for horses and polo. He is a keen horse rider and breeder, owning several thoroughbreds and racehorses. He is also a patron and player of polo, representing Australia at international tournaments. He is a member of the Ellerston Polo Club, owned by billionaire James Packer.
McLachlan is also interested in music and art. He plays the guitar and sings in a band called The Thirsty Mercenaries, which performs at charity events and functions. He also collects contemporary Australian art, especially works by Indigenous artists.
McLachlan is a supporter of the Adelaide Crows in the AFL. He also follows cricket, rugby union, soccer and tennis. He is a fan of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
How Much Does He Make Per Game?
Another question that people often ask about Gillon McLachlan is how much he makes per game as the AFL CEO. This is not an easy question to answer, as his income is not directly tied to the number of games played or attended by him. However, we can try to estimate his earnings per game based on some assumptions and calculations.
First, we need to know how many games are played in an AFL season. In 2023, there are 198 home-and-away games and nine finals games, making a total of 207 games. Assuming that McLachlan attends all of these games (which is unlikely but possible), he would attend an average of four games per week during the regular season (23 weeks) and one game per week during the finals series (four weeks).
Second, we need to know how much McLachlan earns per year as the AFL CEO. As mentioned earlier, his salary is estimated to be around $2 million per year, which includes bonuses and incentives. However, this figure may vary depending on his performance and the league’s financial situation.
Third, we need to divide his annual salary by the number of games he attends to get his earnings per game. Using simple arithmetic, we can get:
$2 million / 207 games = $9,661 per game
This means that Gillon McLachlan makes about $9,661 per game as the AFL CEO. However, this is only an approximation and does not take into account other factors such as taxes, expenses, donations and investments.
Conclusion
Gillon McLachlan is one of the most prominent and successful sports leaders in Australia. He has been the CEO of the AFL since 2014 and has overseen the growth and development of the league in various aspects. He has also faced some difficulties and controversies along his journey.
McLachlan earns a hefty salary as the AFL boss, but his exact income is not publicly disclosed by the league. His net worth is estimated to be around $10 million based on his career earnings and assets. He makes about $9,661 per game as the AFL CEO based on some assumptions and calculations.
McLachlan has a rich and diverse personal life outside of his professional role. He is married with four children and lives in Melbourne and South Australia. He loves horses and polo and plays in a band called The Thirsty Mercenaries. He also collects contemporary Australian art and supports various sports teams.
Most Asked Questions And Answers
Here are some of the most asked questions about Gillon McLachlan and their answers:
- Q: How old is Gillon McLachlan?
- A: Gillon McLachlan is 50 years old as of 2023. He was born in 1973 in Adelaide, South Australia.
- Q: What is Gillon McLachlan’s height and weight?
- A: Gillon McLachlan is 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) tall and weighs about 100 kg (220 lb). He played as a ruckman in Australian football.
- Q: Who is Gillon McLachlan’s wife?
- A: Gillon McLachlan’s wife is Laura Blythe, a former lawyer and daughter of businessman Brian Blythe. They have been married since 2005 and have four children: Edie, Cleo, Sidney and Rosie.
- Q: What is Gillon McLachlan’s education?
- A: Gillon McLachlan has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree from the University of Melbourne. He also attended St Peter’s College in Adelaide and Trinity College in Melbourne.
- Q: What is Gillon McLachlan’s net worth?
- A: Gillon McLachlan’s net worth is estimated to be around $10 million based on his career earnings and assets. He owns a $3.8 million mansion in Toorak, Melbourne, and a farm in Mount Pleasant, South Australia. He also has shares in various companies and ventures, such as Spotless Group Holdings Ltd.
- Q: What is Gillon McLachlan’s salary?
- A: Gillon McLachlan’s salary is estimated to be around $2 million per year, which includes bonuses and incentives. However, his salary is not publicly disclosed by the AFL, unlike his predecessor Andrew Demetriou. The decision to keep his salary secret was made by chairman Richard Goyder in 2017.
- Q: How much does Gillon McLachlan make per game?
- A: Gillon McLachlan makes about $9,661 per game as the AFL CEO based on some assumptions and calculations. This is based on dividing his annual salary by the number of games played in an AFL season. However, this is only an approximation and does not take into account other factors such as taxes, expenses, donations and investments.
- Q: What are some of Gillon McLachlan’s achievements as the AFL CEO?
- A: Some of Gillon McLachlan’s achievements as the AFL CEO are:
- Negotiating a record-breaking $2.5 billion broadcast rights deal with Seven Network, Foxtel and Telstra for the 2017-2022 period.
- Expanding the AFL to new markets such as China, New Zealand and India.
- Launching the AFL Women’s (AFLW) competition in 2017, which has attracted more than one million spectators and participants.
- Increasing the AFL’s revenue, membership, attendance and ratings despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Implementing various initiatives to promote diversity, inclusion and social responsibility in the game, such as the Respect and Responsibility policy, the Pride Game, the Indigenous Round and the Multicultural Round.
- A: Some of Gillon McLachlan’s achievements as the AFL CEO are:
- Q: What are some of the challenges and controversies that Gillon McLachlan has faced as the AFL CEO?
- A: Some of the challenges and controversies that Gillon McLachlan has faced as the AFL CEO are:
- Dealing with the Essendon supplements scandal in 2013, which resulted in the club being suspended from the finals series and fined $2 million, and several players being banned for doping violations.
- Handling the Hawthorn racism allegations in 2015, which involved former president Jeff Kennett making derogatory remarks about Indigenous players and former coach Alastair Clarkson allegedly abusing an umpire with a racial slur.
- Managing the Tasmanian team
- A: Some of the challenges and controversies that Gillon McLachlan has faced as the AFL CEO are: