RICHMOND’S $459,000 profit has been bankrolled by record sponsorship revenue, record membership and record crowds.

But the number is down on last year’s $1.3 million profit because of increased spending on football.

In the financial report emailed to members, Richmond president Peggy O’Neal said the club now spent $8 million more on football than it did in 2010.

More than 71,000 signed on as Tigers members in 2015 — with 1.05 million punters attending the club’s 22 home-and-away matches.

The accounts show the club generated almost $25 million in sponsorship and marketing revenue and $7 million in gaming money.

The Jack Dyer Foundation contributed more than $800,000 to the bottom line.

O’Neal said the year had been a “tale of two stories”.

“On-field, we again made progress, finishing fifth at the end of the home-and-away season, but we were ultimately frustrated by another elimination final loss,” she said.

“We all feel that disappointment, nobody more so than the players and coaches, and I know they will do everything in their power to take further steps forward in 2016.”

Finance director Rob Dalton said in his report that “considering the continued difficult economic environment for the club and AFL industry generally, this financial result reinforces the club’s robust financial standing”.

“The decrease in our profit as compared to our 2014 financial result is largely attributable to another increase in football department expenditure. In 2015 we invested additional funds in player payments, and coaching and conditioning personnel.”

Dalton said the club remained debt-free and the club was achieving a “stated objective of continuing to bridge the gap with other clubs and therefore providing the best opportunity for future on and off-field success”.

“Significantly, the board remains resolute in continuing to build a liquid asset base and to forever protect the club from entering into an operating debt position in the future, an ambitious but critical issue given our past.”

Hawthorn on Friday announced a monster $3.3 million profit that did not include $2.5 million of donations.

Like the Tigers, the Hawks upped their football spending in 2015.

The premier said it had paid $1.3 million in equalisation taxes to the AFL — in part because of a 2 per cent increase in football spending.

The primary aim of the AFL’s competitive balance measures was to stop football department inflation.