Forty-seven years after playing his first game for Subiaco in the WAFL, Mike Fitzpatrick has announced that he is retiring from the AFL Commission.



The Commission accepted Mr Fitzpatrick’s resignation at the meeting in Sydney on Thursday February 9, and resolved that Mr Richard Goyder be appointed Chairman as of April 4, 2017.



Mr Fitzpatrick has served 14 years on the Commission, and 10 as Chairman.



Mr Fitzpatrick has led the AFL during a period of historic expansion and growth, including:

- The establishment of two new clubs

- Three media rights negotiations

- Investments in stadium and football infrastructure, including Adelaide Oval, the purchase of Etihad Stadium, Simonds Stadium and Metricon Stadium.

- The creation of AFL Media.

- The successful launch of the NAB AFLW competition.



Mr Fitzpatrick also brought to the Commission a deep passion for the game, and has been a strong advocate for rules that protected players and promoted the spectacular nature of AFL.



Incoming Chairman of the Commission, Mr Richard Goyder said that Mr Fitzpatrick had left an extraordinary legacy.



“Mike has cemented his place in the history of our game as a Premiership Captain, Carlton legend, and outstanding administrator,” Mr Goyder said.



“On behalf of the Commission, I wish Mike and Helen all the best for the next phase of their lives, and know that while he has retired from the Commission, he will never be far from the game.



“I take over as Chairman with the competition in a very strong position, and I look forward to delivering for our fans, clubs, players and the community to grow and protect the game that so many Australian’s love,” he said.



AFL Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan said that Mike had been a mentor and friend.



“Mike was at his best under pressure, and I will always appreciate his calmness and directness when things were challenging. His great legacies are his love for the game, and his backing of the management team to make big decisions to change and ultimately grow our competition, ” Mr McLachlan said.



Mr Fitzpatrick said he had worked with two visionary CEOs in Andrew Demetriou and Gillon McLachlan, who had different styles but a common commitment to building a stronger national code.



Mr Fitzpatrick said that it was right time to leave with the successful launch of the NAB AFL Women’s League, which he described as one of the two key highlights of his time on the Commission, up with the creation of expansion teams, the Gold Cost Suns and the GWS Giants.



“We have always said that our game is a game for all, but the launch of the AFL Women’s League ensures anyone growing up with the dream of playing AFL at the elite level can achieve that dream,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.



He paid tribute to fellow AFL Commissioners he had worked with across his time on the ruling body as well as Club Presidents and CEOs and the tens of thousands of volunteers at every level of football who contribute to make the AFL the country’s number one sport.



“I am honoured to be succeeded by Richard Goyder, who is an outstanding Commissioner and a leading figure in Australian business life,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.



Mr. Fitzpatrick will attend his last Commission and Annual General Meeting on March 16, and will finish on April 4, 2017.



Mike Fitzpatrick – Achievements



Football Career

Subiaco:

97 games

1973 Premiership player



Carlton Football Club:

150 games

1979, 1981, 1982 Premierships

Captain 1980-83

1979 Best and Fairest

Director of Carlton Football Club, 1989-95



During Mr Fitzpatrick’s time as AFL Chairman, the AFL has:



- Expanded to have premiership matches every week in the mainland states following the League’s expansion with Gold Coast Suns (2010) and Greater Western Sydney Giants (2011) and games played in every state and territory.

- Investments in the construction or renovation of stadiums and training and administration centres across the country since 2007, including Adelaide Oval, Perth Stadium, Metricon Stadium, MCG, SCG, Gabba, Skilled Stadium with the latest addition - the $22m T&A facility at Gold Coast Suns – opened in January.

- Participation has grown more than 140 per cent from the start of the 2007 season to 2016 with 1,404,176 participants, including a staggering 3200 per cent jump in the number of female participants to a record 380,041 in 2016.

- The NAB AFL Women’s League has commenced, two years ahead of schedule, which saw more than 50,000 people attend the first round.

- The continued growth of revenue coming into the game and the successful completion of record TV broadcast deals, including the $2.5 billion TV broadcast rights deal secured off the back of expansion into the northern markets.

- Continued work by the clubs to attract supporters with memberships of AFL clubs hitting a new record high of 875,197 in 2016 – an increase of almost 70 per cent since 2006.

- The creation of AFL Media to build a stronger digital presence for the game resulting in AFL Media now attracting an average 4.26m weekly unique visitors in season while TV audiences per round for the Toyota AFL Premiership Season across the Seven Network and Fox Footy Channel averaged 4.5 million.

- The adoption of all recommendations of the AFL Indigenous Advisory Council, including a commitment to appoint an Indigenous Commissioner by the end of 2018.

- Development of the Respect and Responsibility Policy

- Increase in resources and policies governing integrity and doping.