Andrew Demetriou

Andrew Demetriou
Personal information
Full name	Andrew Demetriou
Date of birth	14 April 1961
Original team(s)	Pascoe Vale
Height/Weight	182 cm / 80 kg
Position(s)	Wing
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1981–1987 1988 Total	North Melbourne Hawthorn	103 (47) 003 0(1) 106 (48)
^1 Playing statistics correct to end of 1988 season.

Andrew Demetriou (born 14 April 1961) is an Australian businessman, sports administrator, and former Australian rules football player who was chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian Football League (AFL) up to June 2014. Demetriou played 103 games for the North Melbourne Football Club between 1981 and 1987, finishing his playing career with a three-game stint for Hawthorn in 1988. Chairing several companies after his retirement from playing, he was appointed CEO of the AFL Players Association in 1998, and was responsible for negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement between the league and the players. Demetriou was made CEO of the AFL in 2003, replacing Wayne Jackson. In his role as head of the AFL Commission, he was responsible for a number of changes, including the expansion of the league from 16 to 18 teams, the restructuring of the tribunal system, and the brokering of two new television rights deals.

Early life

Demetriou is the youngest son of Greek Cypriot immigrants. He has an older brother Jim Demetriou who played senior football for Essendon in the mid-1970s.

He was educated at La Trobe University, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 and a Diploma of Education in 1984. He was awarded the University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009 and a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) in 2015 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to sport management and to Australian society through his leadership and support of important social issues, and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor.^[1]

Before becoming a VFL player, he worked in the dental import industry.^[2]

Playing career

Recruited from Pascoe Vale, Demetriou played for the North Melbourne Football Club as a winger between 1981 and 1987, playing 103 games and kicking 47 goals.

He had a brief move to Hawthorn in 1988, but played only three games and kicked one goal.

Administration career

Between 1998 and 2000, Demetriou was CEO of the AFL Players Association.

Demetriou is best known for his position as CEO of the Australian Football League. He was elected by the board of directors at the end of the 2003 season, taking over from the outgoing CEO Wayne Jackson.

In 2008, Demetriou earned an annual salary of $1.4 million, making him the highest paid administrator or player then employed by the AFL.^[3]

In 2009, Demetriou earned $1.8 million for his role at the AFL.^[4]

Achievements

In 2005 he was instrumental in securing a record breaking A$780 million TV rights deal.^[5]

In 2011, Demetriou was involved in securing a record breaking A$1.25 billion TV rights deal for the period of 2012-2016. The deal included unprecedented live TV coverage of the AFL competition in all states of Australia through free-to-air, subscription and IP television.^[6]

Notable issues and controversies

Push for a Gold Coast-based team

Demetriou has been highly influential in the AFL Commission's desire for a team to be based on the Gold Coast. North Melbourne Football Club had played three home games there in 2007 and, at the conclusion of that season, Demetriou offered the club $100 million to relocate there permanently.^[7] North Melbourne rejected that offer and, in January 2008, the AFL chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick and Demetriou announced that the Gold Coast Football Club would enter the AFL in 2011.^[8]

Sydney Swans controversy

In 2005 Demetriou criticised the Sydney Swans and then-coach Paul Roos, labelling the team's play as "unattractive" and "ugly". He also claimed that the Swans would not win a premiership with the way they were playing,^[9] and this statement was underlined when the team suffered a 43-point defeat to St Kilda in Round 10. The defeat was the turning point in the Swans' season, with the Swans losing only two more home-and-away games for the season, both by single-figure margins^[10] and eventually winning the 2005 Premiership.^[11]

Seven years later though, Demetriou praised the Swans for their new attacking style of play and rated them as serious contenders for the premiership.^[12] Sydney won the 2012 premiership implementing a style of relentless tackling and attacking play.^[13]

Resignation

Demetriou announced on 3 March 2014 that he would step down from the role as AFL CEO after eleven years, at the conclusion of the 2014 AFL season.^[14]

In April 2014, it was announced that Gillon McLachlan would be Demetriou's successor. Andrew will finish his tenure with the AFL in June.^[15]

Other activities

Demetriou has interests in factories in Brazil and India which manufacture dental products and exports them to 70 markets, including Australia.^[16]

Demetriou has a regular spot with Red Symons on Melbourne radio station ABC 774. During the 2013 Finals Series he also co-hosted Talking Footy for the Seven Network.

Demetriou in 2014 became CEO of Acquire Learning, which has been mired in controversy regarding allegations of deceptive selling practices. ^[17][18]

Personal life

Demetriou's first wife died in 1999. In 2002 he married Symone, and they have four children, three daughters including twins and a son.^[19]

References

1. Pierik, Jon (October 17, 2015). "Pssst: Introducing Doctor Andrew Demetriou". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 October 2015.
2. Warner, Michael (22 November 2007). "We reveal AFL boss Andrew Demetriou's $7m Toorak base". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 December 2010.
3. Barrett, Damian (1 March 2008). "AFL boss Andrew Demetriou scores .4 million". Herald Sun.
4. Demetriou earned his $1.8 million, says AFL chairman, The Roar, Retrieved on 18 March 2010.
5. Why the blood sprayed in AFL fight
6. AFL secures TV rights deal for next five years worth $1.253 billion, Herald Sun, 28 April 2011
7. Smith, Patrick (8 December 2007). "No pot of gold for Kangas' revival". The Australian.
8. Le Grand, Chip (20 February 2008). "Clubs told of expansion last year". The Australian.
9. Lane, Samantha (1 May 2005) Demetriou puts boot into tactics
10. Cowley, Michael (12 September 2005). "Ugly ducklings to make up for the sin of St Kilda". The Sydney Morning Herald.
11. Love is in the air as Andy and Dickie revive flagging relationship
12. AFL chief Andrew Demetriou likes Sydney Swans' flag chances | Herald Sun
13. Tackle happy - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans Football Club
14. Demetriou to stand down at end of 2014, AFL.com.au, 3 March 2014
15. http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-afls-new-boss-gillon-mclachlan/story-fndv7pj3-1226900572853
16. Bolt, Andrew (14 August 2009). "Fans should see red over the hypocrisy of footy going green". Herald Sun.
17. http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/acquire-learning-facing-asqa-scrutiny-amid-allegations-of-unethical-behaviour/story-fnkgbb3b-1227112878300
18. http://www.afr.com/news/policy/education/andrew-demetriou-to-lead-acquire-learning-20140727-jk2yx
19. AFL boss Andrew Demetriou revisits playing days

External links

• Andrew Demetriou's statistics from AFL Tables
• The Australian Article