The player salary costs of match-loss injury and illness at an Australian Football League Club: A six-season retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Background

The objective of this study was to quantify the salary costs of match-loss injuries and illnesses at a single professional AFL club.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study involving male professional AFL players across a six-season period (2016–2021). Analysis of player injury and illness data, and corresponding salary data, was performed with costs calculated using the human capital method.

Results

There were 95 individual players across the six-seasons, with 79 unique diagnoses, 267 match-loss injuries or illnesses and 1130 matches missed. The total salary cost of match-loss injury and illness was AU$13.0 million across the period. Hamstring biceps femoris grade 1–2 strains had the highest proportion of these costs according to diagnosis (AU$1.3 million, 30 incidences, 10.0 ​% of total salary costs), followed by soleus strains (AU$1.1 million, 20 incidences, 8.7 ​%) and concussions (AU$1.1 million, 25 incidences, 8.4 ​%). Of the most frequent injuries, hamstring semimembranosus strains had the highest mean (SD) cost per injury occurrence at AU$139,988 (126,023), followed by knee anterior cruciate ligament injuries at AU$99,264 (105,086). Injury or illness costs as a proportion of the total salary spend across six seasons was 17 ​% (range 10 ​%–22 ​%).

Conclusion

Match-loss injuries and illnesses incur a considerable financial cost relative to the player salary expenditure. This study may provide a costing model for sports businesses to utilise as an approach to inform resource allocation decisions, particularly in relation to injury management and prevention.