THE AFL congratulates Kylie Rogers after she was today appointed as CEO of the Victorian Racing Club (VRC).
Rogers has been a key figure on the AFL Executive since joining the AFL in 2017 after more than 20 years as one of Australia's leading commercial and media executives with Network Ten and then Managing Director of Mamamia, Australia's largest women's media company.
As Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial, Rogers has been responsible for driving all AFL non-Broadcast revenue, including overseeing all corporate partnerships, advertising sales, licensing and retail, club, stadium and AFL memberships, premium hospitality products, ticketing and events, marketing, digital media including the AFL.com.au website and AFL app, while ensuring the overall AFL fan experience has continued to evolve.
Rogers has also had executive responsibility for the operation of Marvel Stadium and has overseen its expansion into both sporting and non-sporting major events and continues to be the business stadium in the Southern Hemisphere.
A member of the AFL team that negotiated and secured the record $4.5 billion broadcast deal in 2022, Rogers' portfolio was then expanded to include the AFL's strategic broadcast relationships across Seven Network, Foxtel and Kayo, Newscorp, Telstra and the League’s radio partners.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said Rogers had brought not only amazing vision and extraordinary leadership in successfully building the AFL's revenue base and then restoring it to record levels post-Covid and praised the way she had built lifelong partnerships and relationships.
"Kylie is a great leader, a great strategist but above all she is simply a great person that everyone wants on their team. Having her part of the AFL Executive over the past seven years has not only built stronger partnerships with our corporate and media partners, her leadership and drive has made us a better organisation," Mr Dillon said.
"I know I speak for all across the AFL and wider industry in congratulating Kylie and thanking her for her care for our team and for the football fans who she has consistently put first. Whether securing Toyota AFL Grand Final artists like Robbie Williams, to expanding the reach and impact of AFL Media, driving the marketing of AFLW or working with the clubs to better connect with fans across the country, she has done it all with passion and personality.
"She had aspirations to be a CEO and to lead an organisation again, and while I am personally sad to lose her, I am also excited that she is going to run another one of our great sporting institutions in the VRC.
"Kylie and her family will remain great friends of our game."
Kylie Rogers said she was thankful for all at the AFL for her time in the game and excited for the new role.
"Footy has this unbelievable ability to bring people together and to be able to play a role in helping keep the game affordable and accessible for all the fans is something I am really proud of.
"I want to thank Andrew Dillon, and our previous CEO Gillon McLachlan, for providing me and my family with an opportunity to be part of game that means so much to so many and I have made some great lifelong friendships across AFL organisation and across our commercial and media partners.
"Being part of the AFL is something I am extremely proud of, I will finish some projects and complete a short handover, before joining and leading the VRC later this year, an organisation I am extremely excited and honoured to be leading."
Rogers will complete a handover at AFL though until end of August before commencing the CEO role at the VRC from September.
The AFL will go to market for a replacement for Kylie and announce further details in due course.
