Aligned Leisure started as an idea.
How could the Richmond Football Club diversify its business? And in a way that used its strength and expertise as a football club but could deliver long-term and sustainable results that were not linked to on-field performance.
Aligned Leisure, a leisure management organisation that leverages community infrastructures and drives health and wellbeing outcomes, was the answer.
Making a difference in the community and working with councils to meet key health and fitness metrics, Aligned Leisure is spurred by the Richmond Football Club's DNA.
Since its inception in 2016, Aligned Leisure has grown to operate across 49 locations. The centres are mostly swimming pools, gyms, and recreation hubs, but they also include variety such as a state-of-the-art theatre in Eurobodalla and a skatepark in Casey.
Aligned Leisure CEO Shane Dunne, who, like all Aligned Leisure's management team, is an employee of Richmond Football Club, picked up the story.
"If you think about what a footy club is good at around consumer marketing, keeping people fit and healthy and maintaining elite high-performance facilities, it is really transferable (to running community centres)," the Richmond General Manager and Aligned Leisure CEO said.
"Aligned Leisure is Richmond; it is a part of Richmond and is established and owned by Richmond.
"(However), we have created some brand separation. Unfortunately, not everyone barracks for Richmond, so Aligned Leisure is the public-facing component of it."
In eight years, Aligned Leisure has grown from a business that had 100 staff to an organisation of over 1800 employees.
"It has been steady growth over the last eight years," Dunne said.
"Now, it is one of the most significant parts of the club from a financial point of view, and it's really important to bring in revenue streams that can sustain the club long-term.
"Almost every sporting club in Australia is trying to diversify their business model, and Richmond has been incredibly successful at it, with Aligned Leisure being a big part of that."
Aligned Leisure partners with Albury City Council, Cardinia Shire Council, City of Casey, Eurobodalla Shire Council, Manningham City Council, Mildura Rural City Council, Nillumbik Shire Council, Wodonga Council and Caulfield Grammar School offering a range of services on top of leisure management.
"We are really about working with any sort of asset owner that wants to bring their facilities to life and activate them and connect in the communities (that they are a part of)," Dunne said.
"We are really selective in who we work with and the partners we have got are fantastic. They are all about activating the community and making the best for their community.
"Bringing our model to life can allow all of their constituents to thrive in whatever their pursuits are."
Dunne explained that Aligned Leisure centres ranged from those that are used for elite performance to small locations that are vastly important community hubs.
"We have some tiny little outdoor pools in remote areas of Mildura that are really important for activating communities in the hot summer periods," he added.
"The footprint is everywhere, and Aligned Leisure exists really to run community infrastructure and bring it to life.
"It is vibrant, it is about community and health, and it is really important to the Richmond Football Club."
To learn more about Aligned Leisure visit the organisation’s website.
