AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan has announced that 2018 AFL Club membership had hit an all-time record of 1,008,494 members.

For the first time in AFL history, total club membership had reached, and exceeded one million members.

It is the 18^th consecutive year of growth.

Mr McLachlan said 13 of the 18 AFL clubs broke their all-time records, which included Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong Cats, GWS Giants, Hawthorn, Melbourne, Port Adelaide, St Kilda, Sydney Swans, West Coast Eagles and reigning Premiers Richmond.

Richmond also became the first club to reach 100,000 members in a single season.

“One in every 24 Australians is now a member of an AFL club, a sign that the national reach of Australian football has never been greater,”

“Whether you have been a member for decades or just signed up this year, on behalf of the AFL I want to thank every single one of you.” Mr McLachlan said.

“The commitment members make to their clubs is the key reason why our game continues to prosper.”

“Our clubs give us a connection. Our games fill us with hope, despair and joy, and today it makes us proud.”

AFLW membership increased on its inaugural season, with 9,406 members (up 30.7%) signing up.

The official AFL club membership tally was compiled after the July 31 deadline, rising by 11.1% per cent on 2017 figures, with positive growth achieved by 16 of the 18 clubs.

Mr McLachlan said the fact membership records continued to be broken reflected the AFL clubs desire to listen to fans and deliver tailored membership options every season.

“Our clubs recognise it is no longer one stop shopping in regard to membership packages. They provide options for fans at every price point.”

Richmond, on the back of the 2017 Premiership achieved the league’s biggest memberships base (100,726) and biggest year on year growth (38.6%), while Hawthorn and West Coast Eagles both exceeded 80,000 members for the first time.

Essendon (79,319) and Collingwood (75,507) rounded out the top 5.

NSW and Queensland experienced year on year growth, with Sydney Swans (60,934), GWS Giants (25,243) and Gold Coast SUNS (12,108) all breaking their membership records.

Brisbane Lions had the fifth highest turnaround on 2017, up 16.4%.

AFL club membership has increased for the 27^th time in the past 28 years, with the exception of the year 2000, when the AFL season was moved forward by a month to accommodate the Sydney Olympics.