[5] Under Jack Hamilton, the first Chief Commissioner, the VFL began a restructuring toward a franchise model whereby member clubs operate licenses owned by the league.

[6] The model helped make private ownership of the Swans possible in 1985,[5][7] as well as selling new licenses (resulting in the Brisbane Bears and West Coast Eagles in 1987).

It also approves the administration of new club licenses, and has been involved in the expansion of the national competition since 1987, being instrumental in the merger that created the Brisbane Lions.

However, the majority is invested in ensuring that the AFL continues to sustain its future revenues, such as protecting the primacy of the competition, as well as growing its broadcast audience, talent pathways and professionalism to attract the best available players (from junior development programs and high performance athletes from around the world).

[16] The Commission was formed to set policy, and has directed the VFL/AFL (known then as the VFL) as the game's most professional league since December 1985.

Subsequently, the board of directors voted itself out of existence, and a new Memorandum and Articles of Association were adopted for the AFL.

Semi-professional state competitions are generally self-sufficient, and receive a much lower percentage of the AFL's funding.

The Commission has established a pathway that features junior Academies and scholarships from representational level up to its member clubs.

Between 2010 and 2021, the AFL spent between $6–38 million per annum (under 5% of total revenue) on game development grants globally (excluding a one-off COVID-19 Pandemic community football recovery package).

With a new TV rights deal in 2022 and to help the game at the grassroots continue its recovery post COVID-19 Pandemic, the Commission increased its community grants to $67 million.

Under the current constitution, the member clubs have the power to veto commission decisions with a two-thirds majority vote.

The system was later changed to the Annual Special Distribution (ASD) of $6.3 million shared among all clubs,[52] as well as allowing for grants and special concessions, such as payments, to ensure that the AFL member clubs remain viable in the short term.