New A-Leagues, work still to be done

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Australia’s top-flight football competition is back and whilst much has changed it is clear that there is still a lot of work ahead.

The clubs are no longer driving from the back seat, and they have wasted no time and spared little expense in committing to a major makeover to Australia’s top-flight competitions, A-Leagues Men and Women.

A glossy new look, an inclusive new name that bundles the premier men’s and women’s competition, sleek new graphics, a bumper free-to-air deal as well as a new streaming service and dedicated football news platforms all represent solid wins for the Australian Professional Leagues ahead of their debut season on the back of a mountain of preparation that has gone into the promotion of the competition.

Whilst only the most naïve will have expected the efforts to deliver an instant return, the sobering numbers from the opening round of the 2021/22 A-Leagues Men season demonstrate just how much work lies ahead.

Not even the gloss of all the stellar exertion put into revamping the look and feel of the A-Leagues and the fantastic efforts that went into broadcasting the competition to Australia’s audience could completely deflect from the real issues that football continues to face in Australia.

Put simply, they are the same issues that have plagued the sport in Australia for decades, including infrastructure and failing to connect with every part of the Australian football fraternity.

The embarrassing relocation of Macarthur FC’s opening round clash with Wellington Phoenix due to the dire state of the pitch at Campbelltown Stadium will have resonated with hundreds, if not thousands of football administrators all over the country who rely on third parties to maintain their playing surfaces.

It’s one thing for a third-tier state league team to have to relocate a game due to a bad pitch.

It’s another thing for it to happen in the top-flight. Put bluntly, it’s completely unacceptable.

The issue serves as an urgent reminder for the needs of football owned and operated infrastructure.

The sub-10,000 attendance figures at four out of six games highlight the top-flight’s ongoing struggles to get bums in seats and build genuine support for expansion sides.

Off the back of a championship-winning season, Melbourne City would have to be disappointed with a crowd of 7,213, whilst the 8,210 who turned out for Western United’s home game against Melbourne Victory were largely supporters of the away team.

The relocated 1-1 draw between Macarthur and Wellington attracted a touch over 1,000 people, with a contingent of the people in the ground having stuck around following the earlier F3 Derby between Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets – a fixture which was attended by less than 7,000 people.

They are numbers that must concern the clubs involved, regardless of the various mitigating circumstances that have been offered as explanations.

Macarthur’s relocation to Newcastle for the weekend was undoubtedly a major issue. However, excuses in Melbourne that with lockdown over, people have other priorities will not hold up in the long run.

The reality is that the pool of ‘new fans’ without attachment to an A-Leagues team or another club is dwindling in an extremely competitive market and this is not something that the APL will be able to expand its way out of.

For football and economic reasons, there is no denying that the A-Leagues needs more teams – as Adelaide United coach Carl Veart passionately advocated for last week. The methods for adding those teams is a critical component of the discussion moving forward.

There are clubs that exist today all over Australia that bring comparable, if not larger, crowds to Macarthur FC, Western United and at times Melbourne City.

Surely, at some point, these clubs deserve an opportunity. One of the biggest obstacles to making this happen is undoubtedly football’s first big problem – infrastructure.

Encouraging further investment in existing football infrastructure through the carrot of opportunities to access the top-flight could be a turnkey solution that will help solve both of football’s biggest issues.

The main short-term issue that was highlighted in round one was the varying quality of stream quality on Paramount+.

Personally, this was not something I experienced watching at least parts of every game via the Apple TV app on my television.

I did notice what seemed like a slightly reduced quality when simulcasting the Western United v Melbourne Victory game on my phone whilst watching the Sydney Derby on TV, but the second half seemed to be an improvement on the first.

Of course, it’s not all bad.

Technical streaming issues are nothing new when it comes to new services launching their live products.

We all remember the hugely frustrating buffering issues many users experienced when the Premier League first arrived on Optus Sport and the issues faced with the 2018 World Cup in times of peak demand.

Optus Sport rose to the challenges remarkably well and at this point, there’s no reason to doubt Paramount’s ability to do the same.

Elsewhere, a sell-out crowd packed into HBF Park to watch Perth Glory’s entertaining 1-1 draw against Adelaide United.

No doubt many of the 17,198 who attended the fixture were attracted to the game for the chance to get a glimpse of former Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool star Daniel Sturridge, highlighting the power of genuine marquees in attracting a crowd in Australia.

A healthy 23,118 at the Sydney derby at Commonwealth Bank stadium bodes well for two of the competition’s big teams in a crucial market, too.

The derby also attracted a free-to-air audience of 146,000. On face value alone, that’s not a hugely impressive number, but it is a number that bodes well for the competition according to industry experts, with well-known sports industry commentator @footyindustryAU suggesting that the number was “almost certainly” the highest-rated non-final A-League game in the last five years.

Like most things in life, the marketing gloss will never hide every flaw and the flaws don’t necessarily mean the world is coming to an end.

Round one 2021/22 represents progress and steps forward for Australian football.

The steps forward, however, are on a journey that still has miles to be walked.

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Grassroots Clubs Want to Grow – But They Need the Tools to Do It

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Image Credit: One-Nil Media

Across Australia, grassroots football clubs are doing extraordinary work to keep the game alive in their communities. Volunteers line fields, coordinate registrations, organise sponsorships and manage finances – often all at once. But new survey insights suggest something deeper: clubs want to grow commercially, yet many lack the knowledge and systems required to do so.

The results point to a clear reality. Community football’s commercial potential exists, but it remains largely untapped.

When asked about their club’s commercial strategy, confidence was strikingly low. Half of respondents (50%) said their club has only a limited commercial strategy, while 25% admitted there is no clear strategy at all. Only 25% described their approach as somewhat confident, and notably no respondents felt “very confident” about their club’s commercial direction.

 

Image Credit: One Nil

For a sport that prides itself on being the most participated in Australia, that figure should give administrators pause.

Community clubs are often expected to behave like small businesses – raising revenue, managing stakeholders and investing in infrastructure. Yet the data suggests many are navigating these expectations without a clear roadmap.

The question then becomes: where are clubs currently generating revenue?

The survey shows that sponsorship and memberships dominate equally, each accounting for 50% of the primary revenue sources identified by respondents. Events, often seen as a key opportunity for community engagement and fundraising, accounted for 0% of responses as the main income generator.

 

Image Credit: One Nil

This reliance on two core streams highlights a structural vulnerability. Sponsorship and memberships are important pillars, but they are also susceptible to economic pressures and local community fluctuations. Without diversified revenue, such as events, partnerships, digital engagement, or merchandising, clubs risk stagnating financially.

However, perhaps the most revealing insight from the survey relates to the barriers clubs face in expanding their commercial capabilities.

A significant 75% of respondents identified a lack of commercial knowledge as the biggest barrier to growth. The remaining 25% pointed to volunteer capacity.

 

Image Credit: One Nil

This distinction is crucial. It suggests the issue is not simply about manpower, but also expertise.

Volunteers remain the lifeblood of grassroots football, but expecting them to also function as marketing managers, sponsorship strategists and commercial analysts may be unrealistic without proper support. In many cases, passionate community members are asked to perform professional-level commercial tasks with limited guidance.

That challenge becomes even clearer when examining how clubs track their commercial performance.

Only 25% of respondents said their club tracks return on investment consistently, while 75% said they do so only sometimes.

Image Credit: One Nil

Without consistent measurement, it becomes difficult for clubs to demonstrate value to sponsors, justify investments, or refine strategies. In modern sport, data-driven decision making is not a luxury; it is essential.

For community clubs competing for attention and funding in crowded local markets, the ability to measure impact could be the difference between securing long-term partnerships and losing potential sponsors.

Encouragingly, the survey also highlights where clubs believe solutions may lie.

When asked what support they need most to grow revenue, 50% of respondents identified commercial education as the priority. Meanwhile 25% called for better commercial tools, and another 25% highlighted the need for stronger media and content capabilities.

Image Credit: One-Nil Media

Taken together, these responses paint a consistent picture: grassroots clubs are not asking for handouts, they are asking for knowledge, systems, and support.

This presents a major opportunity for football’s governing bodies, commercial partners and industry stakeholders.

If the sport is serious about strengthening the foundations of the game, investing in commercial capability at the community level must become part of the strategy. That could mean workshops for volunteers, accessible sponsorship toolkits, digital platforms that simplify partnership management or better storytelling frameworks that help clubs showcase their value to local businesses.

The demand clearly exists.

Community football already delivers enormous social return by bringing people together, supporting youth development and strengthening local identity. The challenge now is ensuring clubs have the commercial frameworks required to sustain that impact.

Because the truth is simple: grassroots clubs are willing to do the work.

They just need the tools.

And if Australian football wants to unlock the full potential of its largest participation base, empowering community clubs commercially may be one of the most important investments the game can make.

Level the Playing Field: Football Unites at Parliament House to Back Grassroots Growth

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 Image Credit: Football Victoria/Avellino Photography 

Victorian football’s most influential voices gathered at Parliament House last Wednesday to officially launch the Level the Playing Field campaign. The initiative is a united call to strengthen grassroots infrastructure and ensure every child has access to safe, modern facilities.

Hosted by Football Victoria alongside members of the Parliamentary Friends of Football, the event brought together MPs from across the political spectrum, A-League representatives, community clubs and emerging players, reinforcing one clear message: when football thrives, Victoria thrives.

Football Victoria Chair Dr Angela Williams delivered a powerful address, drawing on her professional experience to underscore sport’s social impact.

“You belong when you play football,” she said. “It is the same healthy place to play — regardless of race, religion or background. Young people in sport are healthier and safer. That’s what this is about.”

The campaign comes at a pivotal moment for the game. Participation across Victoria has surged to more than 127,000 registered players, with female participation experiencing significant growth in recent years. A legacy of the recent success of the Australian women’s national team.

Yet, as speakers emphasised, infrastructure has not kept pace.

Former Socceroo and community advocate Carl Valeri reflected on the contrast between elite and grassroots environments, highlighting the importance of stronger community facilities.

“When you walk into a community facility, there’s the same love and passion,” Valeri said. “But the infrastructure doesn’t always match. That infrastructure can turn away the kids who decide to play later, or those who might be facing challenges at home. For me, community football is important because we have to keep kids involved in the game.”

 Image Credit: Football Victoria/Avellino Photography 

Current and emerging players echoed the sentiment. Young footballer Kara Crnac highlighted how quality facilities build confidence and create opportunity, while coach and talent pathway representative Maddison Kamolins stressed the importance of safe, inclusive environments.

Image Credit: Football Victoria/Avellino Photography

Government representatives acknowledged more than $100 million in recent football facility investment, including the state’s landmark commitment to Home of the Matildas at La Trobe University, while recognising further support is required at the grassroots level.

Football Victoria CEO Dan Birrell described the campaign as both collaborative and forward-looking.

“We’re going to be visible; we’re going to be active and we’re going to be strong advocates for our clubs,” he said. “Every elite career begins at a community ground. If we want stronger communities and stronger representation on the world stage, we must invest where it all begins.”

With the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on the horizon and continued momentum across domestic competitions, the message from Parliament was clear: the next generation of Matildas and Socceroos is already here.

Now, it’s time to level the playing field, sign the petition here.

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