After COVID-19 Australian football should be returned to its base

As an industry, Australian football has the opportunity to pull off the most stunning and successful transformation in a post COVID-19 environment.

Whilst governments, business and other sporting organisations consistently speak of things eventually returning to normal, football as a whole should in fact be steering its ship on a completely new course. In fact, seeing the Australian version of the round ball game return to exactly what it was prior to the world pandemic, could in fact be fatal.

The fundamental contemporary problem in the Australian game has been the creation of the top-tier A-League, at the expense of maintaining connections with the past and those beneath. In essence, not enough people care about the new league and asking “Why should they?” is a reasonable and fair minded question.

Thousands of football fans across the country have little or no allegiance to the ten Australian based clubs in the A-League competition. Most prefer to remain active within and connected to their community based clubs and hence, the growing interest we have seen in NPL play around Australia.

A-League club membership numbers generally run at around 100,000 per season; an astonishingly low figure when near two million men, women and children play the game each year. Having just 5 per cent of active footballers as members of Australia’s fully professional clubs is an appalling ratio and remarkably different to other countries, where clubs engage far more effectively with fans and players.

A study by Statista.com found that between 2007 and 2016, of the 11 million footballers regularly playing the game in England, somewhere just short of 20 per cent were active members of football clubs. It ought to be noted that those figures are not only memberships of the big and powerful clubs but also smaller ones across all levels of England’s domestic game.

Even a doubling of Australia’s paltry percentage would bring the most stunning increases in revenue, attendance and corporate involvement. Getting an additional 100,000 active footballers to support and join an A-League club in Australia should not be a particularly difficult task.

The COVID-19 pandemic has rather fortuitously created a scenario that, if grasped correctly by a well informed and daring governing body, could re-connect many of the severed ties within the game. Football will no doubt be back and perhaps sooner than many people originally thought, as the curve begins to flatten and case levels drop. However, it must come back reformed and restructured.

When it does return, after what will hopefully be a stunning make-over, football has the potential to instantly re-establish connections between grass roots clubs, semi-professional play in the NPL and the game at an elite level.

Financially, the industry will be in ruin, most sports will be, with the financial bottom line in the corporate sector looking grim and making vast and new investment opportunities unlikely. As such, A-League salary caps may well be halved or even scrapped, yet that could in fact be the blessing in disguise required to truly nationalise the game and implement promotion and relegation across the country.

As things stood until recently, new licenses handed out by FFA were the only means by which a new club could enter the A-League. With the clubs now bound to be cash-strapped, NPL1 clubs that lacked the financial clout, stadium or infrastructure to demand promotion to the top-tier, would find that transition far easier.

FFA should announce that the 2020/21 season will see the current eleven clubs compete once again for the A-League Championship. Next winter, when NPL1 champions are confirmed around the country, promotion play-offs should be played. Two clubs would earn the right to play A-League football in 2021/22, at the expense of the two demoted from the top tier.

Some adjustments would need to be made to scheduling, with NPL1 needing to be completed in time for the promotion play-offs to take place and the newly promoted clubs given at least two months to prepare for a new season. Players would need to be signed prior to an A-League October kick-off, yet if NPL play was to be completed in July, rather than late August, as it is across much of the nation, there would be enough time for a club to prepare.

Once the initial incarnation of promotion/relegation is complete, all tiers of football would then move to a spring to autumn season. The machinations of promotion/relegation in the lower tiers of NPL play would take place as usual and uniformity within the game would finally be achieved.

Ironically, it would be a shattered and torn industry, one filled with unpaid players and staff in limbo that may well afford Australian football the greatest opportunity it has ever had. It would undoubtedly be difficult yet also rewarding in the long term. Taking a step back before taking two forward may well be the smartest thing the game ever does.

Attempting to build interest and growth in the game at the elite level has not worked, as the A-League continued to tread water. Perhaps, in the face of tragedy, the time is nigh to return the Australian game to the base, within a framework that takes everybody along for the ride.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Melbourne Victory teams up with Superdry

Melbourne Victory has confirmed a new alliance with Superdry, marking the beginning of an exciting collaboration between the two brands.

As part of the deal, Superdry came on board as the official off-field clothing partner for the club’s friendly match against Wrexham AFC at Marvel Stadium on July 11th, fans at the game were able to enjoy some great giveaways from the brand.

Superdry is a modern, fashion-forward brand celebrated for blending vintage Americana and Japanese-inspired graphics with a distinctive British twist.

Their use of high-quality fabrics, unique washes, intricate hand-drawn artwork, and expertly tailored fits truly sets them apart from the crowd.

This one-of-a-kind style has earned Superdry worldwide popularity and a dedicated, ever-growing celebrity following.

Melbourne Victory Managing Director Caroline Carnegie said the club was thrilled to team up with such a high-quality brand for an event that promised to be a memorable experience for all football fans.

“Our partnership with Superdry for this event is a great opportunity for us to work with a quality brand that is well aligned with our fans and values as a Club,” Carnegie said in a press release.

“I look forward to seeing the team arriving for our match against Wrexham AFC kitted out in the latest range at Marvel Stadium this week.”

To celebrate the collaboration, fans will have the chance to win a 2025/26 membership pack and a $1,000 Superdry voucher, plus the unique opportunity to shop at a Melbourne Superdry store alongside their favourite Victory player – fans should keep an eye on Victory’s social media for all the competition details.

Alastair Davies, General Manager of Licensed Brands at Superdry, said the brand is excited to support Melbourne Victory and connect its British roots with Australia’s sporting culture.

“Superdry is proud to dress Melbourne Victory as they face off against Wrexham AFC,”  Davies said press release.

“As a brand born in the UK, it’s rewarding to see our British heritage connect with Australia’s sporting culture on a global stage.”

This partnership marks an exciting new chapter for both Melbourne Victory and Superdry, bringing style and sport closer than ever.

Wellington Phoenix unveil Dynasty Sport as new apparel provider

Wellington Phoenix have confirmed a new partnership with Dynasty Sport, who will become the club’s official apparel provider from the 2025/26 A-Leagues season onwards.

Under the agreement, Dynasty will design and produce apparel for the Phoenix men’s and women’s teams, as well as kit out the club’s eight academy sides from early 2025.

The New Zealand-based brand, launched in 2018, is renowned for supplying high-quality, ethically and sustainably produced sportswear to professional and grassroots organisations across New Zealand, Australia, and the Pacific Islands.

Dynasty Sport is a leading provider of premium custom sportwear, built on decades of top-tier experience in the global sports industry. With their deep passion for sport, they proudly supply high-performance on and off-field apparel to professional clubs, schools, grassroots teams, athletes, and businesses across New Zealand, Australia, and around the world.

The men’s new home kit for the upcoming A-League Men season has already been completed and will be unveiled on Thursday, 10 July, three months earlier than usual, to coincide with the highly anticipated friendly against Wrexham AFC. Fans can also look forward to two alternate away kits, ensuring the Phoenix can proudly wear their traditional home colours when they play in Wellington or Christchurch.

The women’s home kit and two alternate away strips are set to be revealed in September, ahead of the A-League Women campaign. In addition, Dynasty will release a lifestyle range for Phoenix supporters later this year, providing a wider selection of merchandise for fans.

This deal sees Wellington Phoenix join a growing list of clubs and organisations working with Dynasty Sport, whose focus on sustainable manufacturing and innovative designs aligns with the Phoenix’s values on and off the pitch.

Phoenix general manager David Dome spoke positively about the new agreement.

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Dynasty Sport as our new apparel partner,” Dome said via club statement.

“Not only does their apparel look amazing and feel great to wear, but they have blown us away by how much they’re committed to helping the Phoenix succeed.

“We’re excited to work with Tyler and the Dynasty team over the next three years, creating designs and a range that truly resonate with our fans and reflect the spirit of our club.”

Dynasty Sport co-founder and director Tyler Rakich spoke about the importance of the company extending to the professional football space.

“This marks another significant step in our expansion into the pro football space,” Rakich said in a press release.

“We’re very excited to launch the new custom range for players, staff and fans, from the elite level performance kit to the fan apparel and fresh new lifestyle range.

“We are confident there is something for every fan regardless of colour preference and style and we are excited to launch the full range in September this year!”

The deal provides Wellington Phoenix with a modern, sustainable apparel solution while strengthening their commercial footprint and giving fans exciting new ways to show their support.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend