Australian Sports Foundation teams up with revolutioniseSPORT

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The Australian Sports Foundation (ASF) has unveiled a new collaboration with the leading online management platform revolutioniseSPORT (revSPORT) to enhance fundraising options and simplify operations for grassroots organisations.

This collaboration enables clubs using revSPORT to effortlessly receive tax-deductible donations from members during the registration process, thanks to the introduction of the membership donation add-on.

The ASF and revSPORT membership donation add-on provides significant benefits to sports clubs by offering new revenue opportunities through tax-deductible donations integrated into the registration process.

This streamlined approach allows clubs to easily secure vital funding to cover expenses such as equipment and facilities.

Automating donation management through the membership donation add-on minimises administrative work, freeing up volunteers to concentrate on improving the overall sporting experience.

Starting in December, ASF’s fundraising platform will be fully integrated with revolutioniseSPORT’s comprehensive sports management system, allowing members to handle operational data like schedules, payments, and registrations through a single, user-friendly interface.

With an API (Application Programming Interface) integration, ASF and revolutioniseSPORT will join forces to simplify the fundraising process, providing a critical financial boost during tough economic times.

The upgraded tools and resources will enable year-round fundraising, enhance communication and engagement, and leverage technology to reduce the administrative load on community clubs and associations.

ASF’s CEO, Sue Hunt AM, explained how this deal will benefit the sports industry.

“As part of our commitment to supporting grassroots sports, the Australian Sports Foundation is excited to announce this collaboration with revSPORT, one that will provide the tools to grow and sustain funding at a critical time for our sports industry,” she said via press release.

“Our investment in technology is a cornerstone of our mission to support Australian sport, and this partnership with revSPORT is a perfect example of how we’re expanding our capabilities for the benefit of our sporting community. By harnessing innovative digital solutions, we can offer streamlined, accessible fundraising opportunities that empower sports organisations, especially at the grassroots level.

“These advancements are making it easier for clubs and teams across the country to secure the funding they need, allowing them to focus on what truly matters: enhancing the participant experience, supporting volunteers, and fostering a thriving sports culture.”

Chief Operations Officer of revSPORT, Nic Watkins, encouraged the 18,000 local clubs and 270 governing bodies currently using the platform to take advantage of the benefits offered by the ASF partnership.

“Australian sports clubs have been in desperate need of a revolutionary solution to funding and fundraising. Coming from club-land ourselves, we understand this challenge all too well – they are under-resourced and underfunded. That is why we built revSPORT, to simplify sport and maximise the impact of grassroots administrators,” he said via press release.

“Our exclusive partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation has the power to change the face of our industry. By providing an innovative solution centred on an exceptional user experience, sporting clubs using revSPORT will be able to leverage the capabilities of our two organisations, and unlock previously untapped revenue opportunities.”

To view more information about the Australian Sports Foundation, click here.

To know more about revolutioniseSPORT, click here.

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Capital Football Introduces Pink Armband to Protect Junior Referees

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Image Credit: Marist Canberra FC

Capital Football has launched a visible identification program for referees under 18, requiring them to wear a pink armband during matches. It’s intended to build awareness surrounding the concern across Australian football about the abuse driving young officials out of the game.

The Pink Armband Initiative, effective immediately across Capital Football’s competitions in the ACT and surrounding region, makes junior referees identifiable to players, coaches and spectators. The federation says the marker is designed to set clear behavioural expectations and signal that many match officials are minors still developing their skills.

Capital Football acknowledged a referee crisis as far back as 2022, at which point it restructured its entire referee department in partnership with Football Australia. The pink armband program is the latest layer of that response; this time by targeting the cultural conditions on match day rather than systems of recruitment and pay.

A problem that spans codes and states

Research has consistently linked referee abuse to declining retention rates, with officials quitting in growing numbers due to sustained mistreatment, a trend researchers warn will reduce the pool of skilled match officials available at all levels of the game. Studies also show that young, less experienced referees are disproportionately likely to be subject to abuse.

Capital Football is not alone in reaching for a visible solution. Similar programs operate across Football Queensland, Football South Australia, Football South Coast and several other federations, while Basketball Victoria and Basketball South Australia have adopted comparable measures through the Green Whistle initiative. The spread of these programs across codes and states reflects a shared administrative problem: many grassroots referees are teenagers and volunteers who do not officiate for money but because they love the game, and abuse is eroding that foundation.

For a federation overseeing nearly 29,000 registered players, fewer referees means fewer matches. Fewer matches means reduced participation. The pink armband is a low-cost intervention with structural consequences if it works.

Compliance and competition: Everton ordered to pay compensation following major verdict

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Image credit: JSvideos / Shutterstock.com

In a landmark decision by the Premier League Independent Disciplinary Commission, Everton must now pay Burnley upwards of AUD 66 million (£35 million) after breaching financial rules in the 2021-22 season.

Behind the verdict

Playing in the Premier League is, in itself, one of the most lucrative positions for a club to be in. This year’s Championship Play-off final – a contest deemed ‘the richest match in football’ – guaranteed winners Hull City a revenue uplift of AUD 389 million (£205 million) according to Deloitte’s Sports Business Group.

It is no wonder, therefore, why teams are so desperate to stay at the top of the pyramid, especially given that relegation can lead to heavy financial hits in revenue, wage reduction and transfer spending power.

Competition is certain – and the football is all the better for it. But when this competitive edge overtakes compliance, what happens off the field is just as impactful.

In 2023, the Premier League charged Everton with breaching financial rules during the 2021-22 season – the same season which saw the Toffees finish just four points above relegated Burnley. Everton received an initial 10-point deduction, which ultimately decreased to six points on appeal.

That season, Everton stayed up. But for Burnley, had the points deduction come at an earlier date, their survival in the top-flight may have been secured.

 

What did the ruling find?

In its verdict, the Premier League’s Independent Disciplinary Commission deemed that Everton gained a competitive advantage over Burnley as a result of financial breaches.

Burnley will now receive AUD 66 million (£35 million) in compensation from Everton, although the Merseyside club will appeal the  commission’s decision.

“This ruling sets a dangerous and unworkable precedent for English football, given it is constructed on a principle that a club can be in breach of financial rules at any point in a financial year,” Everton said via an official club statement.

Burnley, on the other hand, reaffirmed its position that the case was a question of fair play and ensuring a level playing field.

“Our action has always been about making football fair,” the club said via an official statement.

“Clubs that comply with the rules deserve to compete on a level playing field. Fans deserve it. The sport demands it.”

 

The impact of the case

This is a landmark decision which may have profound effects on the future of financial compliance in English football.

In the past, financial breaches remained within the realm of just that – finances. But with the ruling between Everton and Burnley, it now opens up further questions on what compliance is actually worth in the game.

And whether future investigations may lead to similar – or even higher – compensation packages to affected clubs.

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