Peter Filopoulos: Hosting the Women’s World Cup will turbocharge the growth of women’s football

Peter Filopoulos FV

Peter Filopoulos, CEO of Football Victoria believes Australia’s successful FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) bid will fast-track the sport’s growth and generate much-needed funds for the nation’s footballing infrastructure.

“This is the most exciting football news this country has ever seen, other than qualifying for the 1974 and 2006 World Cups. For me, this is the biggest global event the country has ever won the hosting rights to. It is an enormous opportunity,” Filopoulos says.

The joint Trans-Tasman bid was victorious over Colombia, who was the only other potential host nation after Japan withdrew its bid only weeks before the final decision. The proposed date for the tournament to start is the 10 July 2023, with the final being held on 10 August.

The benefits of hosting one of the world’s largest sporting events cannot be overstated, particularly at a time when Australian football has struggled for investment, infrastructure, and viewership.

“We are growing at such a rapid rate that we have become victims of our own success. There has clearly been chronic underinvestment in the past which has created a facilities gap. In the community we have about 10,000 to 15,000 boys and girls missing out in club land every year,” Filopoulos says.

“We organically grew 24 per cent in 2018 and 29 per cent in 2019. Winning the hosting rights for the WWC will turbocharge growth in the women’s sector and help us to reach 50-50 participation, as well as accelerating the creation of more female-friendly facilities.”

At the top level, Filopoulos has already secured $15 million from the Federal Government to establish a state-of-the-art training facility dubbed the ‘Home of the Matildas’. Football Victoria will conduct a feasibility study with the State Government for further budget considerations for Phase 1 of the project, which is expected to begin in 2021 and be completed in early 2023.

Industry leaders are optimistic that the hosting rights will continue to trigger further investment into football, from the elite level down to the grass roots.

“Female football has evolved dramatically in Australia and it’s going to be fantastic to have the World Cup here. There is an opportunity to leave a real legacy from the national team right down to the grass roots, the coaches, and the facilities,” says Matildas legend and Football Coaches Australia Vice President Heather Garriock.

The Matildas will enter the tournament with a point to prove after suffering a knockout-stage exit in their last World Cup campaign, losing in a penalty shootout to Norway. The 2023 edition however will be more competitive than ever, with the tournament set to expand from 24 to 32 teams.

“We currently have an exceptional core group that have been around the team for a long time. They will be in their peak for the Tokyo Olympics next year and come 2023, it will be our best chance ever to win a medal,” Garriock says.

“We cannot forget the former Matildas who have paved the way for the current generation. I think acknowledging history is really important because it paints a beautiful picture that due to them, we are now able to achieve the dream of hosting a World Cup.”

In addition to fast-tracking the development of Australian football, major international events like the WWC act as a stimulant for a host nation’s economy and public image.
The 2019 WWC, which took place in France, broke records for total viewership and attendance figures. More than 1.12 billion people tuned in over the course of the tournament which included ticket sales of more than 1.16 million.

“The economic impact will be significant. This will start on 10 July and finish on 10 August so fans will come for a minimum of three weeks, but likely longer. In the context of tourism, people will be spending time and money in hotels and in the cities so the domestic economy will benefit greatly,” says Michael Edgley, Director of the Green & Gold Army, Australia’s leading football tour company.

“Another factor is the social benefit that is generated by these types of events. The positive atmosphere creates enormous joy and a fun experience, which is really important for women’s football. Last year’s WWC in France was right up there as one of the best events I’ve worked at.”

A key to securing hosting rights was Australia and New Zealand’s successfully delivery of past international sporting events. From the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games to the 2006 and 2018 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 Rugby World Cup, both nations have rich sporting histories and proven track records.

“Australia and New Zealand have developed economies, stadiums, and great event industries whether it is on the creative side or in operations delivery. We’re in a great place to showcase the best of women’s football to the rest of the world,” Edgley says.

“Many Australians don’t yet understand how big this is, over a billion people will watch this, possibly up to two billion. We will be able to showcase Australia, our way of life and promote gender equality. Australia will get its chance to enhance our standing in the world and create a legacy moving forward.”

In total five stadiums across New Zealand will be used, including the tournament opener at Eden Park, Auckland while eight stadiums in Australia will host matches, culminating in the final at Sydney’s 70,000 seat Stadium Australia.

 

Previously published as: How the FIFA Women’s World Cup will secure investment and drive industry growth

Preston Lions FC President David Cvetkovski on National Second Tier: “The key is to surround yourself with the best people with a real passion”

Preston Lions FC recently held their Preston in Business (PIB) event for the 2024 season to show their appreciation for their dedicated sponsors, to network and get an insight into the future direction of the club and their inclusion in the National Second Tier (NST) – commencing in 2025.

Taking place at Mystique Bar and Lounge, the special keynote representative was none other than David Davutovic – the producer behind the famous Optus Sport documentaries and also a football presenter, with a range of coaches and leaders also on the footballing panel providing information for the men’s and women’s teams.

A panel of coaches and leaders also shared their views on what Preston fans can look forward to.

President David Cvetkovski introduced the audience to a captivating evening of insights and networking. He discussed the significance of the sponsors have on being the backbone of Preston Lions in the past and into the future, NST progress and the impact Preston Lions has on the broader community.

“To our sponsors, we are so grateful to what you do and for what you do because without you there is no club and that is the reality,” he said.

“Our sponsors have been the backbone of this club over the last 10 to 30 years and longer than that – we’ve got a sponsor who is coming up 44 years, that’s an amazing effort.”

2024 will be a massive year for Preston, who are ready among other teams for the highly anticipated NSD.

Cvetkovski spoke about the core values and the secret of how a club from NPL2 got to be one of the clubs to be involved in the NST next year.

“To have good relationships and strong attendances, the answer is pretty simple and there’s a philosophy that l like to keep,” he said.

“Whether in business or in the business of football, the key is to surround yourself with the best people with a real passion – we have the best people, respect each other, and make logical decisions with a shared vision.

“It’s passionate people who aren’t afraid to roll their sleeves up and stand by each other when the going gets tough, that’s my measure of people.”

Cvetkovski finished off his speech with a special message about how Preston is more than just a club with the influence they have in the community.

“We are a football club, but we are more than that – we have had to see the human side – the impact that this club has on the people and the broader community,” he said.

“With the passing of lifelong supporter Jason Milosevski and the way the club has wrapped their arms around from supporter groups, everyone at the club has been touched,” he said.

“This is the fabric of our club, these were Jason’s last words – ‘Preston is not just a club, it’s a way of life.”’

Preston Lions have commenced their VPL 1 season, ahead of a huge year for them.

Events such as these are the entrée to what we should expect from NST teams when the competition is up and running.

EFL scores record-breaking international broadcast rights deal

The English Football League (EFL) has secured record deals worth at least £148million (AU$286.6 million) for its international TV rights across a four-season period.

The EFL has ensured guaranteed international rights fees with two agencies, Pitch International and Relevent Sports, distributing the content across global TV markets until the conclusion of the 2027-28 season.

The Pitch International deal is worth at least AU$199.8m and the Relevant Sports deal is worth AU$86.8m with the EFL covering every corner of the earth in a bid to expand the lower divisions of English football.

Pitch International covers Australia and New Zealand, Europe, Africa, Middle East, and Asia and will distribute 155 Championship games, 38 League One and League Two matches, all promotion play-off fixtures, Carabao Cup rounds, and three EFL Trophy matches. Australians can watch all distributed EFL matches through a beIN Sports subscription.

Relevent Sports, who cover the Americas (North, Central and South) region, will sell all EFL matches, promotion play-off games, Carabao Cup rounds, and three EFL Trophy fixtures. Additionally, they will manage all betting rights throughout the United States.

EFL chief executive Trevor Birch mentioned the importance this brings to both exposure of the league and revenue for clubs in the EFL.

“These new agreements represent not only guaranteed levels of revenue but also present the League and our 72 clubs with a fantastic opportunity to establish further the EFL as a premium football brand in markets across the world,” he said in a statement released by the EFL.

“In Pitch and Relevent we have two partners with an in-depth understanding of the global TV rights markets and that knowledge, coupled with the enthusiasm of their teams, will hopefully ensure we achieve our objective of delivering value to Clubs alongside taking EFL football to as wide an audience as possible outside the UK.”

Fans overseas won’t miss out on their own teams matches despite the limited number of distributed games.

“Importantly, clubs will be able to continue international streaming services direct to fans overseas, where matches are not being broadcast exclusively, enabling those based abroad the chance to watch their team’s matches throughout the whole season,” Birch added.

This international agreement comes shortly after the EFL signed a domestic rights agreement with broadcaster Sky Sports, valued at a whopping AU$1.8 billion over five years. This deal ensures over 1,000 matches each season are broadcasted to local fans.

Another big milestone from the EFL after a record-breaking domestic rights deal. The league have ambitions of seeing exponential growth in the Americas and Africa with this deal and have made it significantly easier for fans all around the world to view the leagues.

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