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Deploy Football’s Kurt Johnson on momentum generated from the FIFA Women’s World Cup
With the FIFA Women’s World Cup on the horizon, Deploy Football is supporting women and girls of all ages to get involved in the game.
As Australia and New Zealand are showcased on the world stage, it’s a reminder as to the size of the sport and the growth of the women’s game.
Having partnered with leading state federations and clubs across Australia, Deploy is the go-to place to get women’s teamwear, apparel and equipment.
Predictably, there is set to be a boom in participation at least in the aftermath of the tournament, with Deploy catering for an already-popular sporting code.
Chief Commercial Officer of Deploy Sports, Kurt Johnson, spoke to Soccerscene about the need for tailor-made products and resources.
You specalise in two main areas, the first being footballs themselves – tell us about the developments you’ve made for young players coming through the ranks?
Kurt Johnson: As a brand, Deploy has always had a focus on junior development, but also safety.
We differ from larger brands in the fact that our balls sometimes are on the softer side. We do that because it does assist community footballers in general, but specifically females in terms of the touch, the control and how the ball is played both off the feet and off the head.
We are constantly developing different textures and different weights, with unique cushions of balls.
One thing we’ve been really at the global forefront of in recent years is developing junior training aids for footballs, that come in lighter versions.
We’re also working on footballs that can be used moreso in training, that are less in weight but still bounce and play like a traditional football. This specifically helps girls, because having a lighter product is better for their development and makes the game more enjoyable for them.
Thinking about the growth in participation for the girls’/women’s side, where does your teamwear fit in?
Kurt Johnson: For our teamwear, we have a complete female cut or female range for both on field and off field products.
We do this because female football is more in demand now and that they must have specific garments for their bodies. That’s imperative for clubs.
These days, most clubs won’t engage with a teamwear provider unless they provide specific female cuts.
So that’s one thing we’ve really invested in over the last few years – developing female cuts with female footballers, that’s for all shapes and sizes as well.
You currently have a product called Heading Pro, what does that involve?
Kurt Johnson: This is the product we have on the market at the moment and it was specifically designed for head education.
Our theory in developing this ball was based on rather than just banning heading of footballs, which they’ve done in other countries, we’ve taken the approach that we should educate people about the correct technique.
When you come to a real game, rather than hitting it off your nose or off the top of your head, you’re actually hitting it in the correct technique and neck position.
Concussion in sport is a major talking point – what has Deploy done to address this?
Kurt Johnson: This topic is the key reason why we developed a Heading Pro football, where it’s a 40% lighter ball which has been used in studies by the University of New South Wales. Their research has identified that the heading pro ball that it reduces head impact by up to 40%, as opposed to a standard size five football.
So that’s just one of the products that we have on the market that’s specifically designed for head impact, head education and the effects of concussion.
Additionally, we have a product called Headstrong. It’s a unique and comfortable headgear specific for football, as opposed to the Rugby type headwear that’s on the market. This is for players who are either conscious of their head protection, or those who are forced to wear protection from previous injuries.
We also support Boob Armour as a reseller of their product, where they offer protective breast inserts for female footballers that they can use, especially as there’s impact around the breast area.
Are there any trends you’ve observed in buyer behaviour from the Women’s World Cup?
Kurt Johnson: We’ve noticed a significant increase in ball sales from our clubs, purely due to participation increases.
As a football provider, we at Deploy have seen the direct result – I don’t know if you call it from the Women’s World Cup (I’d like to hope so), but there is definitely an increase in participation this season.
We’ve seen a huge increase in football sales, especially at the younger age groups, because there’s a lot more size threes sold than there normally would be.
In terms of the Women’s World Cup impact, I honestly can’t judge that just yet. I think there’ll be more flow-on effects after the tournament, rather than prior.
We might need to revisit this question in 12 months’ time to get a fully accurate picture.
The Professional Footballers Association (PFA) have released their 2024 Annual A-League Men’s report. This analysis has highlighted key successful areas of last season and importantly areas of growth in the league.
This review uses a wide range of data but importantly uses a strong player-based approach.
A key tool for data collection for this report is the A-League Men’s end-of-season survey conducted voluntarily online between May 7-31, 2024. This survey received 191 player responses, a record number with at least 13 players from each club.
The survey provides a comprehensive and representative source of player insights for policymakers, offering robust comparisons across the league.
Categorised below are some key factors of the report.
International Benchmarking
The Twenty-First Group’s World Super League model provides insights into the A-League Men’s (ALM) competitive positioning.
The analysis employed a machine learning approach, rating team strengths based on performance and player movements from ten relevant leagues over six seasons. The ALM ranks eighth among these competitions as a second-tier Asian league.
The salary cap system contributes to the consistent team strengths, with a slight overall decline in score over six years likely attributed to league expansion. Despite this, the ALM’s league ranking remained stable.
From a player development perspective, the analysis offers guidance for international transfers to leagues that offer promising development pathways for Australian players looking to progress in their international careers.
Transfer Revenue
The Australian A-League Men (ALM) has experienced a remarkable transformation in its transfer market dynamics as a significant talent production and export market over recent years.
In 2024, ALM clubs received at least $17.5 million in transfer fees, with the total value potentially exceeding $20 million, significantly up from the approx. $10 million in 2023 and the $2.5 million average in past seasons.
This growth represents a fundamental shift in the domestic men’s football economy. For the first time, transfer revenue is now surpassing broadcast revenue.
In the context of the broader market, while ALM revenues have grown quickly, they remain a fraction of those in slightly more advanced leagues.
AFC Club Competitions
Previously, AFC competitions were often more costly than beneficial.
However, in the new 3-tier continental club competitions for 2024, the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) qualifying for the eight-match group stage guarantees $1.23m, with an additional $150k per win. Champions can earn at least $18.5m.
The ACL2, Which CC Mariners won last season, provides $462k for group stage participation and $77k per win, with champions potentially earning up to $5m. ALM clubs receive one berth in both the top two tiers.
Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, players will receive an increasing share of prize money from the Round of 16 onwards.
Player Profiles
The PFA conducted a comprehensive analysis of match minutes across six leagues: A-League Men (ALM), J1 League, K League 1, MLS, Scottish Premiership, and Belgian Pro League.
The analysis revealed that Australian and Belgian leagues stood out, with over 10% of match minutes played by under 20s, compared to less than 5% in the other four competitions.
The introduction of scholarship players outside the salary cap has notably reduced the league’s average age, emphasizing its commitment to youth development.
Attendance
Average attendance for regular season matches has increased to 8,076 from 7,553 in 2022-23, but crowds have still not recovered to their pre-COVID levels.
Excluding the lowest attended teams of Western United and Macarthur FC the average attendance last season was 9,232, 14% higher than the 8,076 overall average.
Though the overall bias against crowd attendance can be assumed to be not as prevalent as people think, identifying this can help deal with the situations that hinder attendance.
Competitive balance
Competitive balance overall was strong with 7% of matches featuring a margin of four or more goals and 7% decided by three goals.
There was a tight race for the top 6 and the bottom two teams from 2022-23, Macarthur and Melbourne Victory, both made the finals, demonstrating the strong competitive balance of the ALM across seasons.
CBA Progress
Total player payments were around $57.8m in 2023-24, down slightly from the all-time high of $58.8m the previous season with the average payments per club being around $4.8m. This was well above the salary cap of $2.6m.
The vast majority of exempt payments from the cap were those to Marquee and Designated players. The average spend on Scholarship Players was just under $300k per club.
This report describes how revenues from transfer fees and a more lucrative AFC Champions League present new financial opportunities for our clubs.
Player Perceptions
According to the PFA end-of-season survey, 50% of ALM players were dissatisfied and 27% were very dissatisfied with how APL has performed in its management of the competition.
46% of players had ‘low trust’ in APL regarding developing a vision to improve the league.
The PFA was rated highest by the players, with 91% satisfied with its performance regarding ALM and 64% having high trust in the PFA to develop a vision.
In issues of the league, trajectory players outlined fan core experience as a centre stage with more than half including Broadcast (58%) and Atmosphere (51%) in their top three with Visibility and Branding/Marketing coming in second.
Workplace Safety
The PFA end-of-season survey uncovered concerning findings regarding the safety of ALM players’ workplaces.
11% of ALM players felt their club environment was either physically or psychologicallyunsafe and one in five players (20%) said they or a team-mate were unwilling to discuss issues with coaching staff and 16% with club management. 7% of players reported instances of players being forced to train alone at their clubs.
Though only a few clubs were reported on this, is still regarded as an industry issue.
Extreme weather
Last season one in six ALM matches was impacted by extreme weather with extreme heat the main culprit. 58% of players indicated the conditions impacted the players’ performances and 9% of player performances were hindered overall.
Club Index
Sydney FC was rated as the league’s best-performing club in the overall Club Performance Index, after placing in the top three for the sub-indices for Operations, Facilities, and Culture.
Pitch and atmosphere ratings
A-League players rated Wellington’s Sky Stadium with perfect marks for its pitch quality also and a four-star average for the match atmosphere.
Adelaide’s Coopers Stadium, AAMI Park, where also highly rated by ALM players with an average around the 4 stars mark. Victory home matches received an average of 4.4 for atmosphere.
The lowest rated were Newcastle’s McDonald Jones Stadium and Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, averaging just 2.1.
Though other factors are included for pitch quality like other events, Players should still not be subject to substandard and potentially dangerous conditions.
Conclusion
Though the report shows that in many aspects the sport is moving in the right direction, the responses from players on their welfare and on the need for more attendance is a worrying sign for the management.
This assessment is a strong example of the PFA’s dedication towards the sport in Australia and maintaining the strong relationship between the Football industry and the players themselves.
The key points of this report should be central to plans within A-League and Australian Football itself.
The merger of Cumberland United and Flinders Flames in 2021 marked a transformative moment for what would become Flinders United, a club that has quickly become one of the biggest women’s only football clubs in South Australia.
For Flinders Flames, it was an opportunity to overcome limited facilities and a stagnant player base, while Cumberland United aimed to revive its senior women’s program and offer its juniors a clear progression into senior and elite football.
Together, they have formed a club that champions development, loyalty, and equitable opportunities in a rapidly evolving football landscape.
However, like other women’s football clubs in SA, they face challenges for funding and finding a permanent home to play matches.
SoccerScene had a conversation with Flinders United President Shannen Connolly where she discussed the future for Flinders United, the club’s successful philosophy on player development, and the funding problems for women’s football in South Australia.
Image credit: Noe Llamas-Gomez/Flinders United
Theo Athans:
What motivated the merge between Cumberland United and Flinders Flames in 2021?
Shannen Connolly:
I came from the Flinders Flames side so we were just a senior women’s football club on our own. When I first joined the club, we had four pitches and we were just senior women, and then the university started building on top of all the land so we were decimated down to one real pitch and no real training space because we shared that with AFL, Softball and Baseball.
We would only rely on senior player numbers so there was nothing feeding into our teams, we just relied on players sticking around year after year.
On Cumberland’s side, they used to have a senior women’s cohort that just became non-existent, and they only ended up with juniors. At Flinders Flames we started exploring options around and eventually this opportunity presented where we could create what we call a ‘lifetime pathway’ so juniors had somewhere to feed into to senior football and then the senior women’s competition could elevate into the WNPL competitions.
That wasn’t happening, for Cumberland United WFC, their juniors would age out and go to clubs where senior football was offered. Cumberland had recently upgraded facilities at the Women’s Memorial Playing Field, they had a brand new changeroom facility built and a dedicated space for the girls, so it meant that Flinders Flames had an option to extend on their location.
We now maintain three sites for Flinders United which is the Women’s Memorial Playing Fields, which is our main home ground, we have Flinders University as a backup, and we are also partnered and affiliated with Club Marion who allow us to use their facilities as well.
TA:
Facilities seem to be a big issue in women’s football. With the club hosting such a big group of players, are the facilities good enough as it is or is the club looking to upgrade?
SC:
We’re now looking to expand because at the moment our Women’s NPL team can’t play at any of our grounds because they’re not up to the minimum facility requirements.
We have to invest in fencing, scoreboards and other requirements in order to host games at our grounds so there is definitely room for improvement. We’ve only got the home and away changerooms at Women’s Memorial [Playing Fields] where we’ve got multiple teams on one day so ideally, we need another set of changerooms or two.
The car park at our facility, it’s a dirt road to get into the facility so that’s another difficulty. Office, Rec, Sport and Racing did not have the funding to complete that full project.
TA:
So where does the NPL side play their home matches now?
SC:
The last two seasons, we have been playing out of SA Athletic stadium but that no longer meets Football SA’s requirements because the pitch dimensions are changing, and the viewing is not up to that elite competition standard.
We’re now looking at our options to try and fence our facility at Women’s Memorial [Playing Fields], having our main pitch fenced off and adding those additional requirements such as a scoreboard and scaffolding for any media.
Women’s football has been overshadowed because a lot of men’s affiliated clubs will get what I call the ‘token women’s team’ because they’re eligible to apply for greater grants than the females are if they’re a sole female club.
There are a lot of clubs who get facility upgrades but the unfortunate thing is most of the time the girls don’t get to use these facilities; they go preferentially to their male counterparts.
TA:
Player development has been pushed by Football SA. For a club as big as Flinders United, how do you get the best out of each and every player to eventually have them playing top level football?
SC:
We were recognised by Football Australia as Club of the Year in the Club Changer Programme for the way that we foster and develop our players.
We go against the grain and typically try and keep our players in their age groups in the juniors so we’re not pushing 13- or 14-year-olds into senior football just to make a team. We are privileged in the fact that we can cater them correctly and foster their development and pathways, so we offer our older junior girls’ pathways into senior football in a more holistic environment.
They get to train with the seniors, they get introduced into the seniors and overall, it’s a managed progression whereas most clubs tend to dump their u17’s or senior teams for example with 13- and 14-year-olds or they push them into a state league or community teams because they need to fill one.
As a club we don’t have to focus on that, we’ve got every age group. This year we’re going to have u7’s, 9’s, 10’s, 11’s, 12’s, 13’s, 14’s, 15’s, 16’s, 17’s and then we’re going to have at minimum seven community or elite competition teams so there is a transgressional process through each stage.
All the junior and senior coaches will sit down weekly and identify players that are showing potential or need improvement by chatting and conversing about it which fosters that enhancement for them.
It seems as if every player gets a focus because of the coaches’ hard work which is great for a club of this size.
Our coaches work really hard together, we’ve had Holly Hayes as our Junior Technical Director over the last couple of years and she’s really focused on player development, growth and not pushing these girls beyond their limits but giving them those opportunities to pathways forward.
We get players from other clubs saying they don’t want to play juniors, but we have this pathway and way of operating where when they do join, they see a benefit in not getting dumped into a team or not knowing what the structure is. All of that gets integrated into their learning and development.
Image credit: Noe Llamas-Gomez/Flinders United
TA:
There seems to be an issue across all states with player retention in boys and girls football. How does the club ensure that players stay and are loyal to the club for many years?
SC:
Loyalty is a big question mark these days because you get clubs over offering so we might give a girl an u15 red position, but she goes and trials somewhere else and they offer her an u17 spot because that’s all their going to have or need to fill.
It’s creating a massive monster because girls are being over offered and in reality, when they go there, they’re not getting what they’ve been promised and it’s a regular pattern that we’re seeing at the club. The Players and even parents that join us have to trust the process that we are genuinely trying to do the right thing and benefit their development. It’s a hard mentality to change.
In relations to us, I think the way that we talk to our players, the way that we engage our players, it’s not just what we do on the pitch as well, we do off-field stuff with them like nutrition, mental health, periodisation, barista skills and more which goes above and beyond what translates on the field.
I’m very fortunate to say that 90% of our senior cohort have stayed with us for years and I’m talking in excess of 5-10 years. We have one player who celebrated 20 years with Flinders Flames and Flinders United recently, I’ve got a junior player now entering senior football who has been with Cumberland since she was 7 and she has continued all the way through.
It’s just identifying those that continue their loyalty, and we constantly engage with their parents or the players directly to make sure their hopes and desires align with what we’re trying to offer them.
We’re really honest with our players, if we say ‘this is where we think you’re at, at the moment’ then that’s exactly what it is and that’s what we’re offering and promising to deliver you. There is obviously extension opportunities but at the end of the day we’re not going to overpromise someone at the start on something and then not deliver on it, this is how I believe clubs can help build loyalty and stop feeding the monster that is being created.
Image credit: Noe Llamas-Gomez/Flinders United
TA:
There’s few grants going out to women’s football so what are your personal thoughts on the current competitive nature of the grant structure in South Australia?
SC:
The Power of Her grant is the recent one that is coming up but that requires 50% buy-in from the club itself, now for a club like ours that is a new entity, we don’t have hundreds of thousands dollars in the bank account. That’s a big stretch for us.
There haven’t in the past been great opportunities for grants for just girls and women. Like I mentioned before, there have been grants that have been “token” grants if you have one girls or women’s side to upgrade facilities.
I understand the boys generate a lot of revenue through sponsors but also it comes down to some of the fees that clubs are charging, it’s exorbitant. I’ve seen fees for MiniRoos in excess of $1000, what parent can pay that money for a kid aged 7-11? That to me is ridiculous, our MiniRoos fees are about $500 and that covers their uniform and registration but only a small portion gets kicked back to us. I want to make it more affordable for players and families.
There needs to be more funding for women and girls’ football, and it must be solely for girls and women’s football not in conjunction with a men’s side. Girls and women in sport are now gaining greater recognition, breaking barriers, and receiving the visibility and support they deserve on and off the field. It’s time for S.A to step up to support this new era.
