FFA forced to cut 70% of staff

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, Football Federation Australia has had its hand forced, standing down around 70% of their workforce.

Many Australians have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus. Now, the FFA has been forced to cut costs in an attempt to stay afloat during this crisis.

FFA CEO James Johnson described the decision as unfortunate, with not much choice but to make this tough decision.

“These developments impact many forms of revenue for FFA, including national registration fees, broadcast fees, sponsorship, ticket sales and government funding, so we have needed to adjust our operations to ensure that we can remain operational, forcing us to take the unfortunate decision to stand down approximately 70 per cent of our workforce.

“We have an incredible team here at FFA, and I am immensely proud of the work everyone does for football in this country. We have explored ways to retain as many staff as possible, including reducing essential roles to part-time, and asking staff to take annual leave and long service leave. Unfortunately, a number of staff members will have a period of leave without pay.”

Although the 70% cut seems like a high number, it is possible that there could be more should the situation worsen in the coming days.

At the time of writing, over 4,000 Australians have tested positive for COVID-19 with numbers expected to grow exponentially.

Whilst over 200 people have thankfully recovered, 17 people have lost their lives, with a Tasmanian woman in her 80’s the latest victim.

These staff cuts aren’t decisions that companies would make willingly. Obviously, this situation is unique, confusing and utterly terrifying and we don’t envy the decisions that are made by higher-ups.

On the flip side, it’s extremely saddening to see so much of our Australian soccer workforce be told that they are not required at this time.

Many of them would rely heavily on their employment, as do millions of Australians in other industries. Unfortunately, the FFA is the latest to succumb.

They’ve done the right thing by as many people as possible, as per Johnson’s statement. Many have been asked to take annual or long service leave, until this all blows over.

However, Johnson went on to add that there would still be a contingent of staff that would go without pay, going to show just how serious this situation is.

This news comes as the A-League finally postponed their season to avoid any players contracting the coronavirus.

The A-League was the final national competition in Australia to call off their season until further notice, with players, staff, officials and coaches now left in limbo.

Only eight days ago, the Australian Football League made the same decision after one round of fixtures. The NRL, despite initial intentions to go ahead with their season as per normal, eventually followed suit.

This situation is dire and there was always going to be a large number of people in the sporting industry that would unfortunately, lose their jobs.

Again, these extremely challenging circumstances have led many employers to bite the bullet and let employees go. Johnson and his team wouldn’t have made these cuts on a whim.

That’s not to say that we shouldn’t feel for those in these tough predicaments. All we can say is that during these times, stay home, stay safe and above all else, look after each other.

As a community, we can get out on the other side of the tunnel. It may be bleak now, but together, through common sense and perseverance, we can reach the light.

 

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Mapping the Future: GIS Innovation Takes Off in Australia

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Image credit: Global Institute of Sport

Global Institute of Sport (GIS) is expanding its influence in the Asia-Pacific, in particular, Australia where they have already made significant progress and will be opening a brand new campus.

GIS is a leader in sports education, offering innovative online and in-person courses at campuses and iconic sports venues around the world, including the likes of Wembley Stadium in London, Chase Stadium in Miami, and Melbourne’s MCG.

But it’s Australia where GIS is now focusing its attention and they’ve already made some big strides.

In episode four of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch podcast, Asia-Pacific Regional Director Ray Boggiano spoke about the progress GIS has made in Australia so far.

“We’ve had the MCG partnership since 2019, so we’ve been doing our first summit, so study tour was in January 2020, we had a couple of virtual ones in between and then we brought our students back for the last couple of years as well,” he said in the podcast.

“From last year we started doing these residentials, so we have various sites, the MCG, Darebin, our partner clubs like Preston, they’re signed off as sites that we can deliver for face-to-face teaching for our British programs.”

Additionally, Boggiano spoke about the new GIS campus opening in Australia next year.

“Our vision and something that’s very soon to be realised is to have a sports campus in Australia,” he said.

“We will be opening the doors to our Sydney campus next year so our first intake will be in January 2026.

“The partnership is with the University of Newcastle, but it’s with their Sydney CBD campus, and also in partnership with Venus NSW, so very pleased to be able to use the Allianz Stadium and the SCG as well, so we’ve got access to two incredible stadiums.”

Boggiano also added that the new campus will be taking applications as soon as this month and highlighted the importance of Australia to GIS.

“We will be starting to take applications likely from April this year and the first intake will be January 2026, so this is a major milestone for us,” he said.

“We have always had Australia central to our strategy, it is really a vibrate sports economy, sports market, and sports industry.

“Over the next ten years that’s only going in one direction with obviously the build-up Brisbane games in 2032.”

The new campus will offer a wide range of degrees and industry-focused programs designed to give students the skills they need to succeed in the global sports industry.

To hear and learn more about GIS, you can listen to the full interview with Ray Boggiano on episode four of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, available on all major podcasting apps and here.

Football Queensland Forms Regional Partnership with McDonald’s

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Image Credit: Football Queensland Facebook

Football Queensland (FQ) is excited to announce McDonald’s as the Official Quick Service Restaurant Partner for the Far North & Gulf region.

Under the two-year regional collaboration, McDonald’s will take on naming rights to the home of football in Cairns, with Endeavour Park now officially named Macca’s Park.

The partnership also includes support for grassroots football, with McDonald’s backing local clubs and celebrating junior players across the Far North and Gulf through the weekly MiniRoos Player of the Week voucher initiative.

FQ General Manager – Northern Conference, Craig Ramage, said the partnership was a major win for the region, highlighting FQ’s continued focus on growing the game in regional Queensland.

“This is an exciting opportunity to partner with an iconic brand in McDonald’s, whose long-standing support of community football aligns strongly with our vision for the game across the state,” he said via press release.

“We’re proud to extend this relationship into the Far North & Gulf, with the support from McDonald’s set to deliver direct benefits to grassroots programs, local clubs and junior players right across the region.

“The renaming of Endeavour Park to Macca’s Park is a powerful symbol of this partnership and our shared commitment to creating vibrant and welcoming regional football hubs that inspire the next generation of participants and bring communities together.”

McDonalds Far North Queensland Marketing Manager Jill Lennox, expressed that the partnership reflects the company’s ongoing commitment to supporting active lifestyles and local communities through sport.

“Active lives are happier and healthier lives. McDonald’s wants to deliver valuable benefits to the wider community. With the goal of helping people live a more balanced, active and enriched lifestyle, McDonald’s is passionate about its sports and community sponsorships program,” she said via press release.

“McDonald’s is very proud to be the naming rights sponsor to the home of football in Cairns now known as Macca’s Park. This partnership is our way of giving back to the community which supports us and to assist in the development of important life skills such as commitment, hard work, and friendship.

“On behalf of McDonald’s, we would like to thank all competitors, parents, organisers, volunteers and other sponsors for their incredible support of Football Far North and Gulf region and we look forward to seeing you at Macca’s Park soon.”

This alliance marks an exciting chapter for football in the Far North & Gulf, as Football Queensland and McDonald’s work together to support the growth of the game across the region.

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