Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley: “It isn’t a national competition without a Tasmanian team in it”

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Credit: Richard Jupe/Mercury

Football Tasmania CEO Matt Bulkeley has been in the job since August 2018, and has had plenty of work cut out for him during a turbulent time in Australian football. He spoke to Soccerscene about his involvement in football, Tasmania’s A-League ambitions, and the future of the game in Australia’s smallest state.

Q. How did you become involved in football?

Bulkeley: I’ve been involved in football all my life, I started playing when I was about six or seven in the Hills district in Sydney. I played football probably until I was about 35, and was involved as a volunteer coaching juniors and seniors. I studied a sports management degree when I finished school and worked for about 10 years in cricket. The opportunity came up for an opportunity with Football Federation Australia in around 2005, and I took that role on and was with the national body for almost eight years. I had some other roles in between before coming back into football in this role. 

Q. What challenges has Football Tasmania faced in recent years?

Bulkeley: We’ve had similar challenges to everyone else in relation to COVID, The interruption of the season, and the need to reconfigure what we had planned to do. We were able to get away a season that was roughly two-thirds of a normal season, we didn’t play all of the normal games. We did get most of our players who ended up playing after the break, which was a good thing. When we did return it was a pretty good season. What our clubs found was that they had good interest, good attendance on game days. People enjoyed themselves, and after that lockdown, it was in a sense even more important people had football to forward to and bring themselves together again. What it did impact was that the National Boy’s Championship didn’t go ahead, so that cohort of players didn’t have that opportunity last year, which was disappointing for them with a bit of gap in their development.

In terms of other challenges, one of our challenges that has been fairly well documented is around facilities. We are the biggest participation sport in Tasmania in terms of team sports, but our facilities have not kept up with that demand. They are dated, they are all a similar age and until recent times that haven’t provided suitable amenities for females in particular, both in terms of the number of change rooms as well as their design. We’ve spent a lot of time in the last couple of years working with all levels of government and our stakeholders to try and unlock more funding in football and had good success with that. There have been commitments of $30 million-plus, maybe closer to $40 million after this last state election, and we are starting to see the fruit from that – better facilities, and more across the state.

Q. Has engaging with state government and politicians been a challenge?

Bulkeley: It has been a challenge, and I think that is because we haven’t been as coordinated as we could have been in our approach, and being able to put forward a needs-based business case on why football needs better and more facilities. We are the biggest sport, we are bursting at the seams, and have facilities that aren’t fit for purpose. On one hand, it was challenging, but on the other the case sort of speaks for itself in terms of outcomes in recent years.

Q. Is a boutique rectangular stadium an aim for Football Tasmania?

Bulkeley: Absolutely, as far as I know, we are the only state capital that doesn’t have a rectangular stadium of any kind. When we have high-level games, including the Western United games, they’ve been played on ovals which as you know isn’t as good of a spectator experience for everyone. It’s really important for our ambitions for having our own A-League and W-League teams, which we are confident will happen. The Liberal state government has been very supportive in recent times under the leadership of premier Gutwein, in terms of supporting those ambitions, and has been very positive around a rectangular stadium. We know that would be very important in terms of that missing link for sport in this state. 

Q. How important would it be to become the first football code to launch a professional team in Tasmania?

Bulkeley: I think it’s just important full stop that we have that pathway opportunity. One of the big benefits we see having a team will provide for males and females in that opportunity locally to play at the highest level in this country without leaving the state. We’ve still got people as young as 14 and their families having to decide to relocate, with half of them staying and half of them going, so this provides a local opportunity for those more aspirational players. Then obviously being the biggest team participation sport it provides that local high-level football opportunity for people to go and watch to get behind. We think we have the football community to support it, but also think it adds value to our community by providing local heroes for our young people to look up to.

Q. What hurdles does Football Tasmania in launching an A-League team?

Bulkeley: It is tied to further expansion to the A-League, and from everything that has been communicated from the APL (Australian Professional Leagues), that will occur. Then it’s working on the infrastructure part of it, ensuring we have government support, and that we work with club owners and put the case for having a Tasmania team forward as a strong environment for a further team to be based. It would add a lot to the competition, and our view has always been that it isn’t a national competition if it doesn’t have a Tasmanian team in it. 

Q. What challenges does Football Tasmania face going forward?

Bulkeley: I think one thing we have worked hard on, in the last period of time, is collaboration. We have and are committed to working very closely with our clubs and associations on the aspirations of football. We know we can only do it together. We’ve made some really good inroads in the infrastructure area. We are working hard on other areas of the game, continuing to grow the game, the female side of the game. We have the highest proportion of female participation of anywhere in the country of almost 29%, which we are very proud of but want to keep building on that. We want to keep providing more opportunities around coach education and development, and similarly with refereeing. So there are lots of opportunities and challenges for us to embrace, but we know we need to work together with our clubs and associations to do that.

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Brisbane Roar partners with PlanPay for 2026/27

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TWELVE months ago, as the 2025/26 A-League Men’s season kicked off, Brisbane Roar’s active supporter group surged back to life.

‘The Den’ – as they’re known – had been a famous feature of the Roar’s Championship-winning glory years. Now heavily re-populated by a younger wave of supporters, their enthusiasm through early-season results against Macarthur, Melbourne City and Newcastle made them, momentarily, the talk of the A-League.

The Roar’s administration understand what a crucial role their supporters play in the health of the club – be they the new generation at the front of The Den, or the loyalists who have ridden the ups and downs of their 21 A-League seasons.

So, they have partnered with Australian-founded company PlanPay, to soften the financial barriers and increase fiscal flexibility for those wanting to cheer on the Roar’s men’s and women’s sides, helping to get them in the stands as early as possible.

‘Membership is the most important thing we offer, but given the current cost of living crisis, it’s also the hardest ask at the moment,’ Roar’s Head of Public Relations and Communications, Joseph Esposito, told Soccerscene.

‘When you’re targeting families of four, or youngsters, a full membership can be a big hit in one go. It’s important to be realistic, so having an option like PlanPay lets members spread that cost over time with no interest and no credit check.’

‘It also means we can get people to commit to membership earlier, to come on board and be part of something. It works on both ends, allowing us to offer an earlier price point for potential members – and most importantly, we’re not asking them to spend beyond their means.’

One of PlanPay’s key advantages is its ability to align payment schedules with how Australians actually earn their income.

According to Australian Bureau of Statistics payroll data from March 2024, approximately 86% of Australian employees are paid weekly or fortnightly, with 33% receiving weekly wages and 53% paid fortnightly. In comparison, just 12% are paid monthly.

Despite this, many traditional membership payment options are structured around upfront or monthly payments, which don’t necessarily align with household cash flow.

By offering weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments, PlanPay allows Roar supporters to choose a payment schedule that suits their payday and household budget, making football memberships more manageable without relying on credit, interest or debt.

The partnership is also timely in a local sense; the ABS has also found sports participation costs in Brisbane rose 9.6% in the year to June 2025. Furthermore, as of March 2026, 41% of Australians had used a BNPL service in the past six months (Finder).

‘From our end, it’s essentially a bit like a modern layby. You choose your membership, pay a small deposit, and then pay the rest in instalments on the schedule that suits the individual,’ said Esposito.

‘Once the first payment is made your membership is fully active. We have previously had monthly payments to ease the pinch, but opening it up to have fortnightly or weekly options, more often makes it a whole lot easier to have people in.’

PlanPay was founded in Sydney in 2022 as a digitised lay-by for travel, and has since moved into ticketing, sports, and live events alongside expansion into the US and UK.

The company is now based in Charlotte, North Carolina, while maintaining its engineering, customer support and onboarding presence in Australia. PlanPay continues to partner with merchants globally to bring another way to pay, to more fans, Brian Learst, Chairman of PlanPay said:

‘We are thrilled to help Brisbane Roar FC lower the total cost of attending their matches by providing fans with debt-free, interest-free flexible payment plans.’

‘PlanPay allows fans to purchase the best seats early and customise their payment size and timing.’

Both the Roar’s men’s and women’s side present as fascinating prospects this season.

Newly-appointed women’s manager Johnathan Clemente is the youngest manager in A-Leagues history, with his charges looking to better last season’s impressive semi-final finish.

Meanwhile, the men’s outfit kicked off their second season under Michael Valkanis on Friday at Suncorp Stadium with an impressive win over Perth Glory, and will again rely on the energy and passion of those in the stands to drive their success both on and off the field.

‘Our fans are not just the present, but the future. In that regard, it’s not about getting them to spend beyond their means; it’s about allowing them to get in earlier, and in an easier way,’ continued Esposito.

‘Lots of younger fans are students, or they’re early in their working lives. Being realistic about it, paying a full season membership can sometimes be a real barrier, especially if they’re living out of home, paying rent for the first time.

‘Having PlanPay allows them to have the option that isn’t acquiring interest or debt, makes it easier for them to budget, and most importantly allows them to do what they do, without spending beyond their means.’

Make Membership More Accessible for Your Fans — Talk to PlanPay

What is an A-League licence actually worth?

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South Melbourne’s push to enter the A-League has reopened an old debate about who gets to play at the top level of Australian football. Beneath the arguments about history, identity and sporting merit sits a more consequential business question: what should a place in the competition actually cost?

Following its Australia Cup triumph, the debate and discussion around South Melbourne’s bid to enter the A-League has reignited. Co-president Bill Papastergiadis has indicated the club is open to discussing a licence fee, while arguing it does not need an equity stake in the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).

The question is whether entry to the A-League should be treated purely as a commercial asset to be purchased, or whether it should also provide a pathway for clubs capable of bringing genuine value to the competition.

The Price of Admission

A licence offers access to a national platform, broadcast exposure, sponsorship opportunities and the country’s highest domestic competition. The APL is entitled to protect that value and ensure any new entrant has the financial resources, infrastructure and governance to sustain a professional operation.

South Melbourne should not receive a free pass because of its history, supporter base or Australia Cup success. Winning a knockout competition is not the same as demonstrating the capacity to operate a professional club across an entire season.

But a licence fee should not become a barrier that protects the competition’s existing membership at the expense of its future.

There is also a risk that licence fees become little more than short-term sugar hits for the competition, delivering an immediate injection of cash without addressing the longer-term challenge of building sustainable clubs, growing audiences and increasing recurring commercial revenue.

Assessing the Value of Established Clubs

South Melbourne is not starting from scratch. It has an established supporter base, a home at Lakeside Stadium and a storied history in Australian football. Its profile and recent success give the APL a tangible proposition to assess, rather than a business plan built entirely around projected growth.

Nor is South Melbourne necessarily alone. Other established Australian clubs may have the supporters, facilities, community connections and ambition to make a credible case for joining the professional ranks. Not all would be ready, and maybe not all would strengthen the A-League. But that is precisely why the league needs clear, consistent criteria to assess potential entrants on their financial capacity, infrastructure and commercial potential as well as what they could contribute to the competition.

That contribution should count. New audiences, local rivalries, sponsor appeal and stronger connections between community and professional football all have value. An established club may offer a different proposition from launching a new team and trying to build a supporter base from the ground up.

There are, of course, significant costs involved. South Melbourne would need to demonstrate how it could fund professional men’s and women’s programs, generate sustainable revenue and protect its existing operations. A licence fee must be considered alongside the rights, obligations, access to central revenue and commercial opportunities that come with entry. The price cannot sensibly be separated from what a club receives in return.

The Promotion and Relegation Question

This is also where the debate connects to the lack of promotion and relegation. If the system is considered financially unviable under the A-League’s current structure, clubs and supporters deserve a clear explanation. What are the specific financial, stadium, broadcast or governance barriers? What would need to change to make it possible? It is simply down to the licence fees that have already been paid by the existing A-League clubs?

Promotion and relegation is clearly not an immediate or realistic solution, and introducing it would not automatically create a healthier competition and ecosystem. But if it remains off the table, Australian football needs to offer ambitious clubs something more tangible than an uncertain promise of expansion.

Providing a Clear Pathway

A transparent licensing process, published entry criteria and a clear explanation of what clubs must demonstrate would at least provide a pathway to work towards. Clubs investing in players, facilities and academies need to understand what it takes to reach the top. Supporters deserve to know how their clubs can progress, too.

The A-League needs entrants capable of surviving and investing for the long term. It also needs to recognise the value that established clubs can bring. If the price of entry is focused primarily on extracting the largest possible payment, the league risks overlooking opportunities to grow its audiences, strengthen rivalries and deepen its connection with Australian football.

South Melbourne’s bid is an opportunity to test that balance. The question is not whether the club should simply be handed a place in the A-League, but whether Australian football can develop a licensing model that rewards financial responsibility while recognising the value of clubs that have already built something worth bringing to the national stage.

It seems a licence must have a price. But if the A-League wants to grow sustainably, it must also explain what that price is designed to achieve and provide a clearer answer to clubs and supporters asking how the pathway to the top is meant to work.

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