In accordance with its 2023-26 Football Facility Strategy, Football Tasmania (FT) released its plans for a new Home of Football centre, to be based in the State’s South.
The $80 million investment promises three full-sized synthetic pitches, three full-sized grass pitches, and state-of-the-art changeroom and training facilities for men and women’s football. There will also be provisions for community football in the shape of four five-aside pitches.
The organisation’s Facilities Strategy is aimed at increasing grassroots participation in football and creating a clear pathway for juniors to the elite level of the game.
The release of artists’ impressions for the HOF suggests the Facilities Strategy is running on schedule, with initial plans for a state football facility master plan to be released by 2025-2026.
In addition to these plans, FT is working on regional football hubs in the North and North-West of the state, which it hopes to have completed in the near future.
As an organisation, FT has consistently demanded more from local and state governments. Speaking about the plans, CEO Tony Pignata produced some statistics in a rousing speech via the governing body’s website.
“Right now, we are the poor cousin. The Tasmanian Government invests around $540 into every Tasmanian who plays Australian Rules and around $138 into every basketballer, yet only $19 in a football player,” Pignata stated via press release.
“A simple levelling of the funding playing field will go a long way to realising our priorities for football in Tasmania, and take football to the next level.”
The demand is there for better football facilities in Tasmania, with the game reaching 38,000 participants in 2023. FT projections suggest this figure will grow by 20% in the next few years.
“Football’s popularity is not only because of our inspirational Matildas, but because it’s one of the safest sports our kids can play, it encourages an active lifestyle, and creates a strong sense of community,” Pignata added via media release,
“It’s now more important than ever to ensure football has the pitches and facilities it needs for the long term.”
Elite football arrived in Tasmania earlier this year in the shape of two A-League Men encounters, with just over 5,000 spectators attending the encounter between Western United and Sydney FC at North Hobart Oval. That eclipsed the figure of 3,850 set the previous week when United faced Western Sydney Wanderers.
Investing in state-of-the-art football facilities promises not only to bring more elite football to the state, but increase its own contribution to the elite level of Australian football. This creates a recognised elite pathway for boys and girls at the grassroots level of Tasmanian football, and delivers numerous benefits to coaches, referees, and various stakeholders operating within the game.
The growth of football in Tasmania is an interesting space – thus, bold infrastructure plans by FT shows a commitment to both expanding and unifying the state’s football community.
