Football Victoria President Antonella Care: “It’s been terrific to broadcast on a dedicated platform”

2022 has seen football’s consistent return across Victoria, in a greatly changed environment following two seasons largely ruined by Covid-19. Nearing the end of the NPL Victoria Men’s and Women’s competitions, Football Victoria President Antonella Care spoke with Soccerscene on the health of her organisation, and the state of the game moving forward.

We’re over 12 months into your tenure as Football Victoria’s President, a period which has been largely defined by football’s return post-Covid-19. In addition to this, what do you consider the strongest success of the organisation during this time?

Antonella Care: Prudential financial planning and management through the Covid period and two cancelled seasons was really critical. I’m really proud of the strong commitment and support we gave our clubs during that period, and the fact participation in 2022 is almost at pre-pandemic levels is good evidence of that. Robust governance has been something that I’m equally proud of and think is a good success of the organisation.

We’ve also developed a greater awareness and sharper focus on gender equity, and as the first female president of Football Victoria, it’s a badge of honour that I wear. Under my stewardship I’m able to bring a greater focus to that, noting that our 50-50 focus has been adopted by Football Australia, so it’s now a national objective.

The home of the Matildas will serve as a built institution and legacy for football in Victoria. It’s really important that we’ll receive the greatest funding attributed to the round ball in this country. It will lead to a strong focus on female participation, and ensure that we as a board, especially post-Covid, have a strong focus on grassroots, and support our clubs to recover with prosperity for football.

Could you please expand on robust governance?

Antonella Care: Without speaking out of turn, I think football in Australia has historically been the recipient of people who have influenced the game, over and above what is best for it. When I say strong governance, we have implemented a governance review of football, and we’re in the throes of determining the best strategy of putting that forward. We’ve had a really good look at the standing committees and communications, and there is some interesting information that has come out of those reviews that will start to take effect into 2023.

I think, too, with the constitutional review that’s taken place, and the committee that’s been leading the charge on that, we have a good cross section of advice and information that will inform the constitutional reform changes that will hopefully, again, be showcased later on this year. All these things are leading to a stronger ecosystem, leading to decisions that are made on balance and not influence.

We’re nearing the end of the return seasons of both the NPL Victoria Men’s & Women’s campaigns. Do you feel the return has been successful? Other than participation numbers, are there any other means you’ve used to quantify this?

Antonella Care: It’s been hard, but there’s no doubt interest in our top tiers is strong, and certainly the streaming numbers have shown that. Victoria has been one of the greatest recipients of the NPL.TV platform in particular, with over six million minutes of football consumed. Our stakeholders have been extremely willing and well positioned on the back of Covid, so I think that’s had a significant impact on our success as well. Victoria has had to pivot far greater than everybody else and our resilience has shown that, so they’re probably the key things.

In hindsight, is there anything you feel you could have carried out differently in returning from the pandemic?

Antonella Care: The position Victoria was in as a closed state for such a lengthy period was something we will hopefully never see again. We probably could have communicated more frequently [when resuming post-Covid] – I think everybody spent so much time trying to see what we could do to reinstate football and get people back on the park, and we had to pivot so many times through those challenges because the numbers, rules and protocols were constantly changing.

If I had my time over again, our focus would have been greater communication, and a lot more discussion around resilience and mental wellbeing. These are the things our game doesn’t always do well; I would put some more emphasis around that.

We did introduce some really good opportunities and collectives in getting our community together. Like everybody else, the transition into Zoom, Microsoft Teams and other platforms got better as the pandemic got longer.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing football in Victoria, and the game in Australia more broadly?

Antonella Care: Covid-19 continues to present the single biggest challenge to our sport both locally and nationally, and the compliance and continued requirements for social distancing is still having an impact. Everything from return to play protocols to financial pressures have changed the way people engage in organised sport, potentially forever, and I predict those financial impacts will continue. That comes from people who lost their jobs or were stood down over the period, to the way we now spend our money differently, and it’s also impacted who chooses to play organised sport. 

The other obvious thing is the added challenge of attracting volunteers. Like all sports, we’ve had a significant loss to our volunteer base; whether people who are older are now more afraid, or who through their own requirements after a two year hiatus have decided to just go and watch rather than actually volunteer. It’s a hard job, and they’re what make or break our game day experiences.

We’ve also lost a lot of referees, and I don’t think that’s a big secret to anybody – that’s been challenging. Finally, ongoing education; we’ve lost and forgotten how to be respectful of each other, and of the people helping us through game day experiences.

Returning to your partnership with Cluch.TV to provide NPL.TV – in your opinion this has been a success, nearing the end of your first season with them?

Antonella Care: It’s been terrific to broadcast matches on a dedicated platform. It has the ability to play live matches, integrated highlights, all of that has been thrilling. We’ve welcomed new faces to the commentary team, including some really amazing new female voices. It’s a solid product, it has multiple ways you can access it, and there’s an opportunity to further commercialise it.

One of the major benefits of Cluch.TV is the opportunity for our clubs to feature their partners with 20% of the advertising inventory going back to them, so again it’s a monetary opportunity. That said, obviously nothing beats attending a match in person – you want to soak up the atmosphere and be part of your community. So we see our streams as a supportive product to create exposure for people who aren’t necessarily lovers or frequentors of football; it’s a growth opportunity for new people to come into our fold.

Does Football Victoria have a position on the regulation of private academies? Is there interest in building a membership-based framework that incentivises participation, but also promotes compliance in certain areas across the board?

Antonella Care: Academies reflect what is a strong demand for football, 12 months of the year. We’re always looking for opportunities where we can work with our stakeholders, there is no doubt we need to improve our game. Football Victoria does work with clubs who have dedicated private academies or associations with private academies, and it’s been successful, especially in our junior NPL programs.

I think with some good governance frameworks along with Football Australia, we can continue to have solid and successful relationships with all providers. There is enough there for everybody, and this is really about ‘the game’, it’s not about capitalising on every front. As stated in our strategy, it’s ‘football any time, any where’, and academies provide another opportunity for that.

I think we can work together, and it’s important to have good relationships with our stakeholders. As seen with bringing futsal back into the fold, it’s provided a good governance opportunity. Some of the systems out there are fantastic and don’t need ‘intervention’. For those that perhaps want assistance and guidance we are happy to provide it, but we don’t need to be all things to all people.

Does Football Victoria have a position on the potential development of a national second division? Has there been any consideration towards potential vacuum effects should top clubs ascend out of the current NPL structure?

The continued development and growth of our game is important, in whatever form that takes. I don’t think a second tier will create a vacuum necessarily, I think it will continue to grow our development pathways. Football Victoria remains committed to the successful launch of the second division, and I would say to any clubs who are selected, that we will be more than happy to support them in that process. We have so many strong NPL clubs in our state, that any potential vacuum won’t materially affect any clubs that choose to stay in the NPL system either.

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Nick Maikousis on Greek Herald Cup, reviving heritage, and South Melbourne’s future in the NST

South Melbourne FC and Sydney Olympic FC hosted the highly successful second edition of the Greek Herald Cup at Lakeside Stadium.

Thousands of fans poured through the gates to enjoy a vibrant celebration of heritage, culture, and football. With Greek music and food creating a festive atmosphere, the event showcased the rich traditions of both clubs.

The match itself didn’t disappoint, delivering an entertaining 2-1 victory for South Melbourne, highlighted by memorable goals and moments that capped off a fantastic day.

In this exclusive interview with Soccerscene, South Melbourne President Nick Maikousis shares his thoughts on the Greek Herald Cup, the revival of ethnic clubs in Australian football, and the immense potential of the upcoming National Second Tier (NST).

Maikousis reflects on the club’s heritage, the significance of iconic rivalries, and how South Melbourne is poised to thrive in this new era for Australian football.

Theo Athans

What is the origin of the Greek Herald Cup?

Nick Maikousis

It started last year and that was the first time the competition took place. We flew to Sydney for that game. It’s based on the fact that we started to develop a relationship with Sydney Olympic and in particular their President (Damon Hamlin) and CEO (Lawrie McKinna) over the discussions about the National Second Division.

The second division was announced as a standalone competition and we thought let’s get ahead of the game and lets show what two big clubs from Melbourne and Sydney can do and that’s basically how it all came about.

We spent so much time with Olympic and the other National Second Division clubs so we thought let’s get on the forefront of this and start the competition.

T.A.

In your eyes, how successful was the second edition of the Greek Herald Cup especially for the Melbourne Greek community?

N.M.

Yeah, it was certainly a success and given it’s really just a friendly so we can build it up as much as we like but we’re pretty delighted with the attendance.

It’s a difficult time, it’s a couple of weeks out from the season so whilst we really want to give it a good shot, we also don’t want to incur any injuries and as it turned out we had a couple of minor injuries which might affect us in the short term.

It allows us to go back to our roots, played a lot of Greek music on the day and doing things that we have not really done for decades now in terms of acknowledging our heritage.

Given that Football Australia and the various federations have relaxed their stance on ethnic names, it allows us to reach out to our past again. Both South and Olympic represent the same thing, we have different supporters, but we represent the same community so it’s a great opportunity to showcase our heritage.

T.A.

Thinking back to the NSL days, can the NST and NPL ever get back to the passion we saw back then? 

N.M.

I think there’s a couple of stages to the commencement of the competition. Do I think it can get to the heights of the NSL? Look South Melbourne was a powerhouse back then and after the Cup game we had a look at some old footage with the 1984 NSL championship legends as a reunion dinner.

We had a couple of past legends there, including Alan Davidson, who wouldn’t stop talking about the old supporter base, how big and passionate they were and how it lifted them during that time.

So I think during certain fixtures, for example South Melbourne/Preston, will fill Lakeside stadium.

Some of the other games between the Sydney clubs perhaps it won’t be quite as full but I still believe we forecasted around 3,000-4,000 people per game so if we can get to that sort of number I’ll be delighted in the early parts.

It’s a competition that we need to build and we don’t know what it’s going to look like in five years or ten years’ time with the inter relationship between the NST and the A-League. I don’t think anyone quite understands what it is going to look like yet but we all have our own idea on that.

Will it be as big as the old NSL? I doubt it. But certainly there will be some fixtures that will be significant and that’s one of the reasons why I wanted Melbourne Knights to come into the NST. Their history and the original derby in this town would have made it even better.

T.A.

Do you think the South Melbourne and Preston game last year was a showcase into what we could expect out of the NST and its atmosphere?

N.M.

The atmosphere was incredible but not only that, it was a cold Tuesday night out at Reservoir. If you put that fixture on a Friday or Saturday night at Lakeside Stadium, you’d be filling both grandstands easily and you could get up to 10,000 people there so there’s huge potential.

T.A.

Now with the NST, ethnic clubs are back in the mainstream, how important is that for Australian football considering its historical roots?

N.M.

I think what they had done to ban ethnic flags and names was going too far but now that they have relaxed their position in regards to that, it’s a very positive thing.

It allows us to do what we did in the Greek Herald Cup and that is to celebrate our culture proudly from time to time.

Certainly, South Melbourne has evolved over the years as well so let’s not kid ourselves. In my case there’s been four generations following South and two of those generations were born in Australia and we’re all South tragics. So whilst we acknowledge our heritage, we have also moved on past that.

Whilst we have a very big Greek community, its reducing a little bit to how it was and the fact that South is in the NPL, soon the NST, we’ve also got a lot of other clubs have suburban level who are sort of competing with us.

Back when South Melbourne was a powerhouse, you’d find that everyone still had their suburban clubs but I’d say 75% of the Greek suburban clubs also followed South Melbourne.

Unfortunately when South Melbourne dropped divisions outside of the NSL, all of a sudden, we became competitors and that’s never what we wanted. So the NST will help us significantly because people will follow their local clubs and now South Melbourne which is a great opportunity for the community and the club.

If you look at our juniors, the cultural diversity as well is extraordinary, so whilst we respect our heritage, it suggests we have moved on.

T.A.

The NST will bring something fresh because apart from the finals, there isn’t much to play for in NPL so how will that benefit the club?

N.M.

Look the positive thing about this year is that there will be plenty of healthy games like Heidelberg, Oakleigh, Melbourne Victory got promoted and of course Preston is in there as well.

They have replaced teams which didn’t have massive followings so I’m looking forward to quite a few games with great attendances. It’ll be a great season.

Off the Pitch podcast: David Cvetkovski on Preston Lions’ business boom

In the debut episode of Off the Pitch, Soccerscene’s new podcast, David Cvetkovski joins the show to discuss the success of Preston Lions FC’s Preston in Business initiative.

Over the years, the club has built a powerhouse corporate portfolio, fostering strong relationships with sponsors through exclusive events and perks that keep them engaged and invested.

Cvetkovski breaks down the impressive figures behind Preston’s thriving business community and how its financial stability has played a crucial role in the club’s resurgence toward Victoria’s top flight.

“For us, I dare say our Preston in Business community at the moment is probably doing in excess of $12-15m of business with each other,” Cvetkovski said on the podcast.

“Us connecting with our sponsors through this community whether it be the concreters to the builders to the developers to the painters to pest control and now adding the corporates in the mix.”

Preston Lions have recently expanded their corporate network by securing partnerships with major household brands, including McDonald’s, Harvey Norman, Chemist Warehouse, and Coles.

These deals reflect strong local franchise support, helping to elevate PLFC’s presence while uniting the community and strengthening the club’s connection with its supporters.

Cvetkovski spoke on how the club have managed to capitalise on this opportunity that other clubs haven’t mastered yet.

“The biggest shift we’ve made is the corporate relationships we’ve started to create, with major household brands, and I think we’ve got 10 or 11 this year,” he said.

“These are brands that everyone knows, and we’ve created long term relationships with them. It’s not always about the money, it could be product or service, that can be monetised.”

The club boast the largest sponsorship portfolio in the NPL and Cvetkovski made sure to mention the importance of maintaining these relationships to ensure loyalty and trust amongst all parties.

“It’s all about treating these sponsors really well to maintain the relationship. Ultimately, they all want to have a good night and so we gave them their own car park which is great,” he said on the podcast.

“They’re always networking and doing business with each other and they do it at the game on matchday which is a massive winner for the club.

“All our sponsors this year get a merchandise voucher and feature on the polo which is Formula 1-esque. Everyone in the club has to wear it proudly because this is what you’re representing, and we don’t exist without our sponsors.”

The success of Preston in Business is the result of years of dedication, strategic growth, and long-term partnerships.

The club has worked tirelessly to build a strong foundation, ensuring stability and sustainable growth both on and off the pitch.

“As I said to the model, we don’t have a big backer, whale or individual that just throws money into Preston, we’re relying on a considerable mass of great people to chip in 1% and it makes it 140% because we have 140+ sponsors,” Cvetkovski said.

Preston Lions FC has set the benchmark for club-driven business initiatives, proving that a strong corporate network can be just as vital as on-field success.

Through strategic partnerships, long-term sponsor relationships, and a thriving business community, the club has built a model of sustainability that many others aspire to replicate.

Now the club are set to kick off their important NPL season, starting this Friday 7th of February at B.T Connor Reserve vs Hume City at 8:30pm KO.

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