Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre approved for construction

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Image credit: Queensland Government website

The Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre has been approved for construction in the suburb of Petrie, about 30km north of the Brisbane CBD, with new project rendered images of the building being released as well.

The goal for the state government is to build a mega indoor sporting precinct in preparation for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, with indoor Olympic sports like boxing, badminton and volleyball being the main attractions.

The centre located at the Mill Precinct in Petrie will have 12 multi-use courts that can be used for a range of sports including basketball, netball, futsal, badminton, gymnastics and many more.

According to the state government’s website, the centre will cost an estimated $205.5 million, to be split by the state and federal governments.

About 10,000 spectators will be able to watch events across 12 courts, spread across two sections of the building.

Importantly for business, the venue’s project validation report estimates that 178 full-time equivalent jobs would be directly supported by the facility’s construction. It’s a construction that will benefit the community as well as the struggling sports that will be able to use this top facility.

The procurement stage will now begin, with construction expected to take place from 2026 to 2028.

Mayor of the City of Moreton Bay, Peter Flannery spoke on the impact this new hybrid indoor sports centre will have on the local community.

“With almost 700,000 people living within 30 minutes of the centre, it will also have the potential to also support community events like concerts, festivals, art performances, school activities and more,” Mayor Peter Flannery said in a press conference.

“The Moreton Bay Indoor Sports Centre will provide long-lasting benefits to our city and create a legacy that all residents can be proud of for decades to come.”

For futsal this will be a very nice new location that can hold Queensland’s biggest tournaments and present as a place to further grow futsal participation, which is one of FQ’s main goals in their 2023-2026 Strategic Plan.

It’s another big investment that doesn’t directly affect football but will surely be of use as futsal continues to grow up to 30% in participation over the past 12 months.

Brisbane Roar teams up with Monochrome as Platinum Partner

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Image credit: Brisbane Roar website

Brisbane Roar confirmed Monochrome Corporation will become their Platinum Partner and A-League Men’s match day kit sleeve sponsor for the upcoming 2024/25 season.

Monochrome is a diversified financial services group specialising in crypto-assets and infrastructure projects within the bitcoin and digital asset sector across the Asia-Pacific region.

Earlier this year, Monochrome’s asset management division launched the Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: IBTC), Australia’s first ETF to directly hold bitcoin.

A cryptocurrency company partnering with a club in the A-League is an extremely rare case and could signify a change in the future with this Brisbane Roar deal.

Central Coast Mariners partnered with Australian crypto platform Zipmex back in April of 2022 with the partnership becoming a joint deal with NRL club Penrith Panthers, however, this collaboration didn’t last very long at all, dissolving in 2023.

The other major codes in Australia have accepted multi-million dollar deals in crypto and the A-League could follow suit in the coming years if it becomes more acceptable.

Brisbane Roar Chairman & CEO, Kaz Patafta expressed his excitement and discussed the way this will benefit the club.

“We are delighted to welcome Monochrome to the club for the upcoming season. Monochrome is a leader in their field and a pioneer in the ETF investment space for crypto and bitcoin exposure. We are greatly appreciative for their support of our A-League Men’s program, and we look forward to seeing this partnership grow,” Patafta explained in a press release.

Monochrome CEO, Jeff Yew also commented on the collaboration and how the two parties are tied to the same values.

“Monochrome has been a long-standing supporter of Australian athletes and sporting events. Furthering our commitment to excellence alongside Brisbane Roar which aligns well with Monochrome’s brand values,” Yew said in a press release.

Brisbane Roar secure an important deal financially for the club and are busy once again in the offseason as they remain one of the strongest business clubs in the league.

This crypto deal is pioneering and could also give a glimpse into the potential for more deals like this if it becomes successful, with clubs becoming increasingly desperate for stable, financially-heavy partnerships.

Football Queensland will keep registration fees unchanged for 2025

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Image credit: Matimix

Football Queensland (FQ) has decided to buck national trends in increased registration fees by keeping the same low fees from past seasons for 2025.

FQ’s prices for the 2025 season will be $50 for MiniRoos, $66 for Juniors and $130 for Seniors making them the lowest registration fees in Australia.

President of Football Queensland, Paula Robinson, champions the federation’s economic management throughout the years to deliver affordable sport to a growing audience.

“The Football Queensland Board of Directors is extremely proud to keep its registration fees unchanged for yet another year. Having the lowest registration fees of any Member Federation means football in Queensland is one of the most financially accessible sports in the country. No wonder we have more Queenslanders than ever wanting to take to the football fields,” she said via FQ press release.

“As we continue to experience record year-on-year growth in participation across the state, the decision to not increase governing body fees for a fifth year reflects Football Queensland’s commitment to ensuring football remains accessible to all Queenslanders, no matter their age, background or location.”

Football Queensland CEO, Robert Cavallucci, explained how the governing body continue to manage difficult reforms.

“Football Queensland continues to undertake very difficult and significant reforms to its operational design, execution and statewide governance structures to transform how we deliver football and ensure the game can handle its evolving needs well into the future,” he said via press release.

“Coupled with prudent financial management, these reforms continue placing significant downward pressure on football’s volatile and high inflationary cost environment to deliver stable registration benefits to participants across the state. 

“After another exciting 2024 season, we look forward to welcoming participants back next year and seeing even more Queenslanders join our game in 2025.”

The registration fees for FQ have been the lowest in the nation for 5 years with the federation not allowing price increases since 2020, including in 2022 where on average football prices saw a 30% increase nationwide.

With the recent cost of living crisis in Australia, the cost of sports has been a massive influence on players either starting or returning to play football in Australia.

FQ’s massive increase in participants has made football the most-played team sport in Queensland, having the largest increase in players of all state federations last season. The continued low prices have been voiced as a key contributor to this success.

As a federation with a large contribution to Australian football in player numbers and successful professionals, its ability to keep prices low is a massive accomplishment.

Other state federations should look to FQ for inspiration in replicating their economic management if Australia wants to maintain participant numbers and ease the financial pressure to play football.

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