New Leagues Working Group reaches in-principle agreement on recommendations for a New Era for football in Australia

In a statement released on Monday, the New Leagues Working Group (NLWG for short) has reached a consensus on what needs to be done, in their eyes, to implement change and evolution in Australia’s major professional leagues.

The NLWG was created by the FFA late last year, with the intention of coming up with ideas that would allow for the future of Australian soccer to be fully realised. To maximise the possibilities of the sport in Australia so that we can succeed at the elite levels.

The target objectives do have a timestamp. August 1 is when the NLWG, FFA and APFCA (Australian Professional Football Clubs Association) intend on completing their desired tasks.

Below is the full statement with details on the recommendations made.

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The New Leagues Working Group, the body mandated by the FFA Congress in October 2018 to create recommendations for the optimal future of Australia’s Professional Football Leagues has reached an in-principle agreement on recommendations to bring about the evolution and re-invigoration of Australia’s professional domestic competitions – the A-League, W-League and Y-League (the Leagues).

At the heart of the recommendations is the wish to see Australia’s professional leagues flourish and achieve their full potential for both the men’s and women’s games and their respective pathways; whilst at the same time ensuring that FFA can optimally deliver against its responsibilities to National Teams, enhance participation among men and women in grassroots football, complimentary pathways and competitions and regulate the game overall in Australia.

The recommendations are predicated on creating two focused bodies within Australian Football that will compliment and benefit one another. For Australia’s professional Leagues the NLWG has recognised the immediate need for commercial self-determination in order to stimulate and generate growth and development. The view of the NLWG is that the game as a whole will be best served by such an approach.

The NLWG recommendations will see Clubs having full and perpetual use of their intellectual property rights with the mandate to oversee the running of the Leagues. As such, Clubs will have unimpeded control of all commercial rights associated with their clubs.

The recommendations also foresee an appropriate and rigorous governance structure for the Leagues overseen by an independent Chairperson and representatives of each of the 12 Club license holders1 with two additional representatives from FFA. The NLWG recommendations include a number of “Good of the Australian Game” veto rights to be held by FFA.

The management of the Leagues will be delivered by a dedicated organisation that in the first instance will be transitioned from FFA and evolved rapidly in the coming season and thereafter with Clubs committing to providing the necessary capital and human resource investments.

The Leagues’ management organisation will be responsible for the commercialisation and growth of the Leagues’ intellectual property and commercial rights. The organisation’s work will deliver multi-year strategic plans for each of the three Leagues, which will include areas for collaboration with other football stakeholders to grow the game. Australian Professional Football Clubs Association (APFCA) has committed to the finalisation of those plans in the coming weeks as part of the NLWG process.

In the interests of ensuring the whole of the Australian game benefits from the commercial re-focus of the Professional Leagues, a number of recommendations have been agreed upon, including:

  • There will be an annual contribution from League revenues to FFA including for National Team programs and grassroots initiatives. This contribution will be equal to 1.125 times the amount that will be distributed by the League to any individual Club in the same year. The minimum contribution will be A$4.5m per year in the first instance and indexed linked to CPI thereafter;
  • The Leagues be relieved of the licence payment obligation for the next four seasons in order that investment in the long-term sustainability and growth of the League is maximised. In effect, this recommendation will see FFA re-invest its licence fee in the Australian professional game in order to help ensure longer-term sustainable returns;
  • Once adopted, the recommendations will precipitate the injection by the Clubs of significant capital in the Leagues to enhance the on-field product and bolster their commercial and marketing appeal.

For the benefit of the National Teams and grassroots programs, the NLWG has identified a number of ongoing funding opportunities that the Leagues will provide, including:

  • FFA will receive 10% yields from the sale of new Club licenses and on the net profits from any sale of existing licenses.
  • FFA will receive a funding allocation annually equivalent to 10% of the value of transfers of Australian domestic players internationally.
  • FFA will retain a 20%, non-diluting and non-voting, ‘carry’ equity share in the League. Importantly, if a portion of the Leagues are ever sold in order to generate investment funds for further growth of the League then 20% of those proceeds would be allocated to FFA for investment in accordance with FFA’s objects.

Fundamental to the NLWG agreed recommendations is the assertion that FFA should be “no worse off” from the re-organisation. A body of work, already under way, is to be completed by FFA and APFCA as an immediate priority to ensure that there is no adverse cost impact to FFA from the transition to the new organisational structure.

The final agreed recommendations of the NLWG relate to the FFA Congress. It is recommended that the Club’s right to appoint three members of the Women’s Football Council of the FFA Congress be reduced to a right to appoint one member of the council. These two positions will in future be nominated independently as per the FFA Constitution. Moreover, the NLWG recommends that a Congressional review of the make-up of the FFA Congress should commence as soon as practicably possible via a committee mandated to review the impact (if any) of a new Leagues structure on the democratic make-up of the FFA Congress. This committee should provide observations, and where appropriate recommendations and associated resolutions, for consideration by the FFA Congress at the 2019 FFA AGM.

FFA and the APFCA will now immediately commence the preparation of long-form agreements having regard to the NLWG recommendations and in consultation with NLWG stakeholders. Once complete, the agreements will be presented for consideration and approval by the FFA Board and in turn, the key terms will be put to the FFA Congress for approval.

FFA Chairman, Chris Nikou: “The recommendations of the NLWG serve to align and unite Australian footballs’ interests like never before. Clubs would have greater control over the strategic and commercial direction of the Leagues, in turn triggering significant new investment in the quality and marketing of all three Leagues; and FFA would be able to focus its energies and resources on the National Teams, grassroots and the overall strategic direction of the game in concert with all of FFA’s members, including the Women’s Football Council, State and Territory Member Federations and Professional Footballers Australia. Importantly, FFA would retain influence in key areas of the Leagues through the Good of the Game Share. I thank the members of the NLWG that have worked tirelessly over many months to produce these recommendations. Once finalised, the FFA Board will consider the full details of the proposed reorganisation of the Leagues in accordance with their director’s duties.”

Women’s Football Council, Ros Moriarty: “The unanimous support from Australian football leadership to a commercial restructure of the W-League, A-League and Youth League is a significant step forward. The FFA Women’s Football Council looks forward to seeing the detail of the deal for W-League in the period before it is ratified, in the context of our charter of equality in football for women and girls. We applaud the recognition of the rising value of women’s football in reinvigorating the game in Australia and look forward to working closely with the new Leagues management organisation.”

Anter Isaac, Member Federation Council Chair on behalf of all nine state and territory member federations: “The Member Federations have appreciated the collaborative way all stakeholders were able to participate in robust discussions towards advancing this significant and necessary evolution in Australian football. Progress has been achieved because of the commitment we all have to Australian football and by embedding the long-term interests of all its participants at the centre of every discussion.

The Member Federations appreciate the efforts of all stakeholders in concurring with the firm position we have held that the enduring development and support of grassroots and community football, their pathways to the professional leagues and the competitiveness of our national teams must receive the paramount attention and resources they require for the game to prosper. Our hope is that this outcome validates the deep and collaborative relationship the stakeholders have with one another, as well as demonstrate to the football family the commitment we all have to the Good of the Australian Game.”

APFCA Chair, Paul Lederer: For the Professional Game in Australia, and indeed the game as a whole in our country, these recommendations are the foundations for a critically needed evolution and vitalization. Once executed they will create the environment for investment and associated opportunities that we all want to see. The 12 member clubs of APFCA are focused on completing the NLWG process and beginning the transformation process in earnest. Our members are committed to investing in and delivering the elevation of all three of our National Professional Leagues to the status they deserve and the levels that all of the stakeholders of our game rightfully expect. The real work begins now.”

PFA CEO, John Didulica: “This consensus reached between FFA and the Clubs is an essential step forward. It is now critical that we shift our focus and start designing a footballing future that drives commercial growth, fan engagement and our international competitiveness; through reforming the A-League model, turbo-charging the W-League and ensuring we develop the Y-League into a genuine development pathway. It also remains necessary to embed the rights of the players and the position of the PFA in the new governance framework, and we will be working to reach agreement on these matters as a matter of urgency.”

*ENDS*

 

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Melbourne Victory’s brand-new infrastructure strategy

Melbourne Victory & SEDA

A-League giant Melbourne Victory has revealed a brand-new extensive infrastructure strategy to foster and support tomorrow’s footballing stars.

The strategic infrastructure plan set out by Victory will aim to develop youth and women’s football programs by providing improved access to world class footballing facilities and player pathways across Victoria.

To achieve this, Melbourne Victory has opted for a campus model to enable players access to connected and consistent facilities across the North, East, South and West of Melbourne, all within an hour’s journey of Victory’s club administrative centre and the A-League Men’s training facilities at Gosch’s Paddock.

The club also intends to build another campus within the Melbourne city centre, with the first campus location to be announced by the club soon, as it continues to review and assess possible sites across the city.

Melbourne Victory Chairman, John Dovaston, explained why the club had chosen the campus model.

“The announcement of this project, and the direction taken, is aimed at ensuring we are best placed to attract and retain football talent across the State,” he said in a press release.

“Our innovative approach will allow us to have a number of campuses with not only an elite focus, but also, an eye on building our community to ensure that all Victorians have an opportunity to participate and engage in our game.”

Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the new infrastructure strategy was so important to the club.

“It is well understood that sport and football can influence social cohesion, and it’s our responsibility as a Club to establish infrastructure and programs that can positively impact members of the community, regardless of gender, background or location, whether that be through training the next generation of football stars, or using football as a vehicle to lead, unite, connect and inspire the community more broadly,” she said via press release.

“By enabling Victory to connect with communities across the North, South, East, and West of AAMI Park, our spiritual home, we can truly grow the Victory family and set new standards for elite facilities in our Pathway and community programs.”

The infrastructure project is an important move for the club, allowing it to grow, improve and future-proof its current suite of footballing programs. Currently, Victory operates nine elite and 23 pathway programs, providing services to over 16,000 participants across Victoria. Through the campus model, the club hopes it will be able to more efficiently develop the new generation of A-League and national team players.

“The priority is to provide not just an entry point for individuals to engage and participate in football, but to keep them engaged and provide a holistic journey to grow the Victory family across the State,” Carnegie continued.

“We are excited about the opportunities that the project can provide and the potential for growth for our Club and for football in the future.”

Melbourne Victory will continue to issue updates as it sets on the 5-year-plus journey to complete the entire project. For more information on the club’s major infrastructure strategy, access the plan HERE.

 

WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities grants open

Soccer youths

The first round of the WA Community Use of School Sporting Facilities Program grants is now open for applications until March 21.

The program is an initiative from the West Australian government aimed to inspire partnerships between schools and community sporting groups to more effectively use sporting facilities and foster a greater sense of community.

Developed in collaboration with the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSC), and the Department of Education (DoE), the program strives to:

  • improve access to sporting facilities for community sporting groups
  • improve school sports facilities
  • assist schools in developing their facilities for outside hours use without damaging student safety
  • encourage partnerships between schools and community sporting groups

Grants Eligibility 

Program funding is only available to WA public primary or secondary schools, which have partnered with at least one community sporting group under a DoE Community Use Agreement.

Schools applying for funding must prove they need monetary support to develop facilities and assist community sporting groups to use facilities. Additionally, they need an Eligibility Declaration from their partnered sporting grouping to confirm it will regularly access the facilities.

The partnered community sporting group must also meet a range of eligibility requirements:

  • It must be incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act 2015 (WA),
  • Or it must be an Indigenous organisation under the Corporations (Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth)
  • Or it must be a company limited by guarantee under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
  • It must participate in a classified sport under the DLGSC
  • It must be registered under a DLGSC recognised state sport association (SSA)
  • It must enter teams into a local sport program or DLGSC SSA affiliated competition
  • It must have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
  • It must comply with the Working with Children (Screening) Act 2004
  • It must maintain insurance to cover the DoE CUA

Grants Funding Parameters 

There is up to $50,000 worth of funding available for successful applicants across four different types of one-off investments:

Minor Equipment or Infrastructure

This includes funding for small scale items such goalposts, equipment storage or other minor items or infrastructure.

Minor Playing Surface or Upgrade of Oval or Hardcourts

This includes funding for minor improvements to sports fields and courts, such as:

  1. Resurfacing
  2. Marking
  3. Reticulation
  4. Returfing
  5. Grass oval rejuvenation works

Minor Improvements to Existing Surfaces 

This includes funding for small scale improvements that make sporting facilities safer for outside use, such as locks, cameras, gates, and lights.

Other Relevant Activities That Enhance Facilities Use

This includes funding for activities that would increase the use of sporting facilities, such as for one off payments for staff and equipment.

How to Apply for Grants

Applications for the program can be completed online on the DLGSC website.

Before applying make sure to read the guidelines and have the necessary documentation ready.

Documents you will need are:

  • Signed Community Use Agreement (or letter of intent to enter at CUA)
  • Community Sport Group Eligibility Declaration
  • Quotes, photos, files and documents to use as evidence to support your claim

Applications for the first round of funding must be completed and submitted before March 21 5.00 pm 2025. If you miss out on this round or are unsuccessful, there are two more rounds of grants occurring later in the year.

The second round of applications will open March 24 9.00 pm and close May 16 5.00 pm 2025. While the third round of applications will open May 19 9.00 pm and close July 4 5.00 pm 2025.

 

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