Off the Pitch Podcast: Shepparton Cup’s Incredible $5 Million Community Impact

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On Episode 15 of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast, it was a Shepparton Cup special with Australian Football Skool Director Rolando Navas and Mayor of Greater Shepparton Shane Sali on the eve of the 2025 Shepparton Cup.

On the topic of tourism and the economic impact of the event, the annual Shepparton Cup is the region’s most lucrative and popular event, amassing over 12,500 visitors and generating $3-4m in revenue in the 2024 edition of the cup.

Shane Sali discussed the importance of football and the cup in the Greater Shepparton region for tourism.

“We have a strong multicultural community and a lot of people have grown up playing football. People have migrated and really contributed to the sport over here and it’s a sport that’s been very active in an around Greater Shepparton,” he said.

“When you come to the event and get that warmth that we want to provide, not only to the people hosting the event, but the visitors , we hope you can leave with a smile at the end of it and encourage family and friends to come back.”

Sali continued to speak about the impact it has on local businesses and the great feeling of seeing the town’s buzz during the weekend.

“We like to position Greater Shepparton as a really prominent regional city and we feel like we’ve got a role to play in economic activity for surrounding communities.”

“As Rolando mentioned, with the visitation that comes with this event, you’re getting close to 15,000 people in and around the town. I can’t believe we have the facilities to cater for that,” he said.

“This is the biggest sporting weekend we have in and around Greater Shepparton and it will generate well over $5m for our local economy.”

This upcoming weekend, the 2025 Shepparton Cup is predicted to become the largest weekend junior football tournament in Australian history, and the sheer scale of the event will have a lasting impact on the local community.

Click hear the full Shepparton Cup special, on Episode 15 of Soccerscene’s Off the Pitch Podcast – available on all major podcasting platforms.

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South Canberra FC Breaks the Mold: Equity-Driven Model Earns ‘Club Changer’ Honour

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Image Credit: SCFC

South Canberra Football Club has been named Club Changer of the Month for April, in a recognition that reflects a broader shift across Australian football toward rewarding clubs that are actively dismantling the structural barriers limiting women’s access to the game.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup has just delivered record crowds and unprecedented visibility for women’s football in Australia, and the Club Changer program is now asking what comes next. Its decision to name South Canberra Football Club as Club Changer of the Month for April signals a clear shift in how the program defines contribution: away from participation numbers alone, and toward the equity frameworks that determine whether women stay in the game once they arrive.

South Canberra FC built that framework from the ground up. Established in 2021, the club set out to give women and female-identifying players a safe, inclusive environment to play football at any level. It runs entirely on volunteers, operates as a not-for-profit, and is governed by an all-female committee with 13 of its 14 coaches identifying as female.

 

Building the infrastructure of inclusion

In 2026, the club secured grant funding and put it to work immediately. Two coaches are completing their C Licence qualification, and ten coaches, players and community members have undertaken the Foundations of Football course, which directly tackles the cost and accessibility barriers that exclude women out of coaching pathways.

The club also commissioned a female-specific strength and conditioning program with sports physiotherapists ahead of the 2026 season, targeting injury prevention and explicitly supporting players returning after childbirth.

SCFC’s leadership team draws from LGBTIQ+ individuals, First Nations people and veterans, strengthening the club’s connection to the communities it was built to represent.

The Club Changer program is backing clubs that do this work- clubs that treat equity as infrastructure rather than aspiration. At a moment when Australian football is under pressure to turn its biggest-ever surge of women’s interest into something lasting, SCFC’s model offers a clear answer to the question of how.

How Husqvarna Is Helping Stadiums Cut Costs Without Cutting Quality

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Image Credit: Husqvarna

At a time when operational costs are rising across global sport, stadiums and football clubs are being forced to rethink one of their most overlooked expenses: turf maintenance.

From diesel consumption to labour hours, maintaining elite playing surfaces has traditionally been both resource-intensive and environmentally taxing. But new data emerging from venues like CBUS Super Stadium suggests a smarter, more sustainable model is already taking hold.

Leading that shift is Husqvarna, whose autonomous turf technology is quietly reshaping how professional venues manage their playing surfaces. Their product delivers measurable cost savings without compromising quality.

Cutting fuel consumption costs

At CBUS Super Stadium, the introduction of Husqvarna’s CEORA™ robotic mowing system has reduced diesel usage by approximately 20–30 litres per week. Over the course of a season, those savings compound into a significant reduction in both fuel spend and carbon emissions. This is particularly efficient for stadiums hosting regular fixtures and large-scale events.

CBUS Super Stadium General Manager Kristian Blundell said the robotic mower was a game-changer for the venue:

“This technology is not replacing staff but rather giving our grounds team the ability to do what they do best by helping to improve turf management processes, better manage fatigue and decrease our environmental footprint”

But the impact goes beyond fuel.

 

Time efficiency

By automating routine mowing, Husqvarna’s technology enables grounds teams to focus on higher-value maintenance tasks, from pitch recovery to detailed surface management. The result is not only greater operational efficiency but also improved turf consistency, which is an increasingly critical factor in elite football performance.

The benefits are being mirrored beyond stadium environments. At Oatlands Golf Club, Husqvarna’s autonomous mowing has delivered savings of up to 60 litres of fuel per week while freeing up staff for precision work. Quiet, round-the-clock operation also ensures surfaces are maintained without disrupting play—an advantage that translates directly to multi-use stadium settings.

Image Credit: Husqvarna

Importantly, Husqvarna’s lightweight robotic systems reduce the wear and tear typically caused by traditional heavy machinery. This not only protects the integrity of the playing surface but also reduces the need for costly repairs over time.

Football clubs navigating tight budgets at grassroots and semi-professional levels could benefit from such cost savings.

With rising energy prices, increasing sustainability expectations, and limited staffing resources, the ability to cut costs while improving performance is no longer optional. Solutions like Husqvarna’s CEORA™ are positioning clubs to operate more efficiently today, while preparing for a more environmentally accountable future.

As the sports industry continues to evolve, one thing is becoming clear: the next competitive edge may not just come from what happens on the pitch—but how it’s maintained.

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