Only the brave – Sydney FC CEO Danny Townsend’s greatest challenge

Avatar

When Danny Townsend was appointed CEO of Sydney FC in August, 2017, he could never have envisaged the pressures which Australian football would be confronted with in 2020

A national competition in the A-league which has its very survival threatened had been losing public support for the last few years.

Now a major dispute with the P.F.A over players’ wages, conditions and entitlements, the diminution of television and commercial backing and an uncertain starting date for the next season, have made this year the worst in the fifteen year history of the competition

Danny Townsend is a creative thinker but he will have to apply all the know – how gleaned in the formation and growth of his brainchild international company, Repucom, to combat the forces at work against the prosperity of the A-League and his own club.

In this interview with Roger Sleeman, Danny Townsend discusses the hurdles the game is facing and attempts to provide the answers to overcome them.

ROGER SLEEMAN

You completed the double on August 30. What is the aftermath for Sydney FC?

DANNY TOWNSEND

It was a fantastic achievement in surpassing Sydney City, South Melbourne, Marconi and Melbourne Victory as the club with the greatest number of titles in national competition so it’s something we can all look back on with pride.

ROGER SLEEMAN

What were the pros and cons of finishing the season?

DANNY TOWNSEND

For the game it was important to resume the season after the COVID-19 interruption.

Particularly for our club, so the players could complete the mission to secure the Double and go back to back Champions.
Also, continuity was important because the wider community and football supporters needed something to inspire them given the difficult times brought about by the pandemic.

Certainly, it was a positive winning the Double in these difficult times.

ROGER SLEEMAN

At the moment, coverage for the game on tv, radio and print media is next to nothing.
Your thoughts?

DANNY TOWNSEND

This is disappointing but COVID-19 has created an inflexion point for the game to rebuild and examine media and many other issues.
We have a strategy and all stakeholders in the code from the FFA, the Professional Leagues and down to the grassroots must play an important collaborative role in rebuilding the game .

We’ve always talked about high participation rates and interest in football – we have the numbers and enough support to justify having coverage on the front and back pages every day.
However, this has never been capitalised on and it’s a clear failing in the game to date.

Now is the time to do something about it – we have no choice.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Do we have the right people on the Board of FFA and executive talent in the organisation to take the game forward?

DANNY TOWNSEND

The people are there and in James Johnson we have a CEO with the right credentials who unfortunately has taken up his position at a particularly difficult time.  It’s not just up to the FFA  but we must separate the Professional Leagues.

These organisations need to be entrepreneurial and hire the most talented and innovative people.
There are plenty of good people in football but we need to be bold and take some risks.

There should be a mixture of competencies which allows the game to move forward as a collective.
It isn’t about one single board member or executive but about senior figures in the game working together to achieve the necessary outcomes to take the game forward.

Fortunately, Sydney FC Board members provide me with the support to do the job I want and critically, I have the best people around me to make it happen.

ROGER SLEEMAN

How much longer will it be before the A-League clubs become independent from the FFA and will the current incumbents led by Greg O’Rourke still administer the competition?

DANNY TOWNSEND

The FFA has indicated to the clubs they support the process of an independent League.
However, there are processes to be followed which will ensure the separation is carried out in a professional and orderly manner.

I can’t really comment about how the unbundling will take place and what it will finally look like.
Nonetheless, Greg O’Rourke demonstrated great initiative in getting the competition back and running again after the COVID-19 layoff.  Many people on the periphery have no appreciation for the operational and commercial challenges the League faced and to finish the season was a significant achievement by Greg, his team and all the clubs.

Sydney FC CEO Danny Townsend – Image Sydney FC

ROGER SLEEMAN

You ran a multinational success story in Repucom for twelve years. What can the game learn from your business experience?

DANNY TOWNSEND

You need the best people to execute your strategy like you require the best players on the pitch to win trophies. We’re in a competitive marketplace vying for recognition with other sports and entertainment mediums.
Therefore, we have to work harder and become more creative and innovative in our work. At Repucom we had a good solution but we had the best people to bring it to life.  In Football we have the best game and we just need talented people to capitalise on the opportunity.

In the past the game has probably been guilty of complacency, particularly in our failure to link grassroots with senior football.
The grass roots really need to be tapped into because it’s a huge marketplace which is already aligned with the sport.  We are in the entertainment business and we need to think like that when we think about the Professional Leagues.

ROGER SLEEMAN

How can the game attract more funding from business and government?

DANNY TOWNSEND

Once again, it’s about creating value and the private and public sector will respond.
By selling the health and wellness benefits of the sport, we should have access to more government grants.  Our sport is comparatively poorly supported by state and federal government compared to our counterparts, so we need to set that straight.

Also, the success in winning the Women’s World Cup should be leveraged to unlock the scale of our game to the community and in turn the private sector. In the past 3-4 seasons, Sydney FC has made giant strides, but we can only do so much. Being a big club in an ordinary competition isn’t going to help our club grow further.

Being a great club in a great competition is really going to set the pathway so we must work as shareholders in the game to grow a better competition. For the League to prosper, it’s a must for other clubs to perform better on and off the pitch.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Steve Corica brought a number of young players through the ranks last season.
Will this be the continuing trend or will marquee and overseas players still be sort after?

DANNY TOWNSEND

The rationalisation of the competition and the current CBA negotiations are affecting our cost base so naturally there’ll be more of a reliance on domestic talent to drive results on the pitch. The club has invested in a five-year program for the Academy and a few players have already gone overseas to ply their trade.

Nevertheless, foreigners have a place in the game eg: Cameron Devlin who trained next to Brandon O’Neill and Milos Ninkovic every day became a much better player before moving to Wellington and Trent Buhagiar has learnt a lot from Adam Le Fondre in the past two seasons.

However, young players shouldn’t believe they have a sense of entitlement to make the grade because nobody gets a guaranteed starting place at this club or any other club.  The foreign player market has shifted so I still think you will see quality and high profile foreign football talent in the A-League and W-League into the future.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Do you agree the media concentrates too much on off the park events, rather than what is happening on it?

DANNY TOWNSEND

I agree with this statement, so the game has to do a better job of controlling the narrative.
In the absence of reliable communications, the game suffers so information flow is essential to prevent the media from filling in the blanks.
All stakeholders in the game must communicate clearly and more often to achieve a fair balance in reporting.
Currently, only one side of a story is being publicised so let’s assist the media in producing more accurate stories based on better quality transparency whether the news is good, bad or ugly.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Where do the CBA negotiations currently sit?

DANNY TOWNSEND

The CBA is currently on pause as clubs are working with their respective playing groups. The cuts mentioned in the media aren’t correct as individual club contracts and situations are all different with the mix of contracted and uncontracted player’s conditions varying widely.

Critically, all clubs want to look after their players but they also have a fiscal responsibility to ensure the club’s survival.  This is not a burden that lies solely with the players as cuts need to be unilateral across all functions of football which will recalibrate the game’s cost base.

ROGER SLEEMAN

Is it true that James Johnson will intervene if the current stalemate is not resolved?

DANNY TOWNSEND

The FFA and James Johnson have offered support to help the situation if necessary.
However, there are two parties involved in these negotiations. The clubs who employ and pay the players and the players themselves via the PFA.

The FFA as the regulator can get involved but James Johnson is doing the right thing by letting the parties work through the process as adults to try and find a suitable outcome.  I remain very confident that will be the result.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Beyond the Game: Why Football Deserves Government Backing

Avatar
More Than a Game: Why Football Is a Smart Investment for Australia
Credit: Football Australia website

Early last month, Football Australia announced its ‘Securing our Football Future’ policy proposals, worth an estimated $2.8 billion.

The plan aims to strengthen Australia’s most popular team sport by partnering with all levels of government, including the federal level, over the next five to ten years.

There are several key reasons why Football Australia is calling for major government investment.

The organisation says there’s a growing infrastructure gap that’s holding the sport back.

This shortfall is making it difficult to meet rising demand, support grassroots programs, build stronger communities, and elevate the game from local fields to the global stage.

Other reasons include funding future football tournaments and creating a positive social impact across local communities.

Investing in sport can sometimes raise concerns, especially given the estimates put forward by Football Australia.

But many other benefits often go unnoticed, and these could bring long-term value to the entire nation.

Export of Football Education:

One compelling reason for the government to invest in football is its potential to boost the export of football education.

In 2023–24, Australia’s broader education sector brought in $51.03 billion in export income, making it the country’s fourth-largest export industry.

In fact, in just June 2023 alone, education exports added $10.8 billion to the national economy.

With the right support, Football Australia could tap into this space by developing and exporting football education programs—such as coaching courses, youth development systems, and sports science frameworks—to overseas markets.

For instance, a formalised Football Australia Coaching Curriculum could be licensed or sold internationally.

Germany offers a successful example: the German Football Association (DFB) regularly hosts coaching workshops and certification courses for international coaches.

Twice a year, the DFB runs programs for coaches from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, helping them earn A and B licenses. If Australia were to take a similar approach, the financial benefits could be substantial.

Just like traditional education exports, football education could grow into a valuable niche industry. Beyond revenue, such investment would also help develop homegrown expertise.

By focusing on football education, Australia could build a strong domestic pipeline of skilled professionals in coaching, sports technology, and high-performance management.

In short, government support for exporting football education could deliver long-term returns—economically and in developing global football leadership from within Australia.

Tech Industry:

Another reason for the government to invest in football is its potential to boost Australia’s tech industry. At first glance, funding Football Australia might not seem like it has much to do with tech, but there are actually several ways this kind of investment could benefit the broader technology sector.

According to the Australian Sports Technologies Network (ASTN) 2024 Sports Innovation Report, Australia’s sports tech industry is now worth $4.69 billion — a more than 10% increase from the previous year.

ASTN also notes that the sportstech sector in Australia is moving into its “maturity stage” — a phase where strong investor interest and high profitability are expected.

This is something the government could help accelerate by supporting football.

One example is the development of smart stadiums.

This involves installing technologies like AI-powered analytics and high-speed 5G networks to enhance fan experiences, improve stadium operations, and support the growth of connected sports environments.

Smart stadiums aren’t a new concept in Australia — Sydney’s Allianz Stadium is a great example — but continued government investment could help the country catch up with leaders like the U.S. and the U.K. in this space.

Other areas of sportstech include AI and data analytics, particularly for player performance and injury prevention.

Investment in this area would drive demand for data scientists, software engineers, and AI specialists.

There’s also the potential for digital fan engagement, backing AR/VR, apps, and gamified fan platforms to stimulate software and gaming sectors, all of this adds up to some major benefits.

Financially, it could boost tech exports, attract international partnerships, and bring in foreign investment.

On a broader scale, it could help raise Australia’s profile as a global hub for sports tech innovation.

Plus, it would promote diversity, inclusion, and public interest in tech — helping to build a stronger, more future-ready economy.

So, by investing in football, the Australian government can not only support a beloved national sport but also accelerate the growth of a thriving sports tech industry — driving innovation, job creation, and global competitiveness in the process.

Stronger Ties with Asia:

A final reason for the government to invest in football is that it can help strengthen Australia’s ties with Asia.

Back in 2006, Football Australia made the strategic decision to leave the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) — even though it was a founding member — and join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The move was driven by the difficulty of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup through the OFC, where Australia often had to win tough intercontinental play-offs.

Joining the AFC gave Australia a more direct path to qualification through Asia’s automatic spots — and nearly two decades later, the Socceroos have qualified for every World Cup since.

Now by increasing investment in football, the Australian government isn’t just supporting the sport locally — it’s also using it as a smart way to build stronger diplomatic, cultural, and economic connections with countries across Asia.

It gives the Australian government a chance to use sport as a tool for international engagement, particularly major events like the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup, which Australia will host.

The tournament is expected to draw over 24,000 international visitors and reach hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.

More importantly, it offers a platform for Australia to create lasting connections with countries across Asia — both on and off the pitch.

Football Australia’s “Securing our Football Future” policy highlights how the government can use this event to support sports diplomacy initiatives — by building formal partnerships with other AFC nations.

There are plenty of benefits to this kind of regional engagement through football.

Hosting international matches and tournaments helps bring in tourists and showcases Australia as both a sporting powerhouse and a culturally inclusive nation.

Supporting Football Australia also reinforces the country’s leadership role in the region — aligning with broader foreign policy goals to integrate more deeply with Asia’s growing economies and communities.

Conclusion:

So, increased government investment in Football Australia could deliver far-reaching benefits, not just strengthening grassroots sport but also boosting economic sectors like education, technology and enhancing regional ties with Asia.

By recognising football as more than just a game, Australia has the opportunity to turn it into a powerful engine for innovation, diplomacy, and national growth.

NSW synthetic fields guideline: securing the future of sport

Avatar
Image credit: PxHere

As demand for sporting fields continues to increase, NSW’s new guidelines for synthetic fields are a welcome manual to the decision-making behind the management and implementation of these fields. Though the question of how it tackles this critical issue persists.

Just this month, the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure released its Synthetic Turf Sports Fields in Public Open Space: Guideline for Decision-Makers.

A comprehensive study that outlines the application of creating more community-based synthetic fields in NSW, backed up by former NSW reports.

The Guideline is broken up into two chapters:

  • Section 2: Decision making for sports field surfaces – provides key information, considerations, and resources to help inform the decision-making process for selecting a sports field surface. This includes the pressures on public open space, the types of surfaces available to meet community needs, and the social, environmental, health, and economic considerations.
  • Section 3: Guide for synthetic turf sports fields – provides advice for projects considering and developing synthetic turf sports fields. It guides the reader on how to achieve best practice when planning, designing, delivering, and managing synthetic turf assets.

As stated in this guideline, it was produced due to the necessary need for synthetic fields to be created to keep up with a number of sporting demands.

Majorly, a growing increase in population of the state, with the population of NSW forecast to grow by 85,000 people each year, reaching 9.8 million by 2041 as outlined in the guideline.

There is also the need for reliable and safe sporting facilities for the community, making the demand and capacity of these fields necessary.

Just last year Football NSW and its associations were facing the tough reality of weather impacts as a winter of heavy rain made many of the natural grass fields unplayable.

With too few synthetic fields to use state wide, thousands of players over the state had shortened seasons and struggling management of the scheduling was met with a huge discourse of disappointment.

As is the nature of Australian sport, many codes must compete for very little space, especially when these spaces are council owned. The preparing of this is no easy task and central to this guideline.

This guideline is comprehensive and valuable for the creation of desperately needed synthetic fields.

The document combines the importance of balancing sustainability, functionality and community needs when considering synthetic turf for sports fields.

This can only be achieved through thoughtful stakeholder engagement in planning to creating multi-faceted spaces with a strong guideline of principles to make the decision of development.

This is a successful start and a very important document for the functional push for more synthetic fields and a huge step forward in providing the grounds for the production for more sporting facilities.

However, one problem is evident. The speed of production of synthetic fields, like any development, cannot fit the speed of demand.

This report importantly outlines the need of all fields is evident and also the ways in which these decisions should be made for synthetic or not. The case study of Allan Border oval in the paper is a perfect example.

Though another case study is an example in the Northern Beaches of Sydney displays the growing situation in another sense.

A local football summer competition called Small Sided Game (SSG) has voiced concerns about its reduced space allocation as the council decided for the coming playing season. Usually played on several grass fields, as it has been classified as a high-impact sport has been reserved to a singular synthetic field for the upcoming season.

The business has calculated that this would mean the loss of around 1000 participants from an average 3,500 participant strong season. A tough reality for the business as it loses such a large part of its revenue.

It is also a huge loss for the community as a thriving local business and summer sport will be considerably constrained and many people will be missing out on this vital activity.

Other environmental and health issues are associated with synthetic fields, such as the impact of injuries on the surface and the dangerous presence of carcinogenic microplastics.

Synthetic fields contribute to plastic migration and rising local temperatures, as heat islands effects potentially worsening soil and water pollution.

These issues have been presented in the guidelines and its relative supporting studies; therefore, they are factored into the overall guideline.

The problem remains, sports a vital part of our Australian culture and community needs to be able to grow physically with its demand.

Yet, is a synthetic revolution the only option?

Natural turf, available in many areas already, needs to be more effectively maintained and preserved, not just due to the logistical demands but for the community and environment demands, grass fields are crucial.

The NSW government needs to find a way to encourage the creation of synthetic fields but also more effectively maintain existing grass fields in a multi-pronged approach.

Football Australia’s $3 billion plan presented to the federal government has stated the need for funding in the growing demand. Synthetic fields and field upgrades is central to this request.

This document is the perfect start to push the necessary development process in the coming years, in conjunction with a multi-pronged approach with quick relief for existing fields and longer development for which synthetic fields is needed.

Otherwise, if situations like the one happening with SSG will continue to affect our communities, the participants who are the backbone of Australian sporting community are the ones who take the biggest hit.

The positive impact of leisure activities on physical, mental and communal health cannot be understated.

If maintaining access to sport — one of Australia’s most important cultural pillars — requires investment, then it must be made. Especially for football, the most played sport in both NSW and the nation.

There are little other endeavours that could trump its importance.

You can read the full report here.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend