Penrith City Council waive field hire costs

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Penrith

For a third winter season in a row, Penrith City Council have waived all ground hire costs in a fantastic show of support for community football in the area.

Football NSW acknowledged the decision taken by Penrith City Council, who are led by Tricia Hitchen, to waive ground hire costs for sporting clubs and associations with seasonal bookings at Council managed sports grounds and facilities for the 2022 winter season.

“We know that after two years of disruptions from the pandemic, our City’s club representatives and players were eager to get outdoors again but unfortunately it has been a rough start to the season due to issues beyond our control,” Hitchen said via Football NSW.

“While we are getting to as many grass fields as we can as fast as we can, the poor weather conditions have saturated many grounds making it impossible for our equipment to be safely placed on fields.

“Whilst every effort is being made to restore the condition of our sportsgrounds to allow them to be playable and safe, the surface at some grounds is still too wet.

“We thank our community for being patient and we hope that by waiving these fees it’s one less stress for our clubs and associations to think about as they continue to reschedule fixtures and plan for their next playable games.”

Football NSW CEO Stuart Hodge highlighted his support for this great move delivered by Penrith City Council, whilst urging other councils to also do all they can to support football clubs.

“Well done to Penrith City Council for pushing its valued support behind our code in what have been challenging times for the sport,” Hodge said in a statement.

“Decisions such as this from Penrith City Council go a very long way to assuring our clubs and players are well supported and will continue to provide a positive and significant benefit to the community.”

The ongoing rainfall has disrupted the start of the 2022 winter season, with some clubs having their games postponed due to the poor weather conditions – while others are yet to take the field as a result of ground closures.

This move is set to benefit more than 60 local sporting clubs and associations from 13 different sporting codes who have registered for the winter 2022 season.

The latest decision to waive sportsground hire fees follows Council’s well-received move to allow free use of the City’s sportsgrounds in the 2020 and 2021 winter and summer seasons, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Football Australia Announces Broadcasting Partnership with LIGR

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Image credit: Preston Lions FC

Football Australia has unveiled a partnership with Live Graphics Systems (LIGR) to establish a world-first centralised production and distribution model for over 3,500 matches annually across multiple competition tiers.

This ambitious undertaking is set to transform sports broadcasting efficiency whilst unlocking future commercial opportunities for Football Australia and its nine State and Territory Member Federations.

The collaboration comes as Football Australia prepares to kick off the Australian Championship this October.

In mid-2024, Football Australia began developing a new production strategy, defining requirements across multiple tiers of Australian football.

The strategy encompasses the Hahn Australia Cup, NSD and the top tier of Federation Competitions for both men and women (National Premier Leagues), Futsal and National Para-Football Championships included as well.

LIGR’s appointment followed a rigorous Request for Proposal (RFP) process, led by Football Australia in alliance with Member Federations, aimed at identifying a single partner capable of managing the complex scale.

LIGR, an Australian tech business recently acquired by European-based tech company Crionet, will provide technical and operational broadcast management, live monitoring and AI integration across Football Australia’s multi and single camera productions.

Additionally, LIGR’s world-leading streaming, graphics and highlights automation platform will enable seamless integration of key sponsors on broadcasts.

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson, highlighted the significance of the partnership.

“This partnership marks a defining moment in Australian football and represents a paradigm shift in the way the game is produced, distributed and commercialised both in Australia and abroad,” Johnson explained via Football Australia official press release.

“By unifying production across thousands of games and multiple tiers of competition, we are not only streamlining operations but also reshaping the future of football broadcasting in this country. This is innovation at scale.

“Through this centralised model, we are building long-term operational and cost efficiencies and can focus on building sustainable revenue streams for the connected football pyramid.”

Luke McCoy, CEO of LIGR, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership.

“At Crionet and LIGR, our mission is to disrupt the traditional sports production, streaming, and distribution landscape,” McCoy commented via Football Australia’s official press release.

“Our partnership with Football Australia and its State and Territory Member Federations represents a groundbreaking shift towards a truly aggregated model, marking a significant milestone for sports coverage in Australia.

“Our cutting-edge technology and innovative approach sets us apart, and we are excited to elevate the game, enhance fan engagement, and drive innovation across all levels of the sport.”

This multi-tier integration represents an unprecedented approach, as no other Australian rights holder has consolidated production across such a diverse range of competitions under a single centralised model.

This new centralised approach will allow the sport to optimise its production workflows and unlock new commercial opportunities in the evolving broadcast and streaming landscape.

An exciting development in increasing viewership and commercial viability for, as Football Australia’s 2024 National Participation Report confirmed, the most popular and fastest growing sport in the country.

Sydney FC and Arnotts Collaboration Enhances Team Spirit

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Sydney Arnotts
Image Credit: Sydney FC

Sydney FC have announced an impressive partnership with iconic Australian brand, Arnotts.

The collaboration will see Arnotts’ branding feature in a highly visible location on the back of the Sydney FC Men’s team shorts for the rest of the A-League 2024/25 season.

Sydney FC CEO Mark Aubrey expressed how valuable the partnership was to the Sky Blues.

“We are thrilled to bring Arnott’s on board as an official partner of Sydney FC,” he said via press release.

“This is a brilliant alignment between two recognised brands that specialise in creating moments that matter.”

We also both value the importance of a high performance, high integrity environment as well as standing for equality and diversity.

“I hope this will be the beginning of a long and trusted partnership, and we can’t wait to see where this journey takes us.”

From the collaboration, both Sydney FC and Arnotts will work on a special content series featuring the “Arnotts Moments Matter” campaign.

Arnotts Group CMO Jenni Dill highlighted how excited the organisation was for the partnership.

“This partnership builds on Arnott’s desire to support Australian’s on and off the football field with healthier and delicious lunch and snacking choices,” she said in a press release.

“Whether it’s a Vita-Weat with your favourite lunchtime toppings, or a pack of Snack Right Puffs on the way to game, we look forward to inspiring Sydney FC players and fans with more tasty and convenient ways to enjoy a snack or lunch.”

Further highlighting the importance of the brand deal, Arnotts branding will not only feature on the Sydney FC Men’s kit but will also appear on the LED screens on matchdays, presenting with Arnotts with highly desirable marketing material.

The Arnotts-Sydney FC partnership is yet another major landmark deal for the club in recent months, adding to collaborations with Guaraná Antarctica and WHEN Fertility.

 

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