Stop Complaining, Start Building: Why Proactive Clubs Always Win

Avatar
Image Credit: Connelly Project Resources

It’s a tale as old as time in grassroots sport: your club is stuck in a “time warp” facility, sharing a severely overused pitch with another code, while a club a few suburbs over just scored millions of dollars in council funding.

It is incredibly frustrating. The disparity in local government funding, the draconian facility-sharing arrangements, and the feeling that your sport is constantly fighting an uphill battle in certain heartlands can make committee members want to throw their hands in the air.

But when faced with this reality, your club has a choice. You can go on a rampage of advocacy – bitching, moaning, and focusing on everything the council or state sporting body isn’t doing – or, you can focus on what you can control.

The Post-COVID Divide

Think back to the clubs that emerged from the COVID-19 lockdowns. During that time, every club faced the exact same external restriction: nobody could play.

However, two distinct types of clubs emerged.

The first type went dark. They complained about the government, complained about the lack of support from their Peak Bodies, and disconnected from their members. They took years to recover.

The second type of club stayed connected. They acknowledged the reality but focused entirely on what they could do. They posted backyard drills on TikTok, sent training plans to parents, and kept their community engaged. As soon as restrictions lifted, they were on the front foot, miles ahead of the competition. Same environment, entirely different mindset.

The Circle of Control

In business and in sport, there is a circle of concern (things you care about but can’t change) and a much smaller circle of control (your own thoughts, behaviours, and operations).

If you have signed a 10-year lease on a substandard facility, that is your playing field. You aren’t going to change it tomorrow. So, how can you win given the rules you have?

·  Run a tight ship financially.

·  Pay your rent on time.

·  Communicate brilliantly with your members.

·  Streamline your governance.

Government likes to back a winner. If you spend your time spinning up the flywheels of good marketing, membership growth, and volunteer connection, you build a small business that clearly has its act together. When it comes time to advocate for better facilities, you aren’t just a complaining club—you are a highly successful, proactive community asset that councils will want to support.

Is your club stuck in a cycle of complaining? It’s time to take control of what you can. Contact CPR Group today to find out how our clubMENTOR program and strategic planning services can put your club on the front foot.

Previous ArticleNext Article

The A-League has a visibility problem and only Network 10 can fix it

Avatar
Image Credit: Australian Professional Leagues

The A-Leagues are just over a month away and with the final stages of the Australia Cup in progress, attention should be firmly turning towards Australian football. Instead, there is a familiar problem. The domestic game once again is struggling to cut through.

The A-Leagues recently secured a three-year extension with Paramount+ and Network 10. The agreement keeps every A-League Men’s and Women’s match on Paramount+, while the free-to-air broadcaster will show one men’s match each week. Following on from their initial five-year deal signed in 202, it’s great that the partnership appears in it for the long haul.

But the big question remains: why is the product not being sold to audiences loudly on the eve of the season? Where is the noise?

Stan Sport and the Nine Network’s Premier League has shown what can happen when a broadcaster actively promotes its football product. The A-League has good numbers in places – one in seven Australians claim to support an A-League team – but the product lacks the exposure it deserves with less than 7% of Australians actively watching the league. It rarely feels like a major sporting product.

The A-Leagues’ current deal

Network 10 and Paramount+ have invested heavily in Australian football. The previous deal before the three-year extension (signed 2021) cost the broadcasters $40 million per year.  A-League viewing on Paramount+ reached record levels in 2025/26 – viewing was up 55 per cent compared with 2021/22. The 2025/26 season reached 4.1 million live viewers.

Those numbers should be celebrated. But those successes are dependent on viewers signing up and tuning into the streaming service of Paramount+. The competition does not receive continual exposure across the Network 10 ecosystem. One men’s match is shown free-to-air each week. That is the contractual commitment. Many of those matches are pushed onto secondary channels rather than the main network.

The Premier League, whilst being a very different product, is receiving much more attention from its Australian broadcasters. Despite being hosted as late as 2:30am, it still receives a massive marketing boost. Stan Sports’ newest campaign boasts flashy billboards in major cities with stars such as Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes. Meanwhile, the A-League sits in the corner.

Nine is reportedly prepared to spend up to $860 million over six years to retain the Premier League beyond its current deal, which expires at the end of the 2027/28 season. That would be roughly $145 million per year. There is a reason Nine is willing to make that investment.

Since taking over the Premier League, Stan Sport subscriptions have increased by 40 per cent. Nine very rarely puts the Premier League on free-to-air; marquee matches such as Manchester City against Tottenham Hotspur in 2025 saw a total reach of 1.1 million. That’s nearly 14% of the A-League’s total yearly viewership.

I understand the talent discrepancy, but the lack of broadcast investment to make people aware of the local competitions, and the everyday fan’s ability to access them, is significant in contrast to the Premier League. 

Competition is getting smarter

The A-Leagues are not operating in a vacuum. Australian sport is becoming increasingly aggressive about broadcast exposure. The AFL’s current seven-year broadcast agreement is worth $4.5 billion.

These top-end agreements are not realistic for the A-League, but perhaps more relevant comparisons are Australian basketball’s NBL and cricket’s Big Bash.

Basketball has a similar challenge to football, competing for attention in summer. Its clubs are concentrated in major Australian cities, and also rely on younger audiences and digital engagement to drive growth. During the 2025/26 season, average audiences on Network 10’s primary channel increased by 18 per cent and the NBL’s 2026 finals coverage increased viewership by 36 per cent.

Importantly, all NBL finals coverage was shown on the main 10 channel as opposed to regular season games on 10 Bold and 10 Peach. Then came a major strategic move. Having been with Network 10 since 2021, the NBL chose not to renew its contract and went to market.

While the NBL’s streaming rights have remained with ESPN (primarily owned by Walt Disney Co.), Channel Nine swooped to buy the free-to-air NBL rights for the upcoming 2026/27 season. They’ll show two matches each week, with marquee games to appear on Channel 9.

The deal also includes a weekly studio program, a dedicated 9Now hub and broader promotion through Wide World of Sports. This is in direct competition with the A-League. Not only will both have free-to-air matches on Saturday nights, but access to more content from beyond the sport will be available for free.

The BBL provides another useful comparison. Under Cricket Australia’s current agreement, Seven and 7plus show 33 of the 43 BBL matches, including three finals. On average, that is at  least three-to-four free games a week.

The point is not that every A-League match needs to be on a major free-to-air channel. It cannot realistically achieve that. But despite the A-League’s broadcasters investing big in Australian football, they’ve still been drowned out when compared to Stan and the Premier League. Meanwhile, the average Australian does not have the same access to the A-League as established competitions such as the AFL. 

The BBL has four games a week free, the AFL has three, the NBL two. The A-League languishes behind with a single game. Not only does it hurt diehards, but it stunts any growth from the casual fan.

What the A-Leagues need to do

The A-Leagues are now tied to Paramount+ and Network 10 for another three years. That makes the next step obvious. The league needs to make the most of the partnership. Simply, the broadcasters have to be doing more.

Accessibility is the key. Network 10 has to be actively promoting the A-League with free-to-air shows that have analysis. 10’s free app and Paramount+ must make the A-League the first thing you see.

Football Australia has done great things with the Australia Cup. Select matches are available free through Football Australia’s YouTube channel alongside coverage on Network 10 and Paramount+. That is smart and will attract casual audiences, without asking them to invest financially.

But the pressure also has to fall on Network 10. If they’ve invested in Australian football for the long term, they need to support the investment properly. Promote games days prior to kick-off; cover the game’s stories even during the off-season. If Network 10 and Paramount want a return on their investment it is in their best interest to have the sport be a consistent and routine presence. 

The A-League does not necessarily need another broadcast deal. It needs a broadcaster that invests and believes in the product it spent so much to secure. The football is there, and audiences are growing. Now the promotion needs to match the ambition.

Active Club Program offers South Australian football clubs a funding boost

Avatar
Image Credits: Shutterstock 2327752993

South Australian football clubs can tap into another round of government support, with the Active Club Program offering grants of up to $3,000 to help clubs improve participation and strengthen their local communities. The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing (ORSR) opened its new round of funding on the 28th of August. Clubs have until midday on Wednesday, 14 October 2026 to apply.

The grassroots benefits

The South Australian Government has allocated $1.448 million to the round. Clubs with fewer than 100 members can receive $1,500. Clubs with 100 or more members can receive $3,000. The program targets grassroots sport, including football. It helps clubs purchase equipment and resources that make participation easier and more affordable.

Football clubs can use the funding for sporting equipment, uniforms and protective gear. They can also fund playing venue maintenance equipment, professional development, medical equipment and training. The program also supports projects that improve inclusion. Clubs can use grants for positive health initiatives and hardship subsidies. These measures can help remove barriers that stop people from playing sport.

That focus creates opportunities for football clubs to support more women and girls. It can also help clubs create more welcoming environments for players of different ages and backgrounds. Water and energy efficiency also form part of the program. Clubs can fund eligible initiatives that reduce water use or improve energy efficiency. That could prove particularly valuable for football clubs managing local playing venues and facilities. The program also allows minor club infrastructure upgrades and technology that directly supports participation or club sustainability.

Who is eligible?

To qualify, a club must operate as a not-for-profit sport or active recreation organisation in South Australia. It must have at least 20 members and have operated for at least 12 months.

ORSR will also consider a club’s participation profile when assessing applications. The assessment looks at female and male junior and senior participation, alongside factors such as the club’s affiliation and when it last received Active Club Program funding.

How to apply

The funding can make a direct difference at grassroots level. In the previous round, 558 South Australian clubs shared more than $1.4 million. The government says the investment helped clubs meet essential costs while supporting participation and inclusion.

For football, that support can stretch beyond the playing field. Stronger clubs create more opportunities for players, coaches and volunteers. They also provide places where people can build connections and stay active. Applications for Round 56 will be screened in November, assessed in December, with clubs notified in January 2027.

To learn more about the South Australian Active Club Program, visit their website.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend