Stuart Hodge addresses future for Football NSW

Stuart Hodge

Football NSW Chief Executive Officer Stuart Hodge has addressed key topics on the association’s radar in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking on the CDSFA Community Football Podcast, Hodge is keen for the league to restart as soon as it’s safe to do so.

“I certainly think the government have to take in a lot of factors as we’ve seen with the pandemic – anything can change one day to the next,” he said.

“It was a positive step forward that they’ve got the national principles and the government and NSW will now review those and look at guidelines.

“They’ll have to balance that up with other information that they have and state-specific information here in NSW.

“We’re hopeful given that from some of the surveys which we’ve seen that most people are keen to get out and play again.

“The physical, mental and social benefits are well documented, but we have to make sure we do it under the right conditions and that is when the government says it’s okay.”

The flow on effect of the competition’s postponement will be how clubs juggle summer sports with councils if they clash later down the line, something Hodge is aware of.

“It’s a challenge for all of them and we’re in discussions with some summer sports to try and get some principles in place that if we get football resumed, we’ll have some additional time beyond what we normally get,” he said.

“From some associations, the feedback is from councils have been very sympathetic.

“We’ve collectively lost a couple months of the season already so the opportunity to play a little bit later into the year would be welcomed.

“We’re also conscious that we want to try and keep things on track for next year when hopefully we return on time.

“It’s a balance because we appreciate that there’s also participants that are involved in multiple sports so we’re wanting to help them out and not over-burden them.

“Councils also need to turn fields around although I noticed some of them looking magnificent at the moment.

“We’ve had some very big discussions and hopefully it’s just a fair and reasonable approach which is all we’re asking for.”

One of the main issues across all sports due to postponements has been the topic of refunds, with games in professional sport being played behind closed doors.

While there’s still the unknown about when fans can return to grounds in 2020 and beyond, Hodge has clarified how Football NSW will look to navigate through this tricky time.

“I think in the interim if people are facing financial hardship then of course they should be in touch with their club to get a refund,” Hodge said.

“If the season gets underway then we’ll have to redo our modelling and look at what the fee structures are.

“I hope we do get back on the field and we can go down that path – if the season doesn’t get played then everyone will have to sit and remodel what the costs are and things like that.”

Since this podcast was published on 5th May, Football NSW have moved a step closer to resuming training at the very least with the NSW Government confirming an easing of restrictions – taking affect from Friday 15th May including:

  • outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people
  • cafes and restaurants can seat 10 patrons at any one time
  • up to 5 visitors to a household at any one time
  • weddings up to 10 guests
  • indoor funerals up to 20 mourners, outdoor funerals up to 30
  • religious gatherings/places of worship up to 10 worshipers
  • use of outdoor equipment with caution
  • outdoor pools open with restrictions.

In a recent press release, it’s mentioned the Office of Sport is working closely with government agencies about how sporting organisations can safely return to action.

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New board appointments and regulatory reform announced by APL

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) have announced the appointment of two new Club Directors to the APL Board, as well as updates to the salary cap structure which will be implemented from the 2025/26 season.

At an Extraordinary General Meeting held earlier today, Club Unitholders voted to appoint John Dovaston, Chairman of Melbourne Victory, and Kaz Patafta, Chairman and CEO of Brisbane Roar, as new Club Directors to the APL Board.

Both bring a strong mix of football, business, and governance experience to the table, drawn from their work both within and outside the sport.

The rest of the Board — including the Chair, a Silver Lake Director, the FA-appointed Director, and three existing Club Directors — remains unchanged, as they were not up for election.

After consulting with the Board, Club Unitholders, and club reps, the APL also announced it will introduce a new financial sustainability framework for the A-Leagues, to be rolled out over the next three seasons.

The focus will be on revamping the salary cap system.

The current setup which includes a $2.55 million soft cap and six types of salary exemptions was originally designed to support financial stability and competitive balance, but it’s no longer delivering as intended.

Starting from the 2025/26 Isuzu UTE A-League Men season, a $3.5 million hard cap trial will be introduced.

Then, in 2026/27, a $3 million hard cap (plus one marquee player) will be enforced. Clubs that exceed the cap will face financial and sporting penalties.

For the 2025/26 season, clubs will still operate under the current salary cap rules and exemptions, with the trial period acting as a transition to the new system.

A broader financial model, based on each club’s revenue will be finalised with input from clubs and the PFA and introduced in the 2027/28 season.

Executive Chair, Stephen Conroy, highlighted the need for change when it came to the current salary cap structure as well as the benefit of the new reform.

“Following consultation with clubs over the last twelve months, it was determined that the current spending structure, which has been in place since 2005, was no longer fit for purpose,” he said in a press release.

“We are doubling down on strategies that are already working; investing in our product and highlighting our fantastic homegrown talent. 

“The implementation of these reforms over the coming years is designed to ensure a competitive balance and to build long term foundations for growth that helps unlock the full revenue potential of each club.

“The APL Board firmly believe this is the model for long term success, giving clubs time to assess and plan before a new model is agreed to for season 2027/28 based on global best practice, that can deliver greater outcomes for talent development and a better football product.ˮ

The APL’s latest moves mark a significant step forward for the future of the A-Leagues, with new leadership on the Board and a clear plan to overhaul the financial structure of the competition, the league is positioning itself for long-term stability and growth. 

A-League records strong viewership and attendance in New-Zealand

In recent news the A-league viewership on sky sports has climbed significantly in New Zealand.

Official A-League media sources have identified that 1.31 million people have watched the A-League through Sky Sports media channels this season.

This confirms an impressive 40% increase in viewership for the 2024-25 season.

To add to this an additional 228k, a 46% increase, and 167k, a prominent 115% increase, have also streamed on Sky’s digital platforms.

This amounts to a huge increase in viewership of the sport for New Zealand and also a large portion of the respective nation’s population, displaying football’s huge popularity in Australia’s close neighbour.

Sky Sports extended their exclusive rights for the Isuzu UTE A-League Men and Ninja A-League Women at the beginning of this season and this deal will be the sole provider for 2 more seasons.

Both Leagues through this season are available not only on Sky Sports but also Sky Sport Now and Sky Go.

This upward trend in popularity can be attributed to the addition of a second New-Zealand team in Auckland FC, who currently sit at the top of the A-League and look positioned to win the minor premiership.

To match this news with viewership Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix have both recorded some of the highest game attendance in the league throughout most of their home games.

Auckland FC has had the overall highest attendance with a total of 211,095 so far and an average of 17,591. With the biggest attendance their derby against Wellington Phoenix at just above 27,000.

Auckland FC worst attendance at around 13,000 is almost double the next most attended team, Sydney FC. Wellington Phoenix have also recorded high attendance with 99,677 up to this point.

Though down averagely from last season, to maintain these numbers after a title chasing seasons shows fan dedication from the Kiwis.

The introduction of a new team from New Zealand’s biggest city has turned out to be a successful investment by the Australian Professional Leagues (APL).

It has increased viewership, attendance and all round enjoyment in the A-league, helping the APL increase in value and quality this season.

The APL and New Zealand must now build on this momentum to keep viewership strong and continue growing the beautiful game across Aotearoa.

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