A-League news: Mass redundancies expose huge APL mess, Robbie Slater

Much was promised when the APL took over the running of the A-League. But after three years, and millions of dollars wasted, it’s been nothing short of a disaster, writes Robbie Slater.

Three years after breaking away from Football Australia, the APL and A-League is in a huge mess. Picture: Getty Images

Be careful what you wish for.

Three years ago, A-League clubs made a song and dance about wanting to breakaway from Football Australia and run their own competition.

FA, who had probably had enough of the A-League’s ongoing issues, obliged, the sport was “unbundled” and the newly formed Australian Professional Leagues took over the running of the nation’s top men’s and women’s competitions.

A lot was promised in terms of how everything would be better.

However, three years later, the APL, and by extension the A-League, is in a huge mess.

How else could you describe the APL’s decision to reportedly make more than half of their staff redundant?

It’s nothing short of a disaster.

Three years after breaking away from Football Australia, the APL and A-League is in a huge mess. Picture: Getty Images

Millions of dollars have gone down the drain due to one bad decision after another.

The money spent on the A-League’s digital and creative arm KeepUp – understood to be at least $30 million – was ludicrous.

And that’s not having a go at the KeepUp staff who probably worked tirelessly despite it being a lost cause.

A lot of them are now the ones who are suffering, having lost their jobs due to the closure of KeepUp as we know it, not that many people knew it even existed.

The APL’s decision to award its broadcasting rights to Network 10 and Paramount + has also proven to be a huge and costly mistake.

The ratings have not met the promised numbers in the contract, meaning 10 and Paramount don’t have to pay the original amount of the deal.

A-League Commissioner Nick Garcia ahead of Unite Round … the compromise after the bungled grand final hosting rights debacle. Picture: Getty Images

The coverage hasn’t been good enough for the broadcasting of a national competition.

As a result of the broadcast deal falling short of the expected amount, the APL was then forced to sell grand final hosting rights to the NSW government, a decision which tore at the sport’s fabric.

That contract was renegotiated after just one season and led to the competition’s “Unite Round” in Sydney.

While the idea was OK, the execution of “Unite Round” was ordinary, which was shown in the poor crowd numbers, which even when seemingly inflated, were disastrous.

And yet despite these financial problems, the A-League is expanding next season.

While the idea of Unite Round was okay, the execution was ordinary, writes Robbie Slater. Picture: Getty Images

Is it the right time to expand?

Players want more games but you don’t need more teams to have more matches.

The A-League is in desperate need of some stability.

Some are calling for FA to again take the reins of the competition, but they don’t want to, and they don’t need to.

While the APL’s financial woes aren’t good for the A-League, it’s not about to fold.

Silver Lake, the American private equity firm which has a 33 per cent stake in the competition, has little choice but to up its investment.

Hopefully, this time, the money will be spent more wisely.

Football in Australia has faced several challenges in its history. This is its latest, and while there might have to be some short-term pain – perhaps including a less lucrative broadcast deal somewhere other than 10 and Paramount – in the long run it will be worth it.

Originally published as A-League news: Mass redundancies expose huge APL mess, Robbie Slater