A-League entrants Macarthur FC pledge to have two elected fan representatives on club board
New A-League entrants Macarthur FC will give fans an official voice in the club in what will be a first for the competition.
A-League
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Buried amid a blizzard of announcements from the A-League’s newest club was a game-changing initiative that offers its supporters unheard-of levels of democracy.
Macarthur FC, who will enter the competition next season, will have two elected fan representatives on the club’s board to convey the views of the supporter base at every step.
Having delegates of the club’s membership involved in strategic decision making would be a unique proposition for the A-League at a point where the competition as a whole is striking out on its own.
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Macarthur will become the A-League’s 12th team next season, and announced a front of shirt sponsor worth $15m over three seasons, a new football director and the assistant coach on Thursday.
But in the long term the move to have elected fan representatives is the most eye-catching.
Other clubs have spoken about having member representation at decision-making level, but so far it hasn’t gone beyond an advisory level. Some clubs, like the Mariners, listen to their membership intently, but it’s a different level to have two voices from the stands at board meetings.
In Germany’s Bundesliga, all clubs have to be owned by their members, to avoid rich owners changing the fabric of the club. It also avoids the feelings of disenfranchisement that can be lethal to a club’s future.
Macarthur FC’s seven-strong board will also be mandated to have at least three women on it overall. The members will elect one male and one female representative, while Campbeltown City Council will also have their own representative.
“Our vision is to be known by all as more than a football club. By giving our members the power to elect two people to the club’s board goes a long way to achieving the level of community integration we spoke about during the bid process for our A-League licence,” executive chairman Rabieh Krayem said.
“It’s the first model of its kind in the competition and we aim to prove that allowing committed supporters to contribute to the club on a deeper level will only make us stronger and more aligned with our fanbase.”