AFL announces $18m rescue package for country and community footy

The AFL will hand a lifeline to every country footy club in Victoria under a massive rescue package, spearheaded by the dumping of the most hated fee in football. Here’s how much your club will save.

Grassroots footy will get an $18 million free kick in an unprecedented move by the AFL to save country and community clubs. Picture: David Caird

Grassroots footy will get an $18 million free kick in an unprecedented move by the AFL to save country and community clubs.

The AFL will announce a statewide rescue package to help every country club, spearheaded by the dumping of the most hated fee in football.

AFL affiliation fees — the levy clubs pay to be aligned with league headquarters — will be axed, saving footy regions more than $3.2 million a year for the next three years.

A special $3 million fund will also be set up to provide money for volunteers, the lifeblood of community teams, over the next three years.

And in a further move to make it more affordable for clubs, the AFL will ask official suppliers to make “significant” cuts to the cost of match wear, such as shorts and jumpers.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said footy clubs were “often the heart of local communities” and the funding would lay the foundation for a strong future for country footy.

AFL chief Gillon McLachlan get thanks from junior country footballer representatives Tom, Alexandra, Jasmine, Jaska and Coco on changes to country footy governance and support. Picture: David Caird

“We understand the challenges faced in Victorian country football communities, especially with a change in demographics and community expectations,” he said.

“So it’s vital we continue to invest our support into volunteers, coaches, players, facilities and umpires who are the lifeblood of regional communities.”

The funding will directly benefit 846 clubs, 3359 teams and about 90,000 players.

AFL Goldfields, including the Ballarat, Riddell District and Maryborough Castlemaine District leagues, will save more than $1.4 million in the next three years in axed affiliation fees.

AFL South East, which takes in Mornington Peninsula, South East Juniors and Frankston and District Junior Leagues, will save $450,743 for each of the next three years, and AFL Barwon, including Geelong Football Netball, Bellarine, Geelong and District and Colac Leagues, will have $404,010 more in its bank account.

Umpire registration fees will also be abolished.

The AFL will appoint two integrity officers to help policy development, investigate child safety matters, vilification claims and social media breaches.

New “village hubs” linked to schools, communities and AFL clubs will be launched in some regions at a cost of $330,000, to help create the next generation of players, umpires and coaches.

And the AFL will invest $1.5 million each a year in a strategic community investment fund to respond to local league and club needs.

Mr McLachlan said it was vital the AFL supported community footy, “the cornerstone of our game” which “underpins all aspects of our national sport”.

“This funding, when coupled with the support already in place through the work of AFL Victoria, provides a platform for long-term growth in community football,” he said.

The funding shake-up is the most the AFL has tipped into the grassroots game in at least two decades but the removal of affiliation fees will have the most impact.

Bacchus Marsh Football and Netball Club general manager Tony Sutherland said the changes would be “massive” for his Ballarat League club, boasting 17 footy and 15 netball teams.

Junior country footballer representatives Alexandra and Jaska welcome the changes to country footy governance. Picture: David Caird

“Costs have been rising significantly in the last few years so anything that helps goes a long distance,” he said.

“They’ve said we will be $10,000 better off each year and that is a lot of pies and raffle tickets sold by the volunteers.”

The Herald Sun this year revealed anger among country and community clubs — some fighting for survival — about fees they had to pay the AFL to play.

An online petition by former AFL Gippsland commissioner John White calling for an independent review into how AFL Victoria governs the game attracted more than 2000 signatures.

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The AFL and state government will spend more than $300,000 a year for the next three years to help volunteers run their clubs, including the launch of a digital portal and face-to-face support system.

The new portal will simplify and streamline processes for volunteers.

The AFL said footy participation rates increased by four per cent last year, with 474,633 players, 1223 clubs and 89 leagues.

Victoria’s female participation rates have tripled over the past three years to surpass 1000 registered female teams for the first time this year.

The new AFL funding model will come into effect next season.

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Originally published as AFL announces $18m rescue package for country and community footy