A-Leagues: APL commissioner Nick Garcia gone mid-season, Stephen Conroy takes control of APL
Former federal senator Stephen Conroy will oversee Australia’s professional football competitions with A-Leagues boss Nick Garcia finishing as commissioner mid-season. Find out the latest inside.
Former federal senator Stephen Conroy will oversee Australia’s professional football competitions with A-Leagues boss Nick Garcia finishing as commissioner mid-season.
In an afternoon of high drama at Australian Professional Leagues (APL) headquarters, news of Garcia’s departure emerged with the organisation not addressing the shock move.
Later on Thursday the APL released a statement confirming board chair Conroy would take on the role of executive chairman for now, with still no reference to Garcia’s position.
“The board of the Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has been driving a comprehensive organisational transformation throughout 2024 to strengthen the future of Australian men’s and women’s professional football,” the statement reads.
“With significant progress made both on and off the field, the board has unanimously asked chairman Stephen Conroy to take on an executive role to lead the final phase of this transformation.
“As executive chairman, Conroy will oversee the optimisation of APL’s operations. Once this process is complete, he will return to his non-executive role.”
It is understood that Garcia’s departure was ratified by the board.
Conroy was appointed as independent APL chair in September 2023 while Garcia stepped up to take over the reins from CEO Danny Townsend in October of that same year.
Garcia was tasked with strategic and tactical business operations for the A-Leagues.
Following Townsend’s departure it was revealed the APL was struggling.
A $140 million cash injection from private equity firm Silver Lake was gone. Digital arm KeepUp, which reportedly cost $30 million to establish, was shuttered and the APL was forced to axe half of its workforce in a massive restructure.
The broadcast deal with Paramount+/ Network 10 was heavily criticised in its formative years, however had significantly improved during Garcia’s tenure.
However, the APL was unable to deliver on promised expansion in Garcia’s time, with the APL unable to get buyers on board for the Canberra licence.
And then this season the APL was forced to slash the central distribution fund share to clubs from $2 million to $530,000.
The board has shrunk - while it once had a representative from every club it now consists of just five people plus independent chair Stephen Conroy. Just three of the board members are affiliated with an A-League’s club.
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