Season length? Expansion? A-League planning for uncertain future

A-league decision-makers are battling to plan for the future of the competition against an uncertain backdrop, with numerous factors still up in the air and a COVID-19 situation that has been changing by the day.

Suspended on March 14, a review of the A-League's resumption had been due on April 22 but, even if the 2019/20 season is somehow played to completion, the 2020/21 campaign is also set to be heavily impacted by the global COVID-19 crisis.

Not only will the economic landscape it takes part in be dramatically different, but it will also be wedged into a sporting calendar in which numerous codes will be seeking to make up for lost time.

Though a number of options have been discussed, senior sources have told FTBL that the shortest season length discussed by A-League decision-makers is a 22-game regular season between January and April, with a finals series to follow.

That the owners are discussing a fixture of 11 home and away fixtures would also seemingly indicate that the planned inclusion of Macarthur FC into the competition in 2020/21 – bringing it up to 12 teams – is still going ahead despite the COVID-19 crisis.

Much of the discussions surrounding the future of the competition largely depend on the fate of the money tied to the A-League’s broadcast agreement with Fox Sports.

The final quarterly payment for this year’s season, which is worth nearly a million dollars for each A-League club, had been expected this month prior to the league’s suspension but, in the wake of the league’s suspension, significant doubt has been thrown on its delivery.

According to some reports, however, the FFA and A-League believe Fox Sports are contractually obligated to pay the instalment; setting up a potential legal showdown between the league and the only broadcaster it has ever known.

Have just been told by a reliable source that Fox Sports are contractually legally bound to pay the next instalment of fees to the A-League and FFA but are currently refusing to do so.
— Lucy Zelić (@LucyZelic) April 2, 2020

According to a story from The Daily Telegraph, a number of A-League owners have also pushed for the league’s salary cap - $3.2 million in 2019/20 – to be slashed by over 50%.

Any attempts to instigate such a cut would spark an immediate and furious backlash from player’s union Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), who has already clashed with several A-League clubs over their decision to stand down players.

At time of writing, Perth Glory, Central Coast, Adelaide United, Newcastle Jets, Western Sydney Wanderers, Western United and Brisbane Roar had reportedly stood down their playing groups in the face of the league’s COVID-19 enforced shutdown.

"This is an incredibly uncertain period for all clubs, businesses and individuals and like everyone we are trying to get through this as best we can,” Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas said.

“We are looking at every possible scenario to find a way through this situation in an environment where there is no clear path.

“Our priority right now is to ensure this club has a future and that our players, coaches and staff are kept well informed and their well-being is maintained.”

Only Wellington Phoenix, Sydney FC, Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory had committed to paying their players through the month of April – although what these club’s positions will be should the suspension of the competition turn into an abandonment remains unclear.

The PFA, who has been calling for league-wide negotiations over player stand-downs, has lambasted the individualised nature of club actions and even floated the possibility of unpaid players becoming free agents – although the Sydney Morning Herald has reported that under the Australian Fair Work Act clubs are protected from losing players for nothing.

On Friday evening, however, signs of hope for peace between clubs and the PFA emerged when the two parties announced they had agreed to begin negotiations next week.