Gippsland League makes the move to self governance
Gippsland League and AFL Gippsland are pleased to jointly announce the Gippsland League will progress to a self-governance model for 2022 and beyond.
With the current service agreement between AFL Gippsland and Gippsland League set to expire on 31 October this year, the member clubs have been in discussion with AFL Gippsland over the last 12 months to explore what a self-governance model would look like. In May this year, the member clubs with the support of AFL Gippsland opted to move to a self-governance model in 2022 including reimplementing a board of management to govern the Gippsland League.
Gippsland League has been administered by the AFL Gippsland Regional Administration Centre (RAC) since 2015. In 2017, the Gippsland League member clubs voted unanimously to move away from an independent board to a governance and administration model under AFL Gippsland and the AFL Gippsland Commission. This model saw AFL Gippsland take on full responsibility for the Leagues operations, financial decision making and governance. Since 2017 the Gippsland League has had a successful period off the field with the business operations developing into one of the strongest in country football. Under AFL Gippsland, the Gippsland League has been able to stabilise and grow to a position where the League has heavily invested back in the member clubs, umpire associations and the on-field products. The League’s current strong off field position has been a key factor in the decision to reimplement an independent board of management that will play a key role in continuing to grow the Gippsland League. Member clubs indicated they would like to explore AFL Gippsland continuing the operational management of the League through the RAC, however, it was encouraged by AFL Gippsland that it was in the best interest of a self governing Gippsland League to also setup the business operations model for the League in 2022 and beyond.
“The time is right for the League to continue its growth and promote itself as the major league of the region” said Region Manager Nic Fogarty, ”It will be great to see the direction an independent board will take the league on the back of the off field and financial success Daniel has built over a number of years.”
AFL Gippsland’s first two seasons administering the Gippsland League’s business operations saw the League bounce back from the deficits recorded in 2013 and 2014 to post consecutive profits of over $90,000 without the alteration of any member club fees. In 2017, after those two successful years, the League invested over $140,000 into activities to benefit the member clubs including removing the League finals catering share, a reduction of member club fees, the implementation of a $50,000 club grants program which all 10 member clubs accessed and the investment of an extra $30,000 of association umpires from the Gippsland region to officiate club matches. The League continues to invest in several initiatives yearly for the member clubs including continuing that investment in association umpires and other initiatives including officials’ apparel, equipment and theme rounds. Despite the yearly rising costs of operations, under AFL Gippsland governance, the member club fees have not increased since the amount set by the previous independent board in 2011.
Under AFL Gippsland the Gippsland League has also grown the profile of the ‘Premier League’. The League has grown the largest digital audience among the Gippsland football and netball competitions. Another huge step forward in the digital space has been the creation and development of Gippsland League TV including the filming weekly matches. The weekly filming expanded into having two matches filmed per week, a monthly live streamed match with commentary and two sets of weekly highlights packages. In 2019 Gippsland League was the first country football League in the state to sign on with Premier Data to include full statistics of the two senior matches filmed per week. The League also moved to have all Grand Final football matches live streamed and in 2017 & 2018 the A Grade Grand Final was live called by TRFM an initiative that the League is hoping to continue moving forward. Through AFL Gippsland’s initiative in 2019 the League also moved to live streamed vote counts which was received with a tremendously positive response from the member clubs.
ABOVE: Gippsland League TV and the digital coverage of the Gippsland League has bought the on field product to a wider audience.
The finals series and events have been another key area where the League and member clubs have seen development. AFL Gippsland removed the Gippsland League’s finals catering share and implemented a shared catering revenue system among all 10 member clubs to allow each club an equal opportunity to profit from the finals series. Since its inception, over the three year period the system has seen over $124,000 go directly to the member clubs on top of the hosting fees that each host clubs receives. The centralised finals system was also adjusted to allow finals to be played outside Latrobe Valley, since 2017 finals have returned to Western Park, Maffra Recreation Reserve and Sale Oval. Under AFL Gippsland there has also been record finals takings with each individual final recording their highest recorded gate taking including the 2019 minor finals series which saw the highest recorded overall gate takings for the five minor finals demonstrating the continued growth and promotion of the League.
ABOVE: Under AFL Gippsland, the Gippsland League has been actively involved in many community health awareness projects.
League Manager Daniel Heathcote, who has been involved with the Gippsland League over the past 6 seasons, played a large role in the transition of governance in 2017 to AFL Gippsland and currently sits on the five person steering committee to transition back to a self-governed system for 2022. “Having the League in such a strong on field and off field position is a great place for the Gippsland League and the member clubs to be. The financial position of the league is a huge positive for the future of the Gippsland League and will help make some exciting initiatives possible” said Heathcote. “The League has achieved a lot in the past seven seasons and creating some goals and getting more people involved to help achieve those goals will be a big positive for the Gippsland League”
The five-person steering committee includes Daniel Heathcote (Gippsland League & AFL Gippsland), Nicholas Fogarty (AFL Gippsland Region Manager), Clinton Taylor (Moe FNC Vice President), John Schelling (Leongatha FNC Vice President) and Shane Bennett (Maffra FNC Vice President). The committee has met twice since the clubs confirmed the intention to not seek a new service agreement at a meeting in May. The following timeline has been put in place to ensure that the League and member clubs have a smooth transition from November 1st.
Gippsland League board implementation timeline:
14 July – 28 July - Applications for board candidates to submit an expression of interest to fulfill a role on the Gippsland League board
29 July – Gippsland League steering committee to review the applications received and assess in line with the terms of reference criteria established by the committee
2 August - Information session for all candidates selected to be considered for the Gippsland League board
4 August - Proposed meeting with member clubs to present recommended board candidates
31 August – Potential board implemented as a operational subcommittee under AFL Gippsland governance to begin transition process
17 November (date TBC pending availability of AGM documents including financial audit) –League to hold Annual General Meeting to ratify new independent board
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Last Modified on 09/07/2021 15:57