Australian Professional Leagues (APL) Chair, the Hon Stephen Conroy, has issued a statement to A-Leagues fans. Read it below.
Further to my update in January, and recent media speculation, I wanted to update you, our fans, about the latest Board decision that was taken this morning.
The Board, comprising myself, four club representatives; and Board representatives appointed by Silver Lake and Football Australia agreed to reduce the annual club grant.
The decision, which has been under discussion with league and Board representatives over the past few months, aligns with the Board’s commercial review of the A-Leagues since the original three-year strategy came to an end.
This is not a decision we have taken lightly. We understand the challenges this will present to clubs in the short term, and we will work closely with all clubs to support them through this period.
We are committed to right-sizing the A-Leagues which is why we’ve been focused on cutting costs across the leagues, growing our core football product and uniting the football pyramid to support the growth of our game.
The Board, the Leagues and the Clubs are committed to continuing to deliver the best football possible. We have our eye firmly on the future. Our core metrics are positive, with three years of growth, which will position the league for revenue growth in the future.
We thank you for your ongoing support and we look forward to announcing detail on the 2024/25 season shortly.