Football Australia and the newly formed Australian Professional Leagues (APL) today announced that terms have been agreed to ‘unbundle’ the A-League, Westfield W-League and Y-League (‘Professional Leagues’) from Football Australia. As part of the unbundling, the APL will also obtain the exclusive right to use the intellectual property rights associated with the E-League brand.
Paul Lederer, Chair of the APL said:
“This is an historic moment for the future of football in Australia–for the fan, for the player, for the whole game.“
“It’s now time to earn and deliver the future our game deserves.“
“The handbrake on the game is off; owners can finally invest in what they own and create value for the entire footballing ecosystem.“
“Players can plan their careers in Australian football, fans can reconnect with the game that they love, and clubs can create meaningful moments for the whole Australian Football Family.”
Chris Nikou, Chair of Football Australia said:
“There is unprecedented unity amongst football’s key stakeholders with the Football Australia, Clubs, and the Members of Football Australia, being the group making up the NLWG, that paved the way to the unbundling of the A-League, W-League and Y-League from Football Australia.“
“Football Australia will now focus its energies and resources on the regulation of the professional game, national teams, grassroots and the overall strategic direction of the game as outlined in the XI Principles for the future of Australian Football, the new 15-year vision for the sport and strategic agenda.”
“All parties are committed to ongoing cooperation and collaboration and we look forward to working closely with the APL this season as we transition to the new model, and more broadly, the future of professional football in Australia.”
