Almost half of the workforce behind the A-Leagues are set to be made redundant,sources have told this masthead.Credit:Getty
The move will stabilise the APL in the short term,the sources said,but it raises serious concerns over the direction of the club-run entity,which has operated the A-Leagues since securing their hard-fought independence from Football Australia at the start of 2021.
As part of the “restructure”,sources have indicated that KeepUp,the APL’s digital and content arm which sat at the core of the organisation’s strategy under previous CEO Danny Townsend,will effectively be closed down.
“In the three years since unbundling,APL has implemented a strategy that has seen a period of rapid growth across our business,” an APL spokesperson said in a statement. “With the original three-year strategy coming to an end,a planned full strategic and commercial review has taken place over the last several months.
“The review has identified significant opportunities to create efficiencies through consolidation and this necessitates an organisational restructure that is now underway.
Bill Foley,the owner of the incoming Auckland franchise,with Nick Garcia,the A-Leagues commissioner.Credit:Getty
“APL’s priorities remain the same - to deliver commercial growth and sustainability by creating the most exciting competitions possible for our fans - with strong teams producing great young players across Australia and New Zealand.”
While the rest of Australian soccer is booming,with the grassroots strong and both the Socceroos and Matildas coming off record-breaking performances at their respective World Cups,the A-Leagues are going in the opposite direction,with crowds and general interest continuing to nosedive.