Football Federation Victoria (FFV) has broken its silence over the National Premier League (NPL) rollout and has sought to clarify its controversial model.
Around fifty Victorian clubs and consortiums have abandoned the state league model and banded together to create a new model that they say is more flexible and less costly. They are now working with the FFV through mediation outside of court to reach an agreement.
FFV president Nick Monteleone defended the current NPL model in a written statement, hitting out at rumours and reports he calls “misleading or simply incorrect”. The FFV is sticking to its September 30 date to release its NPL licences, but has given itself some leeway, saying the assessment period can be “extended if required”.
The FFV is hoping to resolve the issue when they meet with the opposing clubs next week on September 18. If no agreement is reached, the two will take matters to the Magistrates Court on September 23.
In the statement, Mr Monteleone listed ten more pressing rumours the FFV wanted to clarify with members.
Mr Monteleone clarified the FFA is supporting the FFV, despite the FFA keeping a watchful eye on the situation. It hit back at rumours the NPL licence fee needs to be paid upfront, saying “it is a staggered payment period for the licence fee will be available”. But, it confirmed the licence fee will need to be paid prior to various competitions commencing.
The FFV says a bank guarantee from a club is “not mandatory and may be called upon when there is a genuine concern that an NPL club cannot meet its financial obligations under the licence”.
The FFV has not released financial projections and costings for their model despite being asked to by the clubs. The clubs themselves have worked out their own estimates and believe a club can be more than $140,000 out of pocket if they are forced to implement all the NPL recommendations.
The FFV says a “NPL club determines its own budget within the National Competitions Review (NCR) guidelines”.
It says councils are “either supportive of or have no real objection to the NPL”, and says the “maximum amount an NPL club can charge parents for a junior is $1700”.
The FFV did not address rumours the Victorian Federation is in financial trouble, nor did it directly address whether current board members will be removed at a general meeting on September 27, as was stated by the co-signatory clubs in a statement last week.