AGREEMENT DETAIL
Key points of the agreement for Adelaide to enter the SANFL league competition next year include:
- The AFC will pay an annual licence fee of $400,000 ($50,000 per SANFL club) to be indexed;
- The AFC support team will be branded the Adelaide Football Club, will wear an alternate Crows guernsey and will play all its games ‘away’;
- The AFC to have the ability to attract sponsors for its SANFL team (no competing partners of the SANFL competition);
- SANFL clubs can opt in/out of providing top up players to the AFC; and
- The SANFL will conduct a 25-week season with 18 minor round matches, each club playing each other twice.
PLAYER REGULATIONS AND SUPPORT STAFF STRUCTURE
Listed players
- All AFC listed players (including Rookie listed) to play with AFC support team should they not be in the Adelaide Crows team.
Top Up players – leadership player
- AFC can contract one ‘leadership’ player per season.
- 28 years and over, must have been on AFC AFL list.
Top Up players – other
- SANFL Clubs can opt in / out of providing top up players to the AFC.
- SANFL Clubs must make the decision on in /out by November 1st.
- Should SANFL Clubs chose to opt in, they agree to always have a minimum of 2 players available for selection for the AFC.
- These players will be:
- 18 – 22 years old, on an SANFL Club list
- Selected at start of pre-season in conjunction with SANFL Clubs
- AFC and SANFL Clubs to review at conclusion of Rd 6 and Rd 12
- Cannot play against the player’s home SANFL Club
- Receive a match payment of $100
- AFC to access further ‘top up’ players from community football. These players are not to have played at SANFL level for a minimum of 18 months and will receive $400 per match.
- Top up player system to be reviewed annually.
- Should the PAFC enter a team in the SANFL League Competition with the same on field regulations as the AFC, this would need to be reviewed.
SANFL League Finals qualification
- No qualification criteria for AFL listed players during the SANFL finals series when the AFC is still involved at AFL level
- Should the AFC not be involved at AFL level, a player must have played the majority of his football at SANFL level, or 3 of the last 5 games at SANFL level to qualify
- AFC would not qualify for SANFL Finals prize money or appearance fees
Competition commitment
- AFC to commit to ‘playing to the line’.
- Will not rest players and take up elective surgery options
- SANFL doctor to provide 2nd opinion on surgeries before end of season
- Will commit in writing of these points, to be in Club and head coach charters.
Support Staff
- AFC to commit to not recruiting support staff directly from SANFL Clubs.
Home Venue
- AFC will not have a home venue; will play as away team throughout the minor round.
COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE
Commitment & Licence Fee
- 15 year term, reviewed annually by the SANFL
- 12 month notice period for SANFL & SANFL Clubs to terminate agreement
- AFC to pay an annual licence fee – 50% on December 1st and 50% on June 1st to the SANFL for their involvement in the SANFL League Competition
- In 2014, this fee is to be $400K ($50K per SANFL Club), with CPI increases for the 2015 and 2016 seasons
- Licence fee to be reviewed at the end of the 2016 season, with CPI increases a minimum for subsequent seasons
Membership
- AFC will not sell SANFL team membership.
- AFC Members to have access to AFC support team matches
- SANFL to explore joint membership options with AFL level AFC, including access to SANFL games
To be explored in good faith between SANFL Management, AFC and SANFL Club representatives.
Branding
- AFC support team to be branded Adelaide Football Club
- AFC support team not to wear Crows style home AFL guernsey in the SANFL but can wear a Crows alternate guernsey
Guernsey to be approved by the SANFL in line with existing regulations.
Sponsorship
- AFC to have the ability to attract sponsors for their SANFL team. (no competing partners of the SANFL Competition)
SANFL approval required.
Media
- AFC to generate interest in SANFL Competition and other SANFL Clubs through media activation, social media and website
- AFC to assist SANFL in securing partners for commercial TV broadcast
Community Engagement
- AFC to commit to working with SANFL Clubs (Should the SANFL Clubs opt in) in promoting pathways to AFL football
- In lead up to SANFL games, AFC will help promote the game in tandem with the SANFL club within their promotional zone
- AFC to provide a Home Match speaker (player/official) to the club that they are playing against in the SANFL competition
COMPETITION STRUCTURE
SANFL Fixture
- Focussed on maximising attendances for SANFL teams
- 25 week season from start to end; Start date to be set once AFL fixture is known
- 18 minor round matches over 21 weeks
- 1 bye for State Game
- 2 split rounds (one of these to coincide with Foxtel Cup Grand Final)
- 10 home matches per Club
Salary Cap
- SANFL to confirm salary cap at existing levels for 2014
Magarey Medal
- AFC players would be eligible to win the Magarey Medal
State representation
- AFC players would not be eligible for State Game representation
Drafted player fees
- SANFL to revisit drafted player fees to SANFL Clubs, to include payments for rookie listed players that remain in SA on either the AFC or PAFC lists