The Australian Football League is facing a "heated fashion debate" over its push to reject the traditional football jersey in favor of an American-style short-sleeved top, "as it redesigns uniforms for the new national women's competition," according to Caroline Wilson of THE AGE. And the desire by head office "to rebrand women's football outfits" has antagonized some foundation clubs, placing them "in conflict with current apparel sponsors." The tender document distributed to clubs "outlines the AFL's preference to join forces with one central apparel partner." Currently the men's competition has nine different apparel sponsors. While no potential sponsors have been officially mentioned, the AFL "has mooted an exclusive deal with one of the key women's active wear brands -- notably Lululemon Athletica, Lorna Jane or Cotton On." This has placed the league "at odds" with Melbourne Football Club. Melbourne CEO Peter Jackson said that the AFL's apparel plans "would conflict with the Demons' uniform sponsor New Balance." Jackson also warned the competition against "separating the women from their male counterparts." He said, "Surely you want to embed the women's team into your football club. Why can't they just specify the look they are after and not hurt our existing partnerships?" AFL Commercial Operations Manager Darren Birch said that the new national league "had handed the competition an opportunity to rewrite its historic failure to capture football apparel appealing to women." Birch: "We've never really been able to nail women's apparel. ... The apparel we have at the moment is not really structured well for women" (THE AGE, 4/6).
