The relationship between some A-League clubs and Football Federation Australia "appears to have broken beyond repair" with the club chairs "set to take legal action against the governing body," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Several club owners are reportedly "preparing to go to court" in an attempt to force FFA to open its books and reveal its finances. It comes after the governing body's "recent decision not to grant the clubs an increase in their share of A-League revenue and refusing the clubs' request to release an independent profit report for the competition." The owners are holding out for an "absolute minimum cash provision" of A$4M ($3.2M) per season. However, FFA informed them it "cannot afford to distribute that amount." FFA CEO David Gallop "hit back at the clubs," suggesting they have "no right to access" the organization's finances. Gallop said, "In this context, sudden threats of legal action from another owner to compel disclosure of financial information is both hard to understand and contrary to the spirit in which FFA has engaged with the clubs to give them greater control and ownership of the Hyundai A-League" (SMH, 7/20).
'LIKE CHILDREN': SBS' Dave Lewis reported according to one club owner, A-League clubs are being treated "like children" by FFA. The exec, speaking anonymously, "offered a stern rebuke to FFA" over what the clubs view as a "derisory" $3.55M ($2.83M) grant offer for the '17-18 season, an offer they "universally rejected." The club owner said, "There has been an evolution in the game over the past 12 years since the inception of the competition. Back then, we, the clubs, were immature toddlers and it made sense for there to be a firm hand to control how the game grew, and that came from FFA. ... But, as time has gone on, we have grown up, become wiser and reached a level of maturity which demands that we must be treated in a different manner to the kids that we once were. The problem is that FFA has not readily recognized this, and while we have now graduated and become adults they still treat us rather like children" (SBS, 7/20).
