The league executives and club presidents met on Wednesday night and voted unanimously to cancel the senior grade season, citing long-term sustainability as the core reason in a statement released Thursday.
General manager Dale Norman said too many factors were working against the league as it attempted to generate a shortened season.
“Time was against us in the end,” Norman said.
“To play a compromised competition and with no clear direction for crowds, the only viable decision to ensure the long-term sustainability of the clubs was to cancel the season.
“Revenue streams for clubs have been impacted due to the inability to generate sponsorship and membership sales.
“Clubs also expressed concerns about the additional burden on volunteers to comply with COVID-19 protocols and procedures, community health and the impact on older volunteers, the inability to manage crowds and implement social distancing requirements and the ongoing confusion over cross-border protocols.”
The league had not announced a return to play date before its cancellation, with no date apparent as yet for its junior grade competitions, which are under-14 and under-17 football, along with 11-and-under, 13-and-under, 15-and-under and 17-and-under netball.
The league's statement said the Victorian Government's recent tightening of coronavirus-related restrictions, made continuing with a season would be "socially irresponsible".
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