More than a decade after its implementation, the model is set to be phased out, with AFL Victoria’s RAC Directional Strategies Project report confirming five Regional Administration Centres (RACs), which offer centralised administration services for local football-netball leagues, will transition away from the model, opening the door for leagues to return to self-management.
AFL Goulburn Murray, which oversees administration of the Goulburn Valley League, Kyabram District League, Northern Country Women’s League, and the Goulburn Murray Junior League, was one of 11 regional commissions introduced following the Peter Jackson Report of Country Football back in 2011.
“Through the RAC Directional Strategies Project, strategies to guide individual regions’ RAC direction will be explored in collaboration with the relevant leagues to ensure a seamless transition, a task already completed in the six regions mentioned above,” an AFL Victoria statement said.
“These changes in direction are an acknowledgment by AFL Victoria that the concept of RACs as initially proposed in 2011 has not been fully realised, based on an inability to consolidate football management, finances and governance in some regions.”
AFL Victoria continued in its statement, saying it will support transitional efforts and continue funding.
“Specifically, these strategies include a transitional exit from service agreements, empowering leagues to self-manage in a manner suitable to their needs,” AFL Victoria said.
“Initial consultations have commenced across regional leagues with the concept and proposed process received well, pending further planning and collaboration.”
Current service agreements will continue for next season while transition plans are developed. The GVL, which moved to AFLGM administration in 2014, will hold a club delegates meeting Wednesday evening, board chair Peter Foott confirmed.
KDL president Peter Cordy said investigations had already been underway into what a self-management model would look like for the league.
“Our league was doing due diligence on the cost to self administer anyhow,” Cordy said.
“We’ve started that process, and we’re looking at the costs and what it would mean to self administer ourselves.
“My understanding is that this will take one or two years to happen; it’s not like it’s got to happen tomorrow.
“It’s a progression, and they’ll work with the leagues to ensure that happens.”
More to come.
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