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