Dear Glory Family,
It is a very sad time for football, especially given the extraordinary times in which we live.
Regrettably, the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association (APFCA) has not been able to come to an agreement with PFA (Professional Footballers Australia) on a CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) for the upcoming season.
Despite APFCA committing to underwrite the League budget by millions of dollars that needed to be found, PFA has told us that they are not prepared to take a 30% pay cut for the season ahead.
The Clubs are the only group prepared to put money into the game at the moment; a combined $40million at least if the season is to go ahead on the proposed budget.
In Perth Glory’s case, our revenue from the broadcast rights has dropped by almost 50% and in light of the unprecedented worldwide pandemic, our gate receipts remain uncertain because of WA’s hard borders.
These border restrictions will be another huge direct hit to our revenue of about 30%.
So in total, Glory’s total revenue may drop by up to 75% for the upcoming season.
In all other football codes, AFL NRL and Super Rugby, the players have taken, on average, a 45% cut.
On top of those cuts, most of the Victorian and New Zealand AFL, NRL and Super Rugby players have been living in hubs away from families and friends for up to five months.
And yet PFA have still rejected the proposed 30% reduction outright.
This is unsustainable for our club and hence I may have to make the very hard decision to once again stand down our players and staff until the situation is resolved.
All players and staff that are entitled have already received all their entitlements, plus Jobkeeper payments, which will total approximately 75% of their current pay up until 21st September.
Some other clubs will also stand down players and staff, other clubs may pay 50% of current salaries, but all owners are unanimous in offering the players a 30% reduction for this upcoming season because that’s all the money there is.
Hopefully with a new broadcast deal and the border restrictions being eased, our collective revenues will return which will again see an increase in player pay packets.
We have been transparent with PFA.
A 30% reduction is what the game needs to survive and what it can afford.
We, as a collective, face a huge revenue hit on average of more than 70% which has to be underwritten by each of the club owners.
Therefore the 30% reduction request is very fair and reasonable, given the benchmarks set by other sporting codes of player reductions that are in excess of 30%.
Our very sincere hope was that common sense would prevail and that we could get through this as a united code.
Tony Sage
Owner and Chairman
