AFL Commission
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| AFL Commission | |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
| Area of jurisdiction | Global |
| Formation date | 1985 |
| Headquarters | AFL House. 140 Habour Esplanade, Melbourne Docklands |
| Chairman | Mike Fitzpatrick |
| Chief Exec | Andrew Demetriou |
The AFL Commission is the official governing body of the Australian Football League (AFL), the elite national Australian Football competition.
The AFL Commission is responsible for the administration of the competition and proclaims itself as the "keeper of the code", the body universally responsible for the sport of Australian Football. Since forming in 1985, the AFL Commission has become increasingly wealthy and powerful and has had control of the sport in Australia since 1993 and internationally since 2005.
There are eight members that comprise the AFL Commission, including a Chairman and Chief executive officer. Commissioners are elected by the 16 AFL clubs, who each are entitled to make nominations. Should an election be necessary, then the membership is decided by a vote of the AFL clubs. Under the current constitution, member clubs have the power to veto commission decisions only with over 75% of votes.[1]
Contents |
[edit] National and International Game Development
The Commission was formed to set policy and has directed the AFL (known then as the VFL), the game's most professional league in December 1985.
In 1993 the AFL Commission assumed national governance of the sport (see Principle 2 below) following the earlier disbanding of the Australian National Football Council. At the same time, control of the AFL passed from the AFL Board of Directors (effectively the 16 AFL clubs) to the Commission[1], with the abolition of the Board of Directors and adoption of new Memorandum and Articles of Association for the AFL. This was a significant change of power as previously the Commission required explicit approval by the League (teams) for major items, such as further Expansion, Mergers, Relocations, Major Capital Works and similar items. The AFL also created an International Policy in 2005 in an attempt to govern the sport worldwide.
In its role as national and international governing body, the AFL Commission also controls and delegates development funding for Australian state and internatonal bodies and leagues. As most of this funding is sourced the revenue and activities associated with the AFL competition, much of the funding is directed to the competition's developing markets. Semi-professional state competitions are generally self-sufficient and receive a much lower percentage of the AFL's funding.
[edit] Members
Since commencement 21 people have served on the Commission.
Previous Chairmen of the Commission were Ross Oakley (1986-1993) and John Kennedy, Sr. (1993-1997). Alan Schwab was Executive Commissoner 1986-1993. The Chief executive officer position has previously been filled by Ross Oakley (1994-1996) and Wayne Jackson (1996-2003).
Current membership of the Commission is:
| Name | Role | Appointed |
|---|---|---|
| Mike Fitzpatrick | Chairman | (Commissioner 2003, Chairman 2007) |
| Andrew Demetriou | Chief executive officer | 2003 |
| Colin Carter OAM | Non Executive Commissioner | 1993 |
| Bill Kelty | Non Executive Commissioner | 1998 |
| Chris Langford | Non Executive Commissioner | 1999 |
| Graeme John AO | Non Executive Commissioner | 2000 |
| Bob Hammond AM | Non Executive Commissioner | 2001 |
| Linda Dessau | Non Executive Commissioner | 2007 |
| Sam Mostyn | Non Executive Commissioner | 2005 |
[edit] Club and Competition Intervention
The AFL Commission has also become involved in Australian Football League matters on occasion that the league causes on-field or off-field, sometimes in controversial circumstances.
[edit] On the field
- 2006 Aurora Stadium Siren Controversy - investigated the disputed finish to the St. Kilda vs. Fremantle match played at Aurora Stadium on 30 April 2006. The result was that the AFL commission overturned the drawn result to award Fremantle four points premiership points instead of two.
[edit] Off the field
The commission has become involved when players bring the game into disrepute, including:
- 2007 investigation into the West Coast Eagles off-field culture - including Ben Cousins[2] rehabilitation from drug addiction, Daniel Kerr's criminal charges and the hospitalisation of Chad Fletcher on the Las Vegas after choking on his own vomit.
[edit] Expansion
The AFL Commission has an ongoing role in undertaking assessments of expansion clubs and awarding new licences including:
- Gold Coast Football Club (Commission owns a stake in new club)
- Western Sydney Football Club (Commission owns a stake in new club)
- Tasmanian AFL Bid and the 2009 Senate of Australia enquiry
[edit] Member Club Viability
The AFL Commission manages a special fund called the Competitive Balance Fund (CBF) since 2004 as a grant of up to AUD$5 million per club to ensure that member clubs remain financially viable. The system was later changed to the Annual Special Distribution (ASD) of AUD$6.3 million shared among all clubs[3] as well as allowing for grants and special concessions, such as payments to ensure that AFL member clubs remain viable in the short term including.
In 2006, the Commission approved a $2.1 million special financial assistance package for the Carlton Football Club. Later the same year it threatened to withdraw North Melbourne's funding if it did not move to the Gold Coast.
In response to clubs increasingly relying on and applying for special funding in 2008, the Commission recommended removing the fund altogether.[4] However after considerable club protests led by struggling clubs Western Bulldogs, Melbourne Football Club and North Melbourne, CEO Andrew Demetriou announced that the ASD would remain. In early 2009 it increased the Melbourne Football Club's assistance from $250,000 to AUD$1 million and later made a AUD$1 million grant to the Port Adelaide Football Club[5]
[edit] State League Takeover Attempts
The AFL Commission has continually pushed for the game to be called "AFL" at all levels. The aim was to use the strong brand of the professional league as well as to promote it further. It was argued that the "word" AFL was easier to remember and does not carry connotations of "Australian". This was first promoted heavily in its developing markets, in leagues and governing bodies which the AFL had bought into, and increasingly adopted by the media. As the new national governing body, the AFL began to enforce the brand on any newly affiliated leagues. The move has attracted significant criticism and controversy, particularly from amateur leagues and bodies in Australia, which continue to use the formal name. The AFL successfully negotiated a name change for Football Victoria to AFL Victoria in 2007 and continues to push for a full takeover of the league[6]. It also pushed for the SANFL and WAFL to become AFL South Australia and AFL Western Australia respectively. However the SANFL and WAFL continue to resist an AFL takeover at board level.
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/nrl/story/0,26746,23927734-5016365,00.html
- ^ http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsId=69870
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,,23845943-10389,00.html
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,,23845943-10389,00.html
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,25639805-12428,00.html
- ^ http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/afl/story/0,27009,25238551-5016140,00.html
[edit] External links
|
||||||||
