AFLW Historic Joint AFL/AFLW Cba Signed

[The_Wookie]

AFL x AFLPA MEDIA RELEASE

Landmark joint Collective Bargaining Agreement reached Long-term five-year deal provides certainty for industry 2023-2027 Further 29% pay uplift for AFLW players effective immediately AFLW season length to increase to 12 rounds in 2025, potentially 14 rounds in 2027 The AFL and AFL Players Association (AFLPA) have today announced a new and historic joint Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has been signed. For the first time, a single CBA covers both the AFL and AFLW players. After an historic 94 per cent pay increase in 2022, all AFLW players will now receive an additional 29 per cent uplift for the current 2023 NAB AFLW Season. The average AFLW Player pay will immediately increase from $46,000 to $60,000 in 2023, then up to $82,000 by 2027. Under the revised CBA, it is estimated that more than 90 of the top AFLW players will be paid more than $100,000 for the 2023 season (inclusive of ASA’s) – up from 40 players last season (Season Seven) and 12 players in Season Six. The five-year deal will see a total AFLW player payment uplift of 77 per cent by 2027 across all 540 players – the largest total investment in women’s sport of any domestic league. All up the combined AFL and AFLW agreement will see players receive 31.7 per cent of all assessable football revenue. AFLW players will receive increased certainty with 12-month contracts implemented, and the ability to sign multi-year contracts – the same as the men’s AFL competition. A world leading 12-month pregnancy policy, commencing from six weeks before a player’s due date, will be immediately introduced as will increased investment into player support and welfare. Player relocation and travel benefits will be now equitable for both AFL and AFLW players who relocate states. The AFLW season length will also increase with the NAB AFLW season expanding to 12 home and away rounds by 2025, and potentially 14 home and away rounds during the term of the deal, based on achievement of key audience metrics. The key audience metrics will be modelled off metrics achieved in the Season Two (2018) which at its most basic level saw on average 6,000 fans a game and 100,000 broadcast viewers. The AFL and AFLPA will now work together on executing an accelerated marketing plan designed to build greater support for the AFLW competition. The pay uplift and increased season length comes on the back of the recent equal prizemoney announcement for AFL and AFLW with a total $1.1 million dollars to be split across the players of the final’s teams, almost double the $623,922 from last season. The increased prizemoney is in addition to the $1 million in prizemoney for McClelland Trophy Champion Club award, with the players share of this prizemoney to shared equally club’s AFL and AFLW players.

 

[Teen Wolf]

As suggested by (I think it was) Riley Beveridge a couple weeks ago, the unlimited ASAs for the top 2 players end after next season...

Schedule 2B – Total AFLW Player Payments and Benefits

1. Total Player Payments

(a) The AFLW Total Player Payments for each Club will be as follows:

Tier	No. of Players	2023 Tier Payment	2024 Tier Payment	2025 Tier Payment	2026 Tier Payment	2027 Tier Payment
Tier 1	2​	$87,192​	$95,331​	$109,760​	$114,149​	$117,968​
Tier 2	6​	$71,806​	$78,508​	$89,559​	$93,140​	$96,257​
Tier 3	6​	$61,548​	$67,292​	$76,091​	$79,134​	$81,782​
Tier 4	16​	$51,290​	$56,077​	$67,337​	$70,030​	$72,373​
TPP per club		$1,795,148​	$1,962,694​	$2,290,812​	$2,382,422​	$2,462,138​

(b) The number of AFLW Players in each Tier may be adjusted by a Club, provided that

(i) there is a maximum of three (3) Tier 1 AFLW Players per Club; and​

(ii) the total AFLW Player base payments equal the AFLW Total Player Payments per Club specified in this item, unless agreed otherwise by the AFL and the AFLPA.​

2. Additional Services Agreements

The total payments limit for AFLW Players for each Club for Additional Services Agreements (ASA) will be as follows:

Year​	AFLW ASA limit per Club​
2023​	$100,000​
2024​	$100,000​
2025​	$127,693​
2026​	$131,524​
2027​	$135,470​

(a) These limits (both minimum and maximum spend) exclude the two Players with the highest value AFLW Additional Services Agreements at each Club in respect of 2023 and 2024.

...except in the case of a player such as Chloe Molloy, who would already have an ASA in place for 2025 and 2026:

8.6 Club Additional Services Agreement Limits – AFLW Players

(c) ...any Additional Services Agreement that has been entered into prior to the date of execution of this Agreement and applies to the 2025 and/or 2026 AFLW Season(s) will remain in place and enforceable (Existing AFLW ASA).

(d) The two AFLW Players with the highest Existing AFLW ASAs per Club may be excluded by a Club from the AFLW Additional Services Agreement limit in 2025 and/or 2026. Any additional Existing AFLW ASAs will be included in the AFLW Additional Services Agreement limit for the relevant year.

And finally, da metrics:

Schedule 5B – AFLW Player and List Management

1. AFLW Season Structure

1.1 Definition

The following definitions apply in this item 1 of Schedule 5B:

Venue Capacity means the total tickets made available by AFL for a particular AFLW Match, taking into account any reductions to the general capacity of a venue due to factors including but not limited to liquor licensing requirements, construction, or security.

Attendance means the total attendance at any one AFLW Match, according to official AFL metrics, and any further attendees permitted to enter an AFLW Match without a ticket, based on AFL’s best estimates (for example, children).

Television Audience means the official television audience as reported by OzTAM including free-to-air television, pay television (e.g. Foxtel), streaming services (e.g. Kayo) and any equivalent platform (e.g. 7PLUS).


1.2 2024 AFLW Season

(a) Subject to 1.2(b) below and item 2, the 2024 AFLW Season will consist of eleven (11) AFLW Premiership Season Matches for each AFLW Team and a four (4) week AFLW Finals Series.

(b) Subject always to item 2, if for the 2023 AFLW Premiership Season, the average Attendance is 3,500 or higher, the 2024 AFLW Season will consist of twelve (12) AFLW Premiership Season Matches for each AFLW Team and a four (4) week AFLW Finals Series.


1.3 2025, 2026 and 2027 AFLW Seasons

(a) Subject to 1.3(b) below and item 2, the 2025, 2026 and 2027 AFLW Seasons will consist of a minimum of twelve (12) AFLW Premiership Season Matches for each AFLW Team and a four (4) week AFLW Finals Series.

(b) Subject always to item 2, if, for any of the 2024, 2025 or 2026 AFLW Premiership Seasons:

(i) the average Attendance is 6,000 or higher; and​

(ii) the average Television Audience is 100,000 or higher,​

the remaining AFLW Seasons in the Term after the AFLW Premiership Season in which these metrics are achieved will consist of fourteen (14) AFLW Premiership Season Matches for each AFLW Team and a four (4) week AFLW Finals Series. For example, if the prescribed metrics set out in this item 1.3(b) are recorded in the 2025 AFLW Season, the 2026 and 2027 AFLW Seasons will comprise of fourteen (14) AFLW Premiership Season Matches and a four (4) week AFLW Finals Series.​

1.4 Calculation and Measurement of Averages

(a) If the Venue Capacity for an AFLW Match is less than the prescribed targets set out in items 1.2 and 1.3 respectively, the following will apply:

(i) In respect of the 2023 AFLW Season, if a Venue Capacity for an AFLW Match is less than 3,500 and Attendance reaches 90% of the Venue Capacity, this figure will be deemed as 3,500 for the purpose of calculating the AFLW Premiership Season average, provided that this figure is lower than the actual Attendance (with the higher number to be used). For example, where Venue Capacity is 3,000 and Attendance is over 2,700, Attendance will be deemed to be 3,500 for the purpose of calculating the AFLW Season average.​

(ii) In respect of the 2024, 2025, and 2026 AFLW Seasons, if a Venue Capacity for an AFLW Match is less than 6,000, and Attendance reaches 90% of the Venue Capacity, this figure will be deemed as 6,000 for the purpose of calculating the AFLW Season average, provided that this figure is lower than the actual Attendance (with the higher number to be used). For example, where Venue Capacity is 5,000 and Attendance is over 4,500, Attendance will be deemed to be 6,000 for the purpose of calculating the AFLW Season average.​

2. AFL Obligations and Consultation

(a) To enable the metrics outlined at item 1 to be measured and considered, AFL will provide monthly reports to AFLPA following each round of AFLW Matches in each AFLW Premiership Season. Such reports will be in a format to be agreed by AFL and AFLPA but will be based on reasonably available information accessible to the AFL and will include detailed breakdowns of Television Audience and Attendance for each AFLW Match.

(b) The Parties acknowledge that the fixturing of AFLW Matches in any given AFLW Season is dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to ground availability, travel requirements, days break between AFLW Matches, the AFL Competition, broadcaster availability and scheduling. Taking into account these factors, AFL will use reasonably commercial endeavours to fixture AFLW Matches in timeslots and at venues that maximise Television Audience and/or Attendance wherever possible.

(c) AFL and AFLPA will hold two forums during each year of the Term (other than 2023) (AFLW Growth Forums). The AFLW Growth Forums will be held in February (to review the previous AFLW Season) and in May or June (to discuss planning for the upcoming AFLW Season) or at other such times as the Parties agree. The purpose of the AFLW Growth Forums will be to discuss and debrief AFL’s plans for growth of the AFLW Competition from a commercial perspective (including in relation to strategy, marketing, brand) and from a football perspective (including in relation to rules, competitive balance and development). The Parties agree that up to two (2) AFLW Players per Club will be invited by the AFLPA to participate in the AFLW Growth Forums and AFL will reasonably consider the views and feedback of AFLPA and AFLW Players.

(d) At the AFLW Growth Forums to be held in February 2024, 2025 and 2026, AFL and AFLPA (with any AFLW Players as provided for in this clause) will review the Television Audience and Attendance numbers and based on data reasonably available to the AFL in respect of fixture timeslots during the relevant AFLW Premiership Season with a view to agreeing to a baseline Television Audience and Attendance average pattern trend for that AFLW Premiership Season. Following such review, AFL and AFLPA will, acting in good faith, agree the applicable baselines, and, to the extent that a specific fixture timeslot significantly falls below such baselines, AFL and AFLPA may agree that agreed discounts or reductions will apply to any AFLW Premiership Matches played in such fixture timeslots for the purposes of the average Television Audience and Attendance numbers set out in item 1.3(b).

Long story short:

It'll be at least 11 rounds in 2024, possibly 12.

It'll be at least 12 rounds in 2025-2027, possibly 14.

Working out whether the 3,500 and 6,000 averages are achieved is much more complicated than just adding up the stated attendance figures and dividing by the number of matches.

 

[Teen Wolf]

So, clearly, nobody went on to read this part of the CBA:

(d) At the AFLW Growth Forums to be held in February 2024, 2025 and 2026, AFL and AFLPA (with any AFLW Players as provided for in this clause) will review the Television Audience and Attendance numbers and based on data reasonably available to the AFL in respect of fixture timeslots during the relevant AFLW Premiership Season with a view to agreeing to a baseline Television Audience and Attendance average pattern trend for that AFLW Premiership Season. Following such review, AFL and AFLPA will, acting in good faith, agree the applicable baselines, and, to the extent that a specific fixture timeslot significantly falls below such baselines, AFL and AFLPA may agree that agreed discounts or reductions will apply to any AFLW Premiership Matches played in such fixture timeslots for the purposes of the average Television Audience and Attendance numbers set out in item 1.3(b).

In other words, matches with attendance and viewership that are obviously hurt by poor fixturing will not be included when deciding whether certain attendance and viewership metrics are met.