No joy over prizemoney

A-LEAGUE bosses have ruled out awarding prizemoney for the time being, despite having previously targeted the introduction of financial rewards under the terms of the new broadcast deal.

Though Football Federation Australia continues to describe a prize fund for the league winners as a “worthy aspiration”, there are no plans to introduce one as the competition continues to suffer financial duress.

Currently the clubs get no financial reward based on where they finish in the competition, let alone in the finals, and the even the gate money from those latter games is kept by FFA.

Two years ago FFA had promised to give “active consideration” to creating a prize pool for the finalists “once the game’s longer-term economic foundations take shape”.

But those plans are on hold amid continuing tension between the clubs and FFA over a new operating model.