A petition with more than 5000 signatures calling for the ACT Government to commit to the future of Canberra United was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in 2024. Photo: Facebook/Save Canberra United.
One year after it was bailed out following an upswell of support, uncertainty over the future of the Canberra United Women’s team remains.
The first is the financial pressure placed on Capital Football, which currently has the license and bears the cost of running the team for a longer season, which now extends through May.
There has also been a continued delay in the announcement of an A-League Men’s franchise in Canberra.
Under the A-Leagues model, the men’s and women’s teams are operated under the same ownership.
Canberra United is somewhat of an outlier as it is the only women’s team without an A-League Men side operating alongside.
At this stage, there is no immediate indication that a financial backer has been secured for the Canberra A-League franchise. As such, the financial pressure on Capital Football is enormous and there are indications that it will struggle to cover the costs of putting Canberra United on the field beyond this season.
The psyche of a city is enhanced by having teams such as Canberra United, providing a pathway for thousands of aspiring junior players. Photo: Canberra United Facebook.
The ACT Government has already provided significant funding to keep the team on the field, with an additional $200,000, bringing the government contribution to $450,000 for this season alone.
Some in the community will balk at the concept of government-funded sports teams. However, Canberra United has a special case for a long-term ACT Government funding package to ensure its survival.
Much of the Government analysis of funding for professional sports teams and events focuses on the economic benefits of tourism derived from hosting games and the profile gained by having teams in national leagues.
There could also be an equally strong argument that the psyche of a city is enhanced by having teams such as Canberra United providing a pathway for thousands of aspiring junior players.
Canberra United preparing for the 2024-25 season. Photo: Canberra United Facebook.
The government has indicated, through the decision not to pay over the odds for games during the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the 2027 Rugby World Cup, that funding will focus on local teams.
The case then for the government to provide financial certainty to Canberra United is reasonably strong.
The government already provides multi-year funding to other sports teams, including the Raiders, the Brumbies and GWS. In the case of GWS, it is a 10-year deal.
Part of the conundrum facing the ACT Government in its decision-making is the uncertainty over the A-League Men franchise and what a long-term funding deal would look like if the franchise were given the go-ahead.
The cause for concern, though, revolves around the impact the uncertainty is having on the stability of Canberra United’s players and coaching staff.
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