The NPL will be treated only as a premium product next year, with any media content resembling “park football” not endorsed by the FFV. That’s the message to NPL clubs from the federation in its official media strategy sent to all FFV clubs this week.
Along with the obligations to clubs is a strict requirement to film all home games (with the exception of the Grand Final) using high quality footage, emphasising the conditions of the NPL licences.
This year’s rules seem far more specific than in the past – other conditions include videos in 720p quality, filmed at the half-way line from as high a vantage point as possible. The standards are lower than what many clubs currently produce, but is also asking for a commitment of every home game filmed from clubs that had previously fallen well short of such a demand.
Yet it’s to be seen how this will be enforced, given that last year was a hit and miss in terms of the content produced and even information such as Fox Sports Pulse often not being updated, with no clubs issued an infraction notice for failing to film their games in 2016 (admittedly many other licence conditions have gone unchecked in the NPL era).
TCF’s research has found 12 clubs were 50% or lower getting their home game highlights into the FFV’s weekly NPL Victoria highlights package produced last season.
But despite the renewed focus on filming and quality content, clubs will have to take the initiative to have this completed, with no indication FFV is heading towards the NSW NPL model for its own NPL – Football NSW continues to lead the way for weekly NPL highlights, achieved by a levy on its NPL clubs.
The focus on “premium” content is accompanied by a focus on primarily growing the ‘live’ experience aspect of football, such as events around the FFA Cup, with all four round 7 games returning as live stream and potential for R4, 5, & 6 live games. That follows the ‘promotional’ theme of the federation’s pre-season photoshoot, something not previously seen at this level.
On the women’s side, a lack of comprehensive scouting at state level sees many state players potentially slip through the cracks for national youth selection.
TCF understands Victoria is acutely aware of the importance of promoting their players’ achievements in NPLW, and doing so in 2016 is believed to have played a significant role in getting players identified and noticed, who later went on to be selected for international honours – in total eight involved in national camps for Young Matildas and four for Junior Matildas.
One of FFV’s key focuses therefore for 2017 is its representatives in the Junior Matildas and Young Matildas. With both the U16 and U19 Asian Cups (doubling as U17 & U20 Womens World Cup Qualifiers) falling after the 2017 winter season concludes, the Victorian NPLW form will be critical to at least a dozen national youth team hopefuls.