A Ballarat Football Netball League club president says there is no option but to cut match day costs if a senior season goes ahead this year.
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Melton president Greg Davis said he estimated a proposed 11 home and away round-season would cost his club in the vicinity of $100,000 under the existing structure.
He said this would not be financially viable for most clubs.
Davis said while some might find a way, hear feared for the long-term financial viability of the major of clubs.
He said it was normally the practice to have key fund-raisers early in the year to set up the season.
Davis said COVID-19 restrictions had not allowed this and also meant future events could not be planned with any certainty.
He said Melton had lost two big events which normally raise in the vicinity of $30,000. This is on top of membership and sponsorship being compromised.
Davis sees a reduction in the number of football umpiring numbers across all grades - even to the point of having no boundary umpires for other than seniors - as a starting point.
He said the competition could do without printed weekly records and the video recording of all matches.
While acknowledging the use of video replays by coaches and in tribunal hearings, he believed they could go by the wayside in a shortened season.
Davis said these were just a few examples and the tip of iceberg as to where cost savings could begin.
He said every operational facet would need to be examined.
Davis also reinforced his view, expressed publically earlier this year, that there would be a need for gatetakings to be shared to help equalise match day earnings.
He said with pressure building on leagues to make a call on whether they played this year, it had to be a matter of all-in for a season to proceed.
Meanwhile, BFNL clubs are gradually returning to training.
The Victorian government is from Monday, June 1, allowing up to 20 people (plus coaches) to take part in on-contact, non-competition outdoor acitivities.
This is an increase from up to 10, which was in place for a week.