Ballarat Football Netball League is considering applying for a increased crowd cap at senior fixtures under COVID-19 protocols for the upcoming home and away season.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
BFNL general manager Shane Anwyl said the existing 1000 limit would be satisfactory for most match days, but there were marquee games with the potential to attract bigger crowds.
Two matches in the opening round on Saturday, April 17, fall into this category - the 2019 grand final rematch East Point v Sebastopol and the Melton v Melton South derby at the upgraded MacPherson Park.
Anwyl said while the BFNL was encouraging clubs to look at applying for one-off exemptions, there was also the possibility of seeking an increase across the board.
AFL Victoria has released updated football protocols which continue to feature a patron cap of 1000, incorporating group limits of 100 people at the venue.
Central Highlands Football League manager Diane Ryan believes the 1000 cap would meet the CHFL's needs for the home and away season.
She said the CHFL had found in an abbreviated junior season last year that many people were willing to leave venues once they had completed their commitments as players or spectators under "come and go" advice.
The CHFL board is expected to discuss the protocols at a meeting next week.
The BFNL and CHFL each stated that crowd limits for finals would be another matter for consideration all together.
Anwyl said the the BFNL was planning to run a forum for all football and netball coordinators, with AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria representatives addressing COVID-19 protocols.
The protocols continue to have strict conditions on the public entering changerooms.
- Limit access to change rooms only for players and essential staff only as required (ie.coach, team manager, trainers - no parents or spectators) with relevant density quotients met
- Where briefings (ie team meetings/briefings, coaches meetings) are taking place a density quotient of 1 per 2 square metres