AFL Victoria, Baseball Victoria, Cricket Victoria, Football Victoria, Hockey Victoria, Lacrosse Victoria, Little Athletics Victoria, NRL Victoria, Rugby Victoria, Softball Victoria, Touch Victoria and local government representatives have come together to sign the historic agreement.
With training and junior competition resuming in regional Victoria, and senior training and competition hopefully next month, some winter sports clubs were set to clash over shared facilities with summer sports.
Facilitated by Sport and Recreation Victoria as an initiative of the LGA Sport COVID-19 Working Group, this agreement will give more certainty over upcoming winter season dates, sportsfield use and the transition to the Summer 2020-21 Season.
Under the agreement, the Winter 2020 Home and Away Season for all age group competitions may be played up until (and inclusive of) 27 September 2020, if permissible with junior finals played up until (and inclusive of) 11 October 2020. Seniors finals will be scheduled up until (and inclusive of) 18 October 2020.
All competitions utilising shared facilities must be complete by, and inclusive of 18 October 2020, noting that only a limited number of shared venues will be utilised for senior finals fixtures.
The Summer 2020-21 Season is scheduled to begin during October, providing a greater amount of certainty to thousands of clubs, players, coaches, volunteers and parents. In places where winter sporting competitions don’t go ahead, summer sport may commence from 1 October.
Because every sport and recreation activity is different, the Victorian Government is proud to support a return to play through initiatives like this memorandum to ensure sport continues to be at the heart of Victorian communities, post-pandemic and beyond.