Division of Seasons and Occupation of Crown Lands used as grounds for Cricket and AFL Football ('Football') competitions

Determination

To provide clarity for the stakeholders involved in affiliated cricket and Australian rules football competitions including training sessions, matches and related activities, the Victorian Minister for Community Sport, Cricket Victoria and AFL Victoria hereby determine the following terms and conditions in respect of shared grounds and facilities. This determination applies from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2028 (inclusive) and is only applicable where there is 'shared' use of facilities on Crown Lands by Cricket and Football teams.

1. Intention

The intention of this agreement is to assist local government and competitions with allocation of 'shared facilities' between the sports to give priority access to the respective sports and maximise usage of shared facilities where practical.

In the spirit of cooperation, Cricket Victoria and AFL Victoria recommend application and adherence of these terms to affiliated clubs and associations/competitions of each sport, and to local governments in all municipalities in the State of Victoria.

2. Exclusions from this agreement

2.1 Single use facilities for each sport

Facilities not shared between sports may be used by the sport as required throughout the year.

2.2 Teams competing in National or International Competitions

Teams competing in recognised National/International Competitions will not be subject to the dates outlined in this agreement. Separate agreements will exist between the Federal, State and/or Local Government, venue operators and/or the respective sports.

3. ‘Shared’ facilities

Includes shared use playing ovals/fields as well as shared common facility areas (for example, change rooms, social rooms, canteens) that are used by clubs from both sports.

4. ‘Ground Manager’

The organisation who ultimately oversees usage of and access to the facility. This is typically the local council, school or university and may be under the direction of a Committee of Management. As the principal guide, the Ground

Manager shall be responsible to make determinations regarding sharing of facilities.

5. Priority access to shared facilities

Priority access for the affiliated teams within each sport shall be as follows:

• 5.1 Football clubs shall have priority access to shared facilities beginning on 1 April and ending on 30 September (both inclusive) each year (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Football Season’). In addition:
  • 5.1.1 The football club may, with consent of and subject to the conditions of the cricket club during the ‘cricket season’, use the shared facilities for football purposes (including training, matches, meetings and events).
• 5.2 Cricket clubs shall have priority access to shared facilities beginning on 1 October and ending on 31 March (both inclusive) each year (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Cricket Season’). In addition:
  • 5.2.1 The cricket club may, with consent of and subject to the conditions of the football club during the 'football season', use the shared facilities for cricket purposes (including training, matches, meetings and events).
• 5.3  For the purposes of 5.1.1 and 5.2.1, this may also require permission of the Ground Manager on a case-by-case basis. Approval will be considered so long as it does not adversely affect the club with priority access during their respective season. Ground Managers will use best endeavours to assist with ground/field preparations with the intent that pre-season sessions can be undertaken for the teams in each sport before the start of their respective seasons and to assist to ensure that in season competition matches can take place as soon as possible from the commencement date of the respective seasons as outlined in clause 5.1 and 5.2.
• 5.4 Finals
  • 5.4.1 Upon completion of the home and away season, the tenant club with priority rights access in accordance with the periods set out within clauses 5.1 and 5.2 shall continue to be provided with priority access rights to the shared facilities until the teams who normally train or play at the shared facility are no longer competing in finals and/or the shared facility is no longer required as a designated finals venue by the respective league/association.
  • 5.4.2 To assist with planning for all parties, the Association/League setting finals venues involving any shared facilities will announce likely finals locations as early as possible but no later than 30 days prior to the use of such venues and inform the Ground Manager.
  • 5.4.3 If turf wickets are involved, the cricket club and/or Ground Manager should be entitled to rope off the centre wicket area and one on-field practice wicket area during both cricket season finals and football season finals. Note: During the period where the turf wickets are roped off, all obstructions must be removed from the playing arena to allow unrestricted playing of cricket and football matches.
  • 5.4.4 The parties shall meet in July/August of each year to identify shared facilities that are used for VFL/NAB League Football (men/women) where the tenant club is likely to be participating in the football finals. The purpose of this meeting will be to maximise the use of available grounds to enable turf wickets to be prepared in the minimum amount of time while maximising use by both football and cricket (including training sessions) and reducing the level of disruption to both seasons.

Notes

A. The parties shall meet in January/February each year to monitor the use of shared facilities by both cricket and football to ensure this use adheres to the terms and conditions set out in this agreement.

B. Should a dispute arise between co-tenants, the matter should be resolved as outlined in the Dispute Resolution Process published on Cricket Victoria and AFL Victoria websites.

C. The shared facilities 'likely' to be used in clause 5.4.2 and 5.4.4 are either those venues already predetermined by the respective Association/League to host finals matches or those clubs most likely to be hosting finals matches, while recognising that results in the closing weeks of the season may cause alterations to the fixturing and that these principles should be followed by Associations/Leagues in determining finals venues as distinct from simply nominating all venues for finals.