Several female footballers are calling on A-League officials to consider the women’s competition when the collective bargaining agreement is renegotiated at the end of the season.
Players told 1News their lives as part-time athletes aren’t “sustainable” and it’s “exhausting” having to balance a job while playing.
Wellington Phoenix defender Lara Wall said: “I’d describe it as similar to living like a uni student, but you can't live like a uni student as a professional athlete.”
“It's hard living on a part-time wage and for us anything with protein is expensive and so it's hard to find cheap ways to fuel your body,” Wall said. “That's something that you can't really take a shortcut (on) and get the cheap option because we have to do it right.”
She's working part time, not because she wants to, but because she needs to – and she’s not alone.
Melbourne City and Football Ferns forward Deven Jackson said she often ran into scheduling conflicts while juggling other work.
“It’s almost comical to look back on now,” Jackson told 1News. “When I first moved over to the A-league I had a job that required me to be working at very specific times.
“There were games where, at half time, I would have to go into the toilet and work on my phone and then resume the game like normal.”
Jackson said the balance too means crucial recovery was often sacrificed.
“I have a job where I'm on my feet so after training instead of going home and being able to rest and recover, I'm driving to work and I'm on my feet for five hours so it definitely takes a toll.”
Kiwis at multiple clubs told 1News players are working as bartenders, lifeguards, and personal trainers just to get by.
Meanwhile, others are taking on corporate jobs to safeguard their futures beyond the sport.
“We don't get paid enough to really set yourself up with professional football as a woman,” former Wellington Phoenix vice-captain Chloe Knott said.
Male counterparts play on year-long contracts, earning on average $147,000 a season. That drops to $30,000 in the women's A-League, where players are considered part-time, and on contract for only 35 weeks.
“I still think there's a gap between the level of, commitment, time and energy that players are putting in to being a professional footballer, and the pay,” Knott said.
It’s why she walked away from the club in November 2023, getting a fulltime job in Auckland and returning to the game at a club level.
“I couldn't afford to stay there. I was losing money, I was really stressed out, I was working 40 hours a week on top of trying to train... it was just very exhausting.”
Players hope change isn’t far away with the current five-year collective bargaining agreement expiring at the end of the season.
The players' association, Professional Footballers Australia, is pitching to the league a player-led proposal that lays out ways of future-proofing the competition, which, it says, is falling significantly behind the world’s top women’s leagues.
In all, 62% of the players juggle part-time jobs, with 39 departing for other leagues last season.
Kiwi Newcastle Jets women’ coach Stephen Hoyle believes the A-League is in a worse position globally than it was 10 years ago.
"[That's] in terms of women's league ranking because of the money and the investment and the full-time nature that's happened in places like the UK.”
Over half of those playing in the women’s A-League juggle part-time work with the game. (Source: 1News)
It’s a surprising claim given the success of the co-hosted 2023 Women’s World Cup across the Tasman that led to the Matilda’s boom.
Players' association chief executive Beau Busch told 1News: “A lot of players feel like the women's world club wasn't capitalised on in terms of driving the growth.”
The assocation said the league’s governing body – seven men and one woman – has “problematic” decision making.
“The governance model that's been put in place in separation, effectively, sees power concentrated in a few clubs, not all clubs. We don't have an independent board, and we certainly don't have the people representation of men and women.”
Recently appointed A-League chief executive Steve Rosich said in a statement: “The Ninja A-League is the top women’s football league in Asia, and we have strong ambitions to grow the women’s game as an important pillar for the sport and the A-League.
“Since the APL’s inception, in partnership with our Clubs, we have proven our commitment to the growth of the women’s game. We’ve also extended the season in line with the biggest leagues in the world, welcomed new teams into the competition, and broadened revenues through new partnerships and broadcast arrangements to help support the growth of the league.
“Last year we signed a new women's naming rights partnership with Shark Ninja who has been integral in increasing the access for young fans to attend Ninja A-League matches, and growing the free-to-air exposure for the league. And this season, we've seen record investment into the league.
“Having recently commenced as CEO of the A-Leagues, an important priority is reviewing our strategy through to 2030, and as part of this we will have a bold and sustainable vision to grow the Ninja A-League.”
Phoenix doubles investment
The PFA believe investment is critical, not only to improve the product but also ensure financial returns - a formula that's brought about success at the Wellington Phoenix.
The club doubled their investment in the women's programme over the past 12 months. Investment in the men's team hasn't changed for some time.
Phoenix technical director Shaun Gill told 1News: “We had a couple of reports back from the PFA [about the women’s programme] that weren't obviously great, so we've really worked hard to listen and to continue to evolve the programme to where it is now.”
Player’s are hoping now the league pursue some action, for reasons beyond themselves.
"Transitioning to fully professional would change so much...and actually grow the game for that next generation as well,” Wall said.
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