World Footy News

In a move of particular relevance to international football, the AFL has appointed David Matthews to the position of General Manager, Market Development, based in Sydney, New South Wales. Matthews has been General Manager of Game Development through the last six years which has seen a blossoming of international Aussie Rules - most of that due to numerous other factors but in part due to the positive role Matthews has played.

Significantly David Matthews will "continue to have responsibility for all of the AFL’s national and international development programs but will have additional responsibilities to manage and co-ordinate other areas of AFL operations in Sydney".

It seems a large portfolio just got larger. It remains to be seen whether this will further spotlight international development, or perhaps reduce its attention, or maybe make no substantive change. No word as yet on how the move will affect current Game Development staff based in Melbourne. The press release from the AFL follows:

MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE - AFL Appoints David Matthews to New Role In NSW

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou today announced the promotion of David Matthews to a new position as General Manager, Market Development. He will be based in Sydney.

He was appointed General Manager, National & International Development in March, 2004 and joined the AFL in 1998 as NAB AFL Auskick and Participation Manager.

“Given that we will have two AFL clubs in Sydney by 2012, we saw this as an opportunity to restructure our executive and to make a senior appointment with responsibility for all of our market development activities in Sydney in addition to having our national and international development programs managed out of Sydney,” Mr Demetriou said.

Mr Demetriou said David Matthews would continue to have responsibility for all of the AFL’s national and international development programs but will have additional responsibilities to manage and co-ordinate other areas of AFL operations in Sydney including:

        § AFL support for the Sydney Swans including membership, building attendances at all Swans home games and the introduction of the Sydney Swans Academy.

        § AFL competition expansion plans with Team GWS.

        § Further building the AFL’s relationship with all levels of government in NSW and the Sydney business community.

“As General Manager, Market Development, David will continue to report to me as Chief Executive Officer and be a member of the AFL Executive,” Mr Demetriou said.

“His appointment follows a review of our structure in Sydney after Dale Holmes accepted the position as Chief Executive Officer of Team GWS.

“One of David’s initial tasks will be to review our NSW ACT development structure. Development staff in NSW ACT will report to David as we continue to develop as a national organisation.

“As the head of all of our development programs since 2004, David and his team have done a first class job in building total participation in our game in 2009 to more than 732,000 while also boosting our talented player pathway, Indigenous and multicultural programs and identifying emerging international markets including South Africa,” Mr Demetriou said.

“The AFL Commission’s ‘Next Generation’ financial strategy targeted total participation to be 706,000 by 2011 and we are therefore running some two years ahead of that forecast under his leadership,” he said.

Mr Matthews said he was very excited by the opportunities ahead through his new role and being based in Sydney.

“Developing the game across Australia and in emerging international markets is a real privilege”, he said.

"We have a great game and we must continue to invest in quality programs that protect and enhance our established markets and grow our presence in developing markets. Strong partnerships with the AFL Clubs are very important"

Mr Matthews was a member of the working group which recommended the list development concessions for Gold Coast FC and Team GWS and served on the football sub committees of both clubs until they appointed football department staff.

He also played a leading role in negotiations with Karmichael Hunt to pursue an AFL career with Gold Coast FC and with Kevin Sheedy to become the inaugural senior coach of Team GWS.

Mr Matthews was General Manager of the Geelong Football League from 1993 to 1996 before being appointed Operations Manager of the Victorian Country Football League in 1997 and joined the AFL a year later.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Master of Sports Management from Deakin University.