The unprecedented consequences of COVID-19 on community sport have reached a point where Tasmania's main football and cricket bodies are teaming up to tackle the challenges.
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In an unusual pooling of resources, Cricket Tasmania and AFL Tasmania said they are "determined to work together to navigate challenges for the betterment of sport within our state".
The state bodies even simultaneously issued press releases at 2pm on Tuesday including quotes from their respective chief executives praising each other.
With the coronavirus striking around March, winter sports have been hit hardest but the possibility of extended seasons has created possible conflicts over shared venues and players.
While a return to sport in Tasmania is subject to State Government and Public Health guidance, the state's two major associations have struck an in-principle agreement seeking to provide flexibility for leagues, clubs, associations and councils in managing venues and fixturing competitions.
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They said these principles have been agreed to assist the transition from football to cricket at shared venues and to avoid seasons overlapping.
They agreed that:
- Football should have priority access to fixture competitions on shared synthetic wicket venues up to Sunday, October 11.
- As soon as grounds are not being used for fixturing football matches, they will be returned for cricket wicket renovations.
- Cricket associations are encouraged to consider delaying the start to their 2020-21 seasons to facilitate extended ground usage by football and benefit individuals who play both sports.
- Any adjustment to ground usage in 2020 has no basis for future years.
Football will also have priority access to Youngtown Oval and Queenborough Oval (Sandy Bay) up to Sunday, September 13, plus Latrobe Oval up to Sunday, October 11.
The use of these turf wicket ovals is dependent on the NTFA, NTJFA, OSFA and NWFL seasons going ahead.
The state bodies pledged to continue to work together over cricket seasons possibly extending later into 2021.
They also "strongly encouraged" regional football leagues and cricket associations to work together along with local councils to plan for the crossover between winter and summer sports.
Cricket Tasmania chief executive Dominic Baker said: "It would be disingenuous of us to not do what we can to help community football have the best chance of playing a 2020 season."
AFL Tasmania counterpart Trisha Squires commended the collaborative approach of Cricket Tasmania. "They were on the front foot to assist our sport in playing a season and it is great to find a solution that isn't to the detriment of either sport and provides clarity on our shared venues," she said.
"We know football seasons are going to look different in 2020 but this agreement provides the necessary flexibility for councils, clubs and competitions to play a season in 2020."
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
