The Australian Football Federation has announced that it has reached an agreement with the players to cut their earnings up to 70%.
It thus intends to ensure the survival of this sport in times of confinement due to the coronavirus.
The Australian Football League (AFL), the most popular sport in the continent, which can often gather crowds of up to 100,000 fans, was forced to suspend the season last week after its first day.
Officials then claimed that these were the worst threats to the sport created in 1896.
Faced with the risk of losing money from television transmissions of matches, sponsors, or even the sale of tickets, the players – some of whom earn more than a million Australian dollars (552,000 euros) per season – agreed drastic wage cuts.
Under the agreement reached Friday between the AFL and the players’ association, the latter will receive 50% of their salaries at the end of May and only 30% if the suspension of the championship should be extended after this date.
And even if the championship resumes, players will only be paid half their regular wages.
“The players have always understood the gravity of the situation and have agreed to major cuts in wages to keep the industry running” of Australian football, said AFL chief Gillon McLachlan.
Australian football is played mainly on the foot with an oval ball and pits two teams of 18 players in an oval stadium or a cricket ground.
ats, dpa
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