The Newcastle Jets football club finds itself locked in tense negotiations with stadium management while a sobering new report reveals the A-League Women's competition is struggling to keep pace with other professional sports in Australia.
Stadium Standoff Threatens Home Games
The Newcastle Jets are currently working with Venues NSW to reach what the club considers a fair arrangement for hiring McDonald Jones Stadium during the current A-League Men's season. The situation reached a critical point when the Newcastle Herald revealed the two parties were at odds over what an external observer described as a "preposterous" $300,000 security bond required to use the region's premier sporting venue.
With 13 home games scheduled at McDonald Jones Stadium this season, the Jets proposed paying for two games in advance as security - an offer that Venues NSW rejected. The government agency, which oversees multiple stadiums across New South Wales, escalated the matter in an October 29 letter that warned of protective action if the Jets failed to pay $250,000 by November 12.
The letter explicitly stated that if the security balance remained unpaid by the deadline, "Venues NSW will take what other actions are available to protect our position." While it remained unclear whether this could involve forcing the Jets to find alternative venues, the standoff prompted Maitland mayor Philip Penfold to suggest housing the Jets at Maitland Sportsground following significant upgrades.
Finding Middle Ground
As the November 12 deadline passed, sources indicate both parties were working toward a compromise, ensuring the Jets' next home game against Perth Glory on November 23 will proceed as planned at McDonald Jones Stadium.
"The club has continued to work with the stadium to reach an agreement," a Jets spokesperson confirmed to the Herald.
The security demand is understood to stem from the club's history of payment issues under previous ownership, though the new owners have reportedly cleared all outstanding debts. The current negotiations highlight the financial pressures facing A-League clubs operating in major stadiums.
Women's League Falling Behind
While the men's team navigates stadium negotiations, a damning Professional Footballers Australia report released Wednesday reveals the A-League Women competition is "falling behind" other codes in Australia.
The 2024-25 A-League Women Report described the competition as the "least preferred league among players" and called for urgent overhaul. The survey-based assessment highlighted significant infrastructure challenges, noting that appropriately sized venues creating good atmosphere tended to be "dated suburban grounds with subpar infrastructure," while major stadiums with superior facilities remained too large for current crowd sizes.
Venue ratings from away teams last season placed McDonald Jones Stadium at the top with perfect scores for pitch quality and facilities, while No.2 Sportsground - where the Jets women play most home games - scored poorly with a two for pitch quality and three for both atmosphere and facilities.
Financial insecurity among players reached alarming levels, with 62% of those surveyed working outside football to supplement the ALW minimum salary of $26,500 for a 35-week season. This compares unfavorably with other women's sports including cricket's WBBL ($74,851 minimum), AFLW ($67,337), NRLW ($41,800), Super Netball ($45,320), and basketball's WNBL ($29,465).
Jets coach Stephen Hoyle acknowledged the challenges facing his players, who have switched to early morning training sessions (6:30am to 8:30am) to accommodate work commitments. "For the girls, I always say the best time to be a female footballer is tomorrow," Hoyle remarked this week.
He emphasized the importance of current players' sacrifices for future generations, adding: "As soon as we can go full-time and provide them with the infrastructure to just be a footballer, the better, because these players are professionals, and they behave like professionals, they just have another life outside of that as well."
The Jets women's team returns to action Sunday against Wellington Phoenix in round three, having opened their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Canberra United on November 2. Their first home game at No.2 Sportsground is scheduled for November 22 against Western Sydney.
