Following the recent announcement by AFL Barwon of its transition away from a Regional Administrative Centre (RAC), AFL Victoria has confirmed it will continue its reform of regional football administration across the state.
The reform project, titled the RAC Directional Strategies Project, will see Victorian community football bodies transition out of centralised league administration or RACs and into a new localised operations and administration structure that meets the needs of each football body.
Regional Administrative Centres in Victorian community football were established over 10 years ago following the 2011 Peter Jackson Report of Country Football in Victoria.
Whilst the philosophy of a RAC had broad support at the time, many RAC models have experienced financial and functional challenges in recent years, resulting in the dissolution of six RACs; AFL Sunraysia, AFL Gippsland, AFL Goldfields, AFL Western District, AFL Central Murray and AFL Wimmera Mallee, with leagues under those six RACs returning to self-management.
In 2025, AFL South East, AFL North East Border, AFL Barwon, AFL Central Victoria and AFL Goulburn Murray continue to offer RAC services.
As the role of AFL Victoria has evolved with a focus on game development and participation outcomes rather than administration, the role of a Region Manager has diversified, and the effectiveness of RAC models have been closely monitored.
Through the RAC Directional Strategies Project, strategies to guide individual regions’ RAC direction will be explored in collaboration with the relevant leagues to ensure a seamless transition, a task already completed in the six regions mentioned above.
These changes in direction are an acknowledgement by AFL Victoria that the concept of RACs as initially proposed in 2011 has not been fully realised based on an inability to consolidate football management, finances and governance in some regions.
Challenges experienced by leagues under the RAC model include inconsistent improvement in operational efficiency, unrealistic expectations on operational staff, community confusion around roles and responsibilities and limitations to league abilities to strategically progress. These challenges are contributing factors to the directional change, in addition to a recognition that the risk profile for RAC Company Directors is significant and unnecessary given the voluntary nature of the roles.
In announcing the RAC Directional Strategies Project and its purpose, AFL Victoria confirms that funding to regions is not being withdrawn and will continue to be invested - driven by the Region Manager whose primary focus going forward will be region growth, strategy and support for community football, rather than administration. AFL Victoria also recognises the importance of operational staff employed in RACs and the opportunities that will be created for them under the reformed administrative models.
The RAC Directional Strategies Project will be managed under a singular project plan with individual region strategies to be developed in collaboration with relevant leagues and commissions. The new region strategies will guide the direction and ensure that league administrative models and game development objectives can be achieved. Specifically, these strategies include a transitional exit from service agreements, empowering leagues to self-manage in a manner suitable to their needs.
Whilst no timeframe has been identified, AFL Victoria acknowledges the need to support a transition by building the capability of operational staff and boards to manage leagues and ensure a model which aligns with the league’s objectives and needs. AFL Victoria will also provide ongoing guidance and support during and post transition.
Initial consultations have commenced across regional leagues with the concept and proposed process received well, pending further planning and collaboration.
