Category: Professional Sports
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Australian Sport Leadership Changes in 2025
By Greg Blood Since 2000, I have been tracking changes in CEO’s and Chairs/Presidents of major national Australian sports organisations. Listed are changes that have occurred in 2025 in CEO’s and Presidents/Chairs. These changes hopefully provide an insight into stability, renewal and diversity in national sports organisations (NSOs). With the re-election of Albanese Government in…
australiansportreflections
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Federal and State Governments funding of AFL and NRL High Performance Training Centres – Updated 28 May 2025
By Greg Blood This is an update of research originally published in April 2019. It highlights how the majority of professional AFL and NRL clubs have now received substantial federal and state government funding to develop their high-performance training centres. The 2019 federal election was a high-water mark in funding commitments – a period where…
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Stocktake of Australian sport CEO’s 2000-2026 – Updated 28 March 2026
By Greg Blood The departures of CEO’s in 2020 from significant Australian sports organisations – ASC, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, golf and equestrian – made me reflect in 2021 on the level of turnover and experience of CEO’s since 2000. The information listed was obtained from annual reports, websites, news releases and LinkedIn profiles.…
australiansportreflections
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Reflecting on David Crawford’s Contribution to the Australian Sport System
By Greg Blood The recent passing of David Crawford AO made me reflect on four sport reviews that he authored or chaired that have impacted on sport in Australia. For many of those that worked in sports administration from 1990 to 2011, the name David Crawford became synonymous with sport governance and the organisation of…
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Australian Sports Books & Films 2024
By Greg Blood List of books and films covering Australian sport in 2024 that tell the story of specific sports, athletes, teams, events and issues. This year’s list also includes films that are primarily documentaries. It includes links to the publisher and description of the book. There is an increasing number of children’s books written…
australiansportreflections
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Changes in Australian Sport Leadership Positions in 2024
By Greg Blood Since 2000, I have been tracking changes in CEO’s and Chairs/Presidents of major national Australian sports organisations. Listed are changes that have occurred in 2024, an Olympic/Paralympic Games year. List highlights the significant turnover of CEO’s as opposed to Presidents/Chairs. This could be partly due to the end of Olympic/Paralympic Games cycle.…
australiansportreflections
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History of Elite Australian Coaches Working Overseas
By Greg Blood After the 2000 Olympics and Paralympics, there was some anxiety in the Australian sport system concerning the brain drain of elite Australian coaches. In 2006, it was reported that the AIS would spend “almost $5 million over the next four years to fend off international poachers intent on cherry-picking Australia’s best coaches”.…
australiansportreflections
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Who would be an Australian sport administrator today?
By Greg Blood Who would be a sport administrator – paid or volunteer these days? Sport administration has never been so complex and demanding. Recently I participated in a future of sport in Australia research project and my main thesis was that it may be difficult to attract and retain qualified and experienced sports administrators…
australiansportreflections
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Assisting Coaches Under Pressure
By Lawrie Woodman “I think the reason for not performing is pressure. When you get under pressure … it does build when you are not getting the results you are after, what you can find is players try harder but in the wrong areas.” An unnamed senior coach. ______________________________________________________________________________ When Adelaide Crows senior coach, Don…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Sport in 2020 – ‘Unprecedented’ Year for Sport Administrators
by Greg Blood Australian sport administrators have been under enormous stress during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues. It is worthwhile to briefly document the many challenges managed during this ‘unprecedented’ year’. Sports Rorts The year started with the Australian National Audit Office report into Sport Australia’s Community Sport Infrastructure Program that…
australiansportreflections