The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has announced this morning that Australian football’s top three leagues will be rebranded. The three top leagues for men, women and youth were previously known as the A-League, W-League and Y-League respectively.
The A-League now becomes the A-League Men.
The W-League now becomes the A-League Women.
The Y-League now becomes the A-League Youth.
Excited to announce that our leagues have all united under one legendary league. Introducing A-Leagues! ? #WeAreALeagues pic.twitter.com/THureNtyuJ
— A-League Women (@aleaguewomen) September 28, 2021
The move brings all three leagues together in what the APL refers to as a unified “A-Leagues” banner. It also includes a changing of the previous A-League, W-League and Y-League’s brand icons to a new united brand emblem.
The A-League Men is now the first domestic sporting where the men’s game is specified in the name just like the women’s competition, as opposed to the men’s league being given a gender-neutral name while the women’s league has a W or the word women attached.
Speaking of the rebrand the Managing Director of the APL Danny Townsend said:
“It’s not men’s football, or women’s football, it’s just football.
“We’re committed to growing the game in Australia – for everyone.
“That means delivering a world-class experience on and off the pitch and inspiring the next-generation of A-Leagues superstars to fulfil their highest potential.
“This is just the beginning of our ambitious, long-term vision for the growth of football in Australia.”
According to the Guardian, the move was done after consultation with players, coaches and fans. The change will include unified social media channels on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok for the A-League Men and A-League Women.
The APL has been in control of all three leagues since their unbundling from Football Australia earlier this year. The FA now only overseas regulatory functions while the APL now has operational and commercial control of the leagues.
Other instituted by the APL since gaining control have included the expansion of the A-League Women from nine to twelve teams over the next two years and the institution of a new combined Club Championship for the highest ranked aggregate A-League Men and A-League Women team.
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