sport FA’s youth football plans backed


Football Association (FA) shareholders have voted in favour of proposals for a new player development pathway that is set to transform youth football in England. The plans – approved by


87 per cent of shareholders – include a mandatory 5v5 format for U7s and U8s, and a 9v9 format for U11s and U12s to be phased in by 2014-15. Te smaller-sided formats


will enable children to play on appropriate size pitches and goals to allow for greater par- ticipation in the game. Te new framework has also been designed


to help young players develop greater technical skills, while benefiting from a more “child- friendly” approach to competition. Nick Levett, national development manager


for the national governing body, said: “Aſter 138 roadshows nationwide, it was fantastic to get


Te plans will allow for greater participation in the game at youth level


the endorsement of the majority of the grass- roots football community.” To read more on the FA’s youth development


proposals and the extension of the National Game Strategy, see Sports Management 2011 Issue 2, p38: http://lei.sr?a=E6O8E Details: http://lei.sr?a=x7s1n


Pozzoni have drawn up plans for the new facility Premier League revenues continue to grow


Te combined revenue of the 20 English Premier League clubs increased by 12 per cent to a new record high of £2.3bn for the 2010-11 season. Te latest Annual Review


of Football Finance compiled by Deloitte’s Sports Business Group revealed that broadcast revenue growth was a pri- mary factor behind the latest increase in clubs’ revenues. Broadcast revenue rose 13


per cent to nearly £1.2bn in the first year of a new three- year cycle, with overseas broadcast deal values fuelling the growth. Commercial revenue was up by 18 per cent


Te 21st Annual Review reported further growth in combined revenues Te Annual Review of Football Finance also


– mainly among those with a larger global pro- file – and total matchday revenue also grew 4 per cent, although more than half of the 20 Premier League clubs reported a decline.


found that more than 80 per cent of revenues were being spent on wage costs – up 14 per cent in 2010-11 – and has taken the league’s wages- to-revenue ratio to a record 70 per cent. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=4s1n1


Derry City Council green light for Brandywell Stadium plans


The £10.3m redevelopment of Northern Ireland’s Brandywell Stadium has moved forward aſter Derry City Council agreed to progress to the next stage of the process. Members of the development committee backed the project at a special meeting, which


© CYBERTREK 2012


now enables a full business case to be submit- ted to the Northern Ireland Executive. A new-look 5,100-seat Brandywell Stadium


complying with UEFA Category II regulations is at the centre of the proposals. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=v4k0U


Twitter: @leisureopps


RCP among Scottish Design Award winners


Edinburgh’s Royal Commonwealth Pool (RCP) – unveiled in March aſter a £37m revamp, has been named among the win- ners at the Scottish Design Awards 2012. The S&P Architects-designed proj-


ect involved stripping back the A-listed building’s shell and rebuilding the facility. It was the winner of the Re-use of a Listed Building category. S&P Architects worked with Buro


Happold on the RCP scheme, which was also nominated in two other categories. Read more: http://lei.sr?a=V3Q2g


Read Leisure Opportunities online: www.leisureopportunities.co.uk/digital 3


Public exhibition for new Hertfordshire facility plans


An exhibition of plans for a new facility at Cotlandswick, Hertfordshire, has been launched by St Albans City and District Council and DC Leisure Management. Residents in London Colney have been


given the opportunity to comment on pro- posals for the new centre, which include a 60-station gym and an exercise studio. A single court sports hall and syn-


thetic turf pitches will also form part of the Pozzoni-designed leisure centre. Meanwhile, 50 per cent of the Cotlandswick site will remain as green open space. Details: http://lei.sr?a=I5x3d


£3.5m funding boost for grassroots rugby in Wales


The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has announced an “immediate cash injection” worth £3.5m to improve grassroots rugby across Wales – both on and off the pitch. All of the funding comes in addition to


the budgeted activity already planned in its five-year rolling business plan and is tar- geted at grassroots community clubs. WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said:


“Our focus with this new funding is firmly targeted at the foundations and the future of rugby in Wales.” Read more: http://lei.sr?a=u6o6s


image: s finn/shutterstock.com


image: paolo camera/flickr


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