It's a Whole New Ball Game: Industrial Relations in Australian Sport

This paper chronicles the industrial relations experiences of two Australian professional sports - Australian Rules football [Australian rules] and soccer using elements of Dunlop's systems model. The failure of negotiating parties to achieve common objectives along with a reluctance to compromise on self interest emerge as two general causes of conflict. Revenue sharing, player welfare and administrative incompetence surface as specific issues on which player associations and leagues are likely to disagree. Soccer Australia's unitarist approach appears to be a major driver of conflict. In contrast, the Australian Football League's [AFL] pluralist approach has resulted in a well-balanced bargaining relationship with the players.