Hopefully this latest update from WaiBoP finds you all well and still raring to go for an eventual kick-off to the football season.
Hi Club Administrators
Hope you are all keeping safe and well.
We have had requests from some clubs regarding likely playing scenarios with the shortened season, so it seems timely to update all clubs. We have been doing extensive work behind the scenes on this and looking at how our leagues would work with a variety of different start dates.
I have included below the likely scenarios, should our leagues be able to start on the 30th May and there being no travel restrictions in place.
We have had a lot of discussions around scenarios involving travel restrictions (both within our federation and with the other federations that would also be affected by travel restrictions), but I feel that these are very difficult to outline without a clear indication from the Government, Sport NZ and NZ Football as to what those travel restrictions would look like. However, please be assured that we will be working with clubs to ensure that we can include all possible teams in our leagues, should travel restrictions be in place.
PROPOSED LEAGUE FORMATS WITH A START DATE OF 30TH MAY
(Note: these are all subject to change, no start date is yet confirmed)
PREMIERSHIP AND CHAMPIONSHIP
12 team leagues
Start date Saturday 30th May, finish date Saturday 12th September
16 weeks
Play one full round, plus a split into top six, bottom six
WAIBOP W-LEAGUE
7 team league
Start date Sunday 31st May, finish date Sunday 30th August
14 weeks
Play two full rounds
MENS WAIKATO DIVISION 1, 2 AND 3
10 team leagues
Start date Saturday 30th May, finish date Saturday 29th August/5th September
14/15 weeks
Play one full round, plus a split into top four, bottom six
WAIKATO MENS DIVISION 4
12 team league
Start date Saturday 30th May, finish date Saturday 12th September
16 weeks
Play one full round, plus a split into top six, bottom six
ALTERNATIVE OPTION FOR ALL WAIKATO MENS DIVISIONS
Change divisions to be 4 x 8 team divisions and 1 x 10 team division (Clubs to be placed in divisions based on 2020 requests, and 2019 finishing placings)
Start date Saturday 30th May, finish date Saturday 29th August/5th September
14/15 weeks
8 team leagues play two full rounds; 10 team league plays one full round plus a split into top four, bottom six
WAIKATO WOMENS LEAGUES
Division 1 – 8 team league, Division 2 – 10 team league
Start date Sunday 31st May, finish date Sunday 30th August/Sunday 6th September
14/15 weeks
Division 1 – two full rounds
Division 2 – one full round plus a split into top four, bottom six
The Waikato Cup and Plate for Men and Women, will not be going ahead in 2020 to allow us to focus on getting the leagues completed, and all teams playing as many games as possible.
NOTE: In all leagues, there will be no postponements accepted from clubs unless games can be played mid-week, to allow any catch-up Saturdays or Sundays for weather cancellations.
YOUTH LEAGUES
As there are a large number of different scenarios within all of these leagues, and some uncertainty still around AIMS Games, and a revised format for NZ Secondary Schools tournament week, then we will confirm individual league formats once we have a confirmed start date and a clearer idea on tournaments.
JUNIORS
Start date Saturday 6th June (Saturday after Queens Birthday), extend the finish date to Saturday 5th September
Round 1 – 6 team divisions where possible (home or away); Round 2 – 8 team divisions where possible (home or away)
We will keep clubs updated as soon as we have any further information to hand on likely start dates.
For further information on what sport can take place in Alert Level 3, please see the Sport NZ website:
https://sportnz.org.nz/assets/
Regards, Catherine
Catherine Clark
Competitions Manager, WaiBOP Football Federation