Pennant Restructure
Open Letter to club members and executive With the pennant season quickly drawing to a close and with the new pennant structure for 2017/18 ever nearer, it is an opportune time to reflect on the upcoming season and the process for change that has been undertaken in consultation with the clubs. Changes to the structure of metropolitan pennants have been a contentious talking point for many years. There has been strong advocacy for change, just as there has been a core of resistance to any modification of the current structure.
However with pennant numbers continuing to decline it was time to act, importantly with a commitment of accountability and full disclosure to clubs.
By way of history, Metropolitan club presidents, secretaries and representatives will recall that on the 15th January 2016 the Fixtures and Events Committee (comprising club members nominated/elected to their positions by the clubs to act in the best interests of the sport) considered ten possible options to restructure the current pennants format, in order to address some of the circumstances that are adversely impacting on the sustainability of the sport.
On the 8th February 2016 the Fixtures and Events Committee recommended a revised pennant structure to the Bowls Management Committee (BMC) for a (14) week pennant competition and (4) week supplementary competition for consideration and endorsement. This option sought to offer choice to bowlers whilst balancing the ongoing financial needs of the clubs via ongoing patronage. The BMC is the committee comprising elected club representatives that is responsible for all bowls matters. Although the structure was only general in nature with specifics to be further developed and considered in due course, the BMC enthusiastically supported the proposal, which was to be subsequently discussed with elected club representatives at various Club Forums.
The proposal was subsequently presented to the Presidents’ Forum, attended by (55) of the (66) metropolitan clubs, on 29th February 2016. Strong support was given to the concept by the club representatives with a request to further expand upon the specifics of the proposal.
A final draft of the 2017/18 restructure and Club Challenge competition was accepted by the Fixtures & Events Committee on 2nd May 2016 and instruction given to forward the proposal to Club Secretaries in preparation for forthcoming Forums.
A 20-page 2017/18 Metropolitan Pennant Structure Guide describing in detail the proposed structure and reasons behind the necessity to introduce a new format; the rationale and details of the Club Challenge; and the promotion/demotion outcomes for the 2016/17 and 2017/18 season(s) was distributed to clubs on 6th May 2016.
The proposed structure was then presented to the Ladies Forum, attended by (39) clubs, on 26th May 2016. No amendments were sought by this forum.
The proposed structure was then presented to the Presidents’ Forum, attended by (44), clubs on 30th May 2016. This Forum strongly supported the restructure and the Club Challenge as presented but also sought some minor amendments that were subsequently adopted.
Bowls WA believes that the consultation that has occurred within the elected committee(s) responsible for the game in WA and with representatives of the club’s through the Forum process has been extensive. The “formal” meetings described above are of course outnumbered by the many informal discussions held within and outside of the committee structure, together with the articles within such mediums as Jack Hi and the promotion/demotion structure in the 2016/17 Bowls WA Fixture Book.
Like any new initiative, the implementation of the new structure will be monitored over the coming season and reviewed after the 2017/18 season.
Bowls WA very much looks forward to the 2017/18 season (and no doubt its challenges) with the continued support of our metropolitan clubs and in continued consultation with those members elected to represent them.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Pride
Chief Executive Officer
