APL is vowing the A-League Women's will have its own name partner soon, after concerns were raised the one banner male and female equality approach had been ditched only a week after it began.
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The APL rebranded the competitions in late September, with the W-League and Y-League titles ditched for the one A-Leagues name in a move towards equality, but it did not appear to last long.
The W-League became the A-League Women's, the men's became the A-League Men's and the youth became the A-League Youth.
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Some concerns were raised online by fans and former players that the women's league would lose its identity and get lost in the A-Leagues, as the men's competition would become the default A-League.
A week later further concerns were raised, after the ALM took on naming partner Isuzu UTE and dropped the men's from the name.
Subsequently being known as the Isuzu UTE A-League, raising further concerns by fans the one banner had been short lived.
An APL spokesperson dismissed claims the men's name partner meant it would be referred to as the A-League and the ALW would still be gendered, as naming rights were in the works for it too.
"When we decided to unite the A-Leagues it was with one thought: this isn't men's football, or women's football - it's football. One game for us all," they said.
"Our stated long-term vision to unite the game is built into the backbone of the A-Leagues brand. The current naming convention is a short term measure.
The reveal of the re-brand was the latest in a series of announcements since the A-Leagues took over the running of the three competitions, off of Football Australia, in December.
Despite concerns from fans and some former players online about the A-Leagues rebrand, contracted ALW players embraced the rebrand.
One such player was Canberra United new signing for the upcoming 2021-22 ALW season, Chloe Middleton.
"That's such a good step forward for football in Australia," the midfielder said after the announcement.
Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
