COUNTRY football leagues are turning to modern media technologies to help connect with their supporters and bridge the gap between the AFL and grassroots football.
Major leagues across Victoria and the Riverina use social networking sites and the internet to promote key events and circulate information.
The Ballarat Football League has recently signed an agreement with a Geelong media company to provide video footage of every senior match this season.
The footage will be edited for a weekly highlights package for the league's new website, to be launched next month.
The league's independent tribunal will be able to use the footage to assist in decision-making.
Ballarat league chief executive Rod Ward said the videos could prove an important tool in tribunal hearings.
"It's not the reason we bought it (video footage) in but it is an added benefit," Mr Ward said.
"I'd seen a couple of other football leagues making TV for the web and I thought there was an opportunity for us there," Mr Ward said.
He said the video footage would cost about $20,000 a season, with half the cost to be absorbed by the league and the remainder to be paid by clubs.
He said the league would seek sponsors for "goal of the week" and "mark of the week" segments on the website, with the hope the video footage would be self-funding "in a couple of years".
Mr Ward said the league's web TV show would provide a review of each weekend's matches and a preview of upcoming games, similar to one already produced by the Geelong Football League.
The league will also stream its interleague clash with Geelong and its grand final live on its website.
The Ovens and Murray Football League recently set up accounts on social networking sites Facebook and Twitter to promote events and circulate information.
League general manager Tom O'Connor said the Twitter account would be used to announce progressive match scores during the season.
"There is a world of online communication happening out there that the league needs to get involved in and utilise as a promotional tool," Mr O'Connor said.
Many other country leagues have Facebook pages, often set up by fans and not sanctioned by the league.
