Southgate Helps Launch Multi-Million-Pound Grounds Investment

England manager Gareth Southgate joined Geoff Webb, CEO of the Grounds Management Association (GMA), to mark a game-changing multi-sport, multi-million-pound investment announcement.

As part of a £92m, three-year multi-sport investment commitment, the Football Foundation has extended use of their FREE pitch inspection app, PitchPower, to cricket, rugby union and rugby league clubs.

Through PitchPower, community clubs and organisations are able to carry out their own grass pitch inspections and receive bespoke advice and recommendations from experts at the Grounds Management Association to improve the quality of their grass pitches.

PitchPower has already been a game-changer in transforming the country’s grass football pitches.

In its trial alone, PitchPower helped to inspect almost 5,000 football pitches, leading to £8.6m of Football Foundation investment.

The app is now available to rugby league and is set to go live for rugby union at the season opener on 17/18th September, whilst cricket will follow at the next season.

Beyond inspections, from spring 2023, a new £15m funding pot will also be made available via the Football Foundation over the next three years enabling cricket, rugby league and rugby union clubs to apply for a grant funded by the Sport England National Lottery fund.

Speaking of the investment Geoff Webb, said: “The Ground Management Association is proud to have been a key delivery partner in the pilot for the PitchPower app and continues to work closely with the Football Foundation as we extend the service to a wider sporting community enabling cricket and rugby to also start reaping the benefits.

“If there’s no ground, there’s no game. As simple as that, so we welcome this additional investment to support grounds management.”

Image: GMA