The PlayStation^®4 National Premier Leagues (NPL) 2016 Season kicks off with the inaugural PS4™ Player Pathway Award which gives 24 aspiring footballers (aged 16-20) around the country a shot at a professional career.

Sydney, Thursday 18^th February 2016: Entering its fourth year since inception, the semi-professional PlayStation 4 NPL spans eight State and Territory competitions. It is already the main stepping stone for aspiring players to break into the Hyundai A-League, with 35 players from the various PlayStation 4 NPL competitions around the country signed up to professional contracts with Hyundai A-League clubs this season.

“The level of the PS4 NPL continues to improve each year and it is through this increasingly impressive standard that players are getting noticed and given an opportunity to realise their dream of becoming professional footballers,” said FFA CEO David Gallop.

The award programme incorporates Australian football’s elite coaches and personalities, with the judging panel including FFA Technical Director Eric Abrams, former Socceroos skipper and NPL ambassador John Kosmina, and Sydney FC Youth Coach Rob Stanton.

“The PS4 Player Pathway Award is yet another significant step in connecting the second tier and the Hyundai A-League as it unearths the stars of the future and further identifies talent from across the NPL,” said Gallop.

Managing Director of Sony Computer Entertainment Australia, Michael Ephraim said, “The PS4 NPL is widely recognised as the engine room for the future of professional league football in Australia. By introducing the PS4 Player Pathway Award we are offering another opportunity for players who have missed selection through traditional routes to follow their dreams into the A-League.”

The two day camp will be held at Football New South Wales’ state-of-the-art training ground, Valentine Sports Park, where the selected players will vie for a spot to trial with Sydney FC’s Youth Team.
In addition to the PS4 Player Pathway Award, keen football pundit and FOX SPORTS presenter Adam Peacock will track the most promising players from each PS4 NPL competition in a special eight-part series called ‘PS4 Player Pathway Ones to Watch’.

“I am really looking forward to following the PS4 NPL talent as part of the Ones to Watch series because football is about more than just a sport – it’s about the players’ stories, the communities, the determination and the passion for our beautiful game,” said Peacock.

“There is no better place to capture this spirit than on the regional football pitches around Australia. The PS4 Player Pathway initiative is exactly what grassroots football deserves to ensure no talent slips under the radar.”

Ephraim added, “We are incredibly grateful to our partners at FFA, Football NSW, Sydney FC and the Member Federations for supporting our initiative and are looking forward to seeing some excellent talent emerge during the 2016 season.”

This year will also see all nine Australian Hyundai A-League clubs with teams in PlayStation 4 NPL competitions with the Central Coast Mariners, Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers FC to field sides in the PlayStation 4 NPL 2 NSW competition for the first time.

“The inclusion of all nine Hyundai A-League clubs into a NPL competition is another important aspect of continuing to bridge that gap between the professional and second tiers,” said Gallop.

“The quality, both in regards to the skill on the field together with the administration side of things off the field continues to rise, and together with the support of PlayStation 4, this all benefits not only the technical development of the players but also the awareness of the PlayStation 4 NPL competitions around the country.”

“The success and uplift in standard of the PS4 NPL is testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by the NPL clubs and Member Federations over the past four years.”

Ephraim also emphasised the growth of the NPL.

“Football passion starts at the grassroots and our partnership with the NPL testifies our commitment to elevate NPL football to firmly assist in establishing it as the pathway to the A-League.”

“We’re investing in tomorrow’s professional football players today.”

Furthermore, Football Federation Victoria and Football Federation South Australia will commence PS4 NPL Women’s competitions in 2016, joining Football NSW and Football Queensland as the four Member Federations to have a NPL Women’s League.

Season start dates

Football Federation Victoria is the first Member Federation to commence its PlayStation 4 NPL 2016 competition with its season opener tonight between Oakleigh Cannons and Port Melbourne Sharks.

The opening round of matches in the PlayStation 4 NPL competitions around the country will commence on the following dates:

18 February – Football Federation Victoria

26 February – Football Federation South Australia

27 February – Football Queensland

12 March – Football NSW

18/19 March – Football Federation Tasmania

19 March – Football West

9 April – Northern NSW Football

2/3 April – Capital Football

These competitions will culminate in the PlayStation 4 National Premier Leagues 2016 Finals Series to determine the national champions and which club will receive automatic entry into the Westfield FFA Cup 2017 Round of 32. Details on a revamped national finals series for 2016 will be announced in the coming months. Football NSW club Blacktown City FC were crowned PlayStation 4 NPL Champions of Australia in 2015.

Notes to Editor

Available assets downloadable from: 2016 PS4 NPL Season Launch assets

Adam Peacock images from Valentine Sports Park

Images with Sydney FC coaching staff and players from their senior and NPL teams

PS4 NPL Season Launch video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKzgu7VSR00

For more information on the PS4 Player Pathway Award, please see the attached document detailing award structure, criteria and voting mechanic.

For interview opportunities with Michael Ephraim, please contact Alex Fraser from TLA on the details below.

RISE TO THE TOP OF THE FERRUM LEAGUE AND UNLEASH THE POWER OF YOUR POKÉMON IN POKKÉN TOURNAMENT FOR Wii U  

Take on all challengers, experience single-player and multiplayer battles and unlock the mysteries of Shadow Mewtwo when Pokkén Tournament launches March 19 for Wii U

18^th February, 2016 – Pokémon fans wanting to be the very best will need to conquer the new region of Ferrum, take on all-comers in a variety of game modes including single-player and multiplayer battles, and defeat  powerful Pokémon such as Shadow Mewtwo when Pokkén Tournament launches for Wii U on March 19.

Developed with Tekken franchise developers BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment, Pokkén Tournament brings versus fighting action to the world of Pokémon for the very first time, along with a roster of fan-favourite Pokémon to play as. For the first time ever prepare to do battle in the region of Ferrum, a new region introduced in Pokkén Tournament that is the stage for a battle style unique to this region, where Pokémon and their Battle Trainers compete to see who is the strongest in the Ferrum League.

The Ferrum League is the new single-player game mode exclusive to the Wii U version of Pokkén Tournament. As players win their way through the league, new Pokémon will be unlocked to be used as Support Pokémon and the number of selectable stages will also increase. Players can also go head to head as two players can take on each other in local or online multiplayer. In Local Battles, one player will use the Wii U GamePad while the other uses a Pokkén Tournament-compatible controller*.

Online Battles consist of Rank or Friendly Matches. In Rank Matches, players will take on the world and rise through the global rankings based on the points collected from their wins. Friendly Matches allow quick battles with others, even friends who have exchanged VS codes or Nintendo Network IDs. Pokkén Tournament also features a LAN Battle mode that allows players to connect two Wii U consoles together to experience local head-to-head action at a full 60 frames per second on separate TVs. In this mode each player can use any compatible controller.

For the first time players will be able to play with the powerful Shadow Mewtwo, a Pokémon shrouded in mystery and possessing overwhelming strength. As players win their way through the Ferrum League, Shadow Mewtwo will suddenly appear, and only successful players will finally bring the secrets of this mysterious Pokémon to light. Fans who purchase a first-run version** of the game at retail will receive a limited edition Shadow Mewtwo amiibo card that immediately unlocks the character in the game after tapping it to the Wii U GamePad.

By winning through the Ferrum League players will earn Poké Gold (PG), which can be spent on customising their Battle Trainer. By going to the My Town section of the game, players can use their hard-earned PG to purchase and equip new customisation items such as hair styles, outfits and accessories. Pokkén Tournament is also compatible with all amiibo accessories to unlock in-game items.

Pokkén Tournament also features a deep Practice Mode that will allow players to practice battling as much as they like without worrying about time limits or HP. In addition to the open practice of Free Training, the Combo Dojo will introduce powerful combos for each Pokémon and let players try them out. With a playable cast of Pokémon and dozens of additional support Pokémon to unlock, there are hundreds of combos to learn and take into battle.

With the new Ferrum League, a variety of multiplayer options, new battle and support Pokémon, and the mysteries of Shadow Mewtwo finally revealed, there is plenty to excite Pokémon and versus fighting game fans alike on March 19 when Pokkén Tournament launches for Wii U.

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