Newcastle Jets can confirm that Joey Champness has made the decision to remain in the United States to pursue opportunities in the music business indefinitely.
This means that Champness will not return to the Newcastle Jets or to football in the immediate future, choosing to remain in the United States to chase his music dreams.
However, a formal agreement has been reached that means should Champness return to football before the end of the Hyundai A-League 2021/22 season, he will return to Newcastle.
Champness missed the beginning of the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 pre-season in order to head to Los Angeles and produce music.
He signed a distribution deal with music industry powerhouse label Creative Music Group (CMG) in late July.
“We allowed Joey to head to the United States to pursue a dream in music at the start of last month,” Jets CEO, Lawrie McKinna said.
“He’s made inroads in the business and the opportunity to remain in LA to chase those dreams is one that’s too big for him to pass up.
“That being said, Joey’s value as a footballer is clear for all to see and we’ve come to an formal agreement that should he return to football in the next three years, he will return to the Jets.”
