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SA Government to sponsor Reds in Asia

The State Government has agreed to be a shirt sponsor for Adelaide United’s Asian Champions League playoff next month, InDaily can reveal.

Jan 21, 2016, updated Jan 21, 2016
MEMORIES: Adelaide United's Sasa Ognenovski beats Masato Yamazaki of Gamba Osaka to the ball during the 2008 Asian Champions League final in Adelaide. Photo: Rob Hutchison, AAP.

MEMORIES: Adelaide United's Sasa Ognenovski beats Masato Yamazaki of Gamba Osaka to the ball during the 2008 Asian Champions League final in Adelaide. Photo: Rob Hutchison, AAP.

The Reds’ shirts will be emblazoned with the SA tourism logo in a deal which could net the club more than $100,000 – but there’s a catch.

They’ll have to beat one of the most formidable teams in the Chinese Super League and proceed to the competition’s group stage before most of the money kicks in.

Depending on upcoming results, United appears set to play powerful Chinese club Shandong Luneng on February 9, the team representing SA’s sister state Shandong Province – a market into which the Weatherill Government is determined to make financial inroads.

“We’ll be wearing the SA tourism logo in that game, and if we manage to win that and proceed into the group stage the sponsorship kicks in,” Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin confirmed to InDaily.

“We have to qualify, is the answer… if we don’t qualify, it’s our problem.”

United will have a home ground advantage, with the clash to take place at Hindmarsh. A win would see them qualify for the ACL’s group stage and guarantee themselves a minimum of six more matches in the lucrative tournament.

InDaily understands the initial one-match sponsorship is worth $15,000, with an additional $100,000 to kick in if the Reds reach the group stage.

In 2008, United became the first Australian team to reach the Asian club competition final, losing heavily to Japan’s Gamba Osaka. But success in the competition is seen as critical to Adelaide’s financial fortunes.

It’s understood Government figures are also excited about the prospect of facing off against Shandong, given their efforts to infiltrate the region. Premier Jay Weatherill last year personally led a trade mission of more than 200 business and public service delegates to the province, which is home to 97 million people.

A spokeswoman for Sports and Tourism Minister Leon Bignell would only confirm “Adelaide United has approached the Government and we are looking at it”.

But Griffin, when approached by InDaily, confirmed “there’s an arrangement in place”.

“We actually went to them on the basis that it’s really consistent with the Premier’s objective on diplomacy through sport,” he said.

“And the Premier has already addressed the leaders of Shandong Province about using sport as a way in which we can promote SA, and they can promote Shandong.”

It’s understood soccer and basketball are the codes most likely to receive exposure.

If United manages to win on February 9, it will then face teams from Japan, South Korea and Thailand. In four previous meetings with Shandong Luneng in the Asian competition, the Reds have recorded one win, one draw and two losses.

“It will be exciting,” Griffin said.

The arrangement follows a decision by the Northern Territory Government to walk away from its annual $150,000 sponsorship of the Reds, with the club arguing it had been “pressured” to play A-League matches in the Top End.

 

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