A-LEAGUE REVIVES MARQUEE FUND TO SPARK INTEREST

A-LEAGUE chief Greg O’Rourke has promised a cash splash for next season, headlined by the return of the marquee fund to bring elite talent to Australia.

Speaking at the Victory in Business function in Melbourne yesterday, O’Rourke acknowledged the downturn of interest in the national soccer competition this season.

Attendances and viewer numbers on Fox Sports and One have been poor.

A much hoped-for bounce has not happened, leaving league chiefs pondering how to win back hearts and minds.

“We’re going to see the repeat or the return of the multi-million dollar super marquee fund to try to secure some of the best players from all around the world to play in this league,” he said.

“We’re also going to double the amount of marketing funds that we’re going to use to launch the A-League.”

The marquee fund was established with the aim of getting head office to tip in extra dollars to help clubs land top talent.

It was disbanded after being used for one player — Tim Cahill.

O’Rourke said the decision to stage the ALeague decider in Newcastle rather than Sydney’s Allianz Stadium — which has won near- universal praise — was not a money-maker but good for the soul of the league.

“It’s the grand final that this season had to have,” he said. “The commercial view is this is going to cost us money.

“The intangible view is that the spinnaker would go up and the whole of Newcastle would be talking about this for a week and hopefully the weeks to come irrespective of whether they win or lose.”