South Australia Government To Sponsor Adelaide United In Asian Champions League

The South Australia State Government agreed to be a shirt sponsor for A-League side Adelaide United’s Asian Champions League playoff next month, according to Tom Richardson of IN DAILY. The club's shirts "will be emblazoned with the SA tourism logo in a deal which could net the club" more than A$100,000 ($70,000) -- "but there’s a catch." They will "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." Adelaide United Chair Greg Griffin said, "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." The initial one-match sponsorship is worth A$15,000 ($10,500), with an additional A$100,000 "to kick in if the Reds reach the group stage" (IN DAILY, 1/21).