The 2016 A-League grand final "looms as the most profitable in history" for Football Federation Australia but the governing body has "ruled out awarding any prize money to the champion this season," according to Dominic Bossi of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. FFA will reportedly receive a gross profit of up to A$3M ($2.3M) if all tickets to Sunday's final at Adelaide Oval are sold but the winning club will not "receive a cut until a new TV deal." A higher capacity than "many recent grand final venues," lower hiring fee than Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium and "incredible demand for tickets is making this year's decider a considerable cash cow" for FFA. Tickets went on sale to the general public at 11:30am on Tuesday and by the close of business more than 40,000 tickets to the 53,000-capacity stadium were purchased. Staff, leasing, transport, security and accommodation costs mean the final figure will be lower than A$3M, but sources suggest FFA "will still walk away with a total profit" well in excess of A$1M ($770,000). Neither Western Sydney Wanderers nor Adelaide United "will receive any of that money, but the governing body says that will change with the new TV deal" to be introduced in the '17-18 season. An FFA spokesperson said, "Prize money is not a part of this season's competition regulations and won't be introduced in the week of the grand final" (SMH, 4/26).
