FFA Open To Selling A-League Stake To Third-Party Investor

The A-League could fall under the private ownership of a global sports management firm, with Football Federation Australia "not ruling out selling off a stake in the competition to bring investment into the game." The A-League is braced for a "major financial blow" should broadcaster Fox Sports walk away from the final three years of its TV deal. A "third-party private ownership model" will reportedly be "seriously considered as a means to draw much-needed investment into the league." FFA has already laid "significant groundwork to sell a stake in the competition." An evaluation was conducted last year that deemed the A-League worth between A$100M and A$120M. After that evaluation, FFA "held talks with two overseas-based firms" about selling between 30% and 51% of the A-League. The identity of one of those firms remains unknown but, according to sources close, the other was IMG (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 4/24).