By Andrew Warshaw
January 23 – The financial power of Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City has stretched to the other side of the world with the announcement that the high-flying Premier League club have taken over cash-strapped A-League team Melbourne Heart.
The deal, hot on the heels of City’s launch of next year’s MLS newcomers New York City Football Club, gives them a majority stake of the Australian club, with the owners of rugby league team Melbourne Storm holding a 20% share in their neighbours.
“We are excited about the opportunity to make Melbourne Heart one of the most successful football clubs in Australia and throughout the region,” City CEO Ferran Soriano said in a statement.
“We believe the strong sports culture of Melbourne combined with the football and commercial expertise within our consortium will make for a powerful combination both on and off the pitch.”
Despite such optimism, Heart, who have former Leeds United forward Harry Kewell in their ranks, currently sit bottom of the A-League with just one league win all season.
But Bart Campbell, chairman of the Storm and the Heart Consortium Group said: “Partnering with City to co-invest in Melbourne Heart will further strengthen the sporting landscape in one of the world’s greatest cities and bring a range of new capabilities to AAMI Park.
“We are excited to be a part of this unique project. It is our shared ambition to replicate the model that City created with the New York Yankees around New York City FC and for both organisations to benefit as a result.”
The A-League recently attracted former Italian icon Alessandro Del Piero and Football Federation Australia CEO David Gallop believes City’s involvement can only mean one thing.
“Football has moved into the mainstream of Australian sport and is ideally placed to benefit from the boom in football across Asia,” he said. “Manchester City and their Australian partners have made a strategic investment and I welcome them to our growing competition. It’s another sign that the world is taking notice of Australian football.
“Manchester City and their partners will bring a high level of expertise in football and sports business matters and that can only strengthen the Melbourne Heart and the Hyundai A-League as a whole.”
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