Alessandro Del Piero triggers Sydney ticket record
WITHIN hours of Alessandro Del Piero agreeing to terms, Sydney FC had more than recouped a sizeable down payment on the $2 million two-year outlay on the Italian superstar by gaining 800 new members and selling a number of corporate suites at Allianz Stadium.
"It was a one-day sales record for Sydney FC," team spokesman David Mason said. "The phones started running hot well before 9am and we had to call in four additional temporary staff just to handle the extra load. The staff were absolutely run off their feet at the end of the first day and the new season doesn't kick-off for another month."
The most popular package bought by fans yesterday was a $485 deal for 13 home games for adults and $95 for children under the age of 15.
"But we also received a lot of inquiries for packages ranging in price from $1095 to The Legend's Club ($1625) to a private suite, which goes for $43,000 and change," Mason said.
The demand on season packages prompted Sydney FC chairman Scott Barlow to declare the signing of Del Piero as "a huge moment for the club and we think a historic moment for football in Australia".
"It was a bold move by the board and the CEO (Tony Pignata) to chase Alessandro, but one that we at the club believed to be the right one," Barlow said.
"It was only seven or eight days ago we first put our offer to Alessandro's people back in Italy, and although we believed it to be a long shot, given the amount of interest from other Serie A clubs and other leagues, we felt we'd give it our best shot.
"We think the benefits will be worth the investment and we thought through all of that before we made him the offer that we did."
When pressed for details about the reported $2m deal, Barlow said: "It's in the ballpark and as you now know, the planets have aligned."
Del Piero, who signed for the next two years without an option for a third, and his family are expected to arrive in Sydney at the end of next week to begin training under new coach Ian Crook.
"We need to give him some licence, but I won't be playing him at fullback," Crook joked. "Obviously we'll talk when he comes in, in terms of our shape and structure. There's never a headache when it's something like this, because it's just great to have him here."
While Del Piero is 37, Crook believes the former Juventus and Italy World Cup winner, is still a world class player.
If all goes to plan, Crook hopes to have Del Piero play in the club's two remaining pre-season games - against A-League champion Brisbane Roar in Mackay on September 16 and Newcastle Jets at Buff Point, Budgewoi, on the NSW Central Coast six days later. Speaking to Fox Sports from Turin yesterday, Del Piero said: "It was not an easy decision. I first considered all the opportunities I had been offered in recent months carefully.
"But in the end the most convincing choice was Sydney, in Australia, and today I can only say I cannot wait to start. The project that was presented to me, I was really drawn to it," he said.
"I was fascinated not only from a sporting point of view, but also from a personal point of view.
"I'm coming to Australia not only as a player to give 100 per cent, but to give the best for my team. I'm a football player, and I want to emphasise that.
" I know I will be a part of a football movement that wants to grow and succeed."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...466814829?sv=e924fe3d34fdaaa7cbb494f1c79cf0f0
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