The A – League is fast becoming a financial basket case with funding to clubs due to be slashed.

In any other sport the Grand Final winners, The Mariners, would be riding high with sponsorships rolling in and good times at the club, rather than mounting losses.

But there are no rivers of money from retail clubs like there is in Rugby League for example and many clubs are barely surviving.

Yet this is the Beautiful Game – the most successful in the world – what has gone wrong?

Image: Image: Shutterstock – IOIO Images – Melbourne’s Eli Adams competes with Mariners Jacob Farrell 2024 Grand Final

Produced By: Roderick Chambers

Featured In Story: Tim Harcourt, UTS Sport Economics Professor

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 12 June 2024