Man U set for tie-up in Aussie rules

MANCHESTER United is thought to be on the brink of a marketing tie-up with one of the biggest names in Australian rules football.

The locally developed Australian Football League has little international following, but a deal with Essendon Football Club would give Man U a new marketing channel.

The Melbourne-based club offers access to 1.1m fans around Australia, and an introduction to a more select database of 160,000 supporters and members.

This will be used to promote Man U and provide an avenue to sell replica strip and memorabilia, and to market tickets to the English club's matches and events.

The deal is also expected to generate Australian sponsorship opportunities for Man U.

The Premiership club has similar marketing deals with the World Wrestling Federation and the New York Yankees baseball team.

Man U's director of business development, Ben Hatton, is thought to be in Australia for the official announcement. He visited Melbourne in July and said he saw opportunities in an alliance with Essendon, which is recognised as having the strongest brand and marketing in AFL.

'Of all the football clubs we've spoken to around the world, Essendon is the closest parallel to our business,' Hatton said at the time. Senior Essendon officials travelled to Britain last month to discuss the tie-up. The deal would be the first marketing deal between the two codes.

Leeds United pulled out of a deal to buy the Sydney Olympic Sharks last year.