IT’S the two-legged final that could crown the Wanderers as kings of Asia – and unlock the door to a multi-million-dollar payday for the A-League’s newest club.

Victory over Saudi side Al-Hilal in the Asian Champions League final will be worth $3.5 million, but could present the opportunity to double that, thanks to the prestige involved.

Experts say it could establish the club as a magnet for Asian companies seeking entry into Australia, while for the Wanderers players there is the immediate lure to share in $750,000 for winning the ACL – and target hundreds of thousands of dollars more before the end of 2014.

media_camera Can the Wanderers conquer Asia?

But to unlock the serious riches, Western Sydney must get past one of the powerhouses of West Asian football, run by Saudi royalty and featuring South American and Asian stars.

Winning the ACL is worth $1.5 million, with $750,000 going to the runners-up. But immediately the winner qualifies for December’s Club World Cup in Morocco and earns a minimum $1 million in the process.

There are millions of dollars more in prizemoney up for grabs at the CWC, with the winner taking home another $4 million and the third-placed team another $1.5 million.

Under the terms of the A-League’s deal with the players’ union, every member of the squad for the whole ACL campaign will share pro rata in 50 per cent of the winnings if Western Sydney are crowned champions, and 40 per cent of the runners-up pot if they lose the final.

But experts say Western Sydney would be able to leverage significant wider opportunities to earn another $1 million.

As part of that, it’s believed that all of the existing sponsorship deals contain bonus clauses that are activated the higher the Wanderers have gone in the ACL – it’s estimated to be worth an extra $200,000 if they win the final.

Merchandising opportunities will attract a premium too, as Asian companies seek ways of doing business with the club.

It’s believed that NRMA are already renewing their long-term shirt sponsorship for the A-League, but front of shirt deals will be struck for next year’s ACL – and possibly this year’s CWC.

On one level Western Sydney are effectively running at capacity – their memberships are capped, they have no immediate sponsorships left to sell, and their corporate facilities at Pirtek Stadium are already swamped.

“But the real opportunity comes as a brand in Asia,” said John Poulakakis, veteran brand consultant and adviser to the players union.

“Winning the ACL would make the Wanderers attractive to companies, especially in China, who want to develop their brand in Australia.’’

Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas admitted that commercially “it’s a unique opportunity and one we have to grasp with both hands”, whatever the result in the final.

THE BIG EARN

*ACL winner: $1.5 million

*Runners-up: $750,000

*Club World Cup prizemoney: $1m-$5m.

*Existing sponsorship bonuses: $200,000

*CWC sponsorships, new merchandising and commercial opportunities as ACL champions: $800,000

*Invitational tournaments, possibility of hosting visiting teams: $0.5m-$2m

*Players take 50 per cent of prize money if Wanderers win ACL, or 40 pre cent if they are runners-up.

HOW IT COMPARES

NRL

*Potential for a club to pocket $770,000 over the season

*Winner of the pre-season Auckland Nines gets $370,000

*The NRL grand final winners take home $400,000

AFL

*A club can potentially earn $1.21 million

*Pre-season NAB Cup is worth $210,000

*Winning the AFL grand final is worth $1 million

Super Rugby

*No prize money for winning the title, but throughout the finals series the home team keeps all ticketing and gate revenue.

*The Waratahs are estimated to have pocketed close to $1m for hosting both a semi-final and the final