How to parlay Australia’s greatest sporting coup into a lasting legacy for the A-League will be the real test. Bums on seats in season 8 seems assured but will the turnstiles still be clicking over in five, 10 or even 20 years from now when ADP is back in Turin? Or are we doomed to revisit the ghosts of marquees past?

We asked Peter Wilt - Melbourne Victory tragic and founding general manager of MLS outfit Chicago Fire – whether there are any lessons to be learned from LA Galaxy’s signing of David Beckham. There are, as it turns out. Here are his top five strategies for capitalising on the signing of the Juventus great.

1. Market ADP as a celebrity and football ambassador
Australia’s football community already knows Del Piero but to make a larger impact on the league and sport, his popularity must expand beyond football fans. He may not have the social impact of Beckham and his wife Victoria, but he can be appreciated by fringe football fans and supporters of other codes. ADP also attracts elitist fans who prefer watching European football on telly as opposed to live professional football representing their local community. 

Promoting Del Piero as a celebrity beyond the football world will establish a base for extended commercial success and open up greater revenue sources. To do this he’ll need to be made accessible to all media (sports, news and entertainment) and cross promoted with other codes. Beckham, for example, became a regular in the high profile front row seats at LA Lakers games as well as at LA Kings ice hockey and LA Dodgers baseball games.

2. Expand promotional borders 
A club and league can only do so much. Corporate sponsors can extend ADP’s reach by including him in their product marketing campaigns, taking him well beyond the scope of Sydney FC’s own promotional borders. International tours, while vital in recovering some of the largesse being paid for his services, are equally important in generating exposure, interest and respect for the A-league. These tours will also build international football relationships that will bear fruit in the future.

3. Sign more marquee players 
The pool of potential marquee players has instantly expanded. Players and their agents worldwide will now look at the A-League more seriously. ADP must be the first of many marquees, and they must start coming during his stay. There is no one else just like Del Piero, but there will be other opportunities to bring in high profile players who have retained their skill. The league must be selective and not take players who simply want to collect a big cheque and use Australia as a retirement home. That means being both aggressive in its pursuit and judicious in its selection. The world’s eyes will be on ADP. If he has a good experience, it could lead to a stream of talented players from Serie A and other top flights.

4. Package ticket sales 
Fans may not like this but A-League teams should leverage their Sydney FC game tickets by packaging them with admission to other games. If you want to be assured a ticket, or at least a good ticket, to see ADP you must buy a ticket to one or more other games. There will be many casual fans that just want to see ADP. By packaging tickets, teams will increase attendances at other games and have a better chance of converting attendees at the Sydney FC match into fans of the home team.

5. Excite new investors 
The next two years provide a unique window to attract new wealth to the league. Certainly more tickets will be sold, but the excitement ADP brings must be shared with new sponsors, suite buyers and owners. Bringing new investors into the A-League will be critical to sustaining the level of excitement beyond ADP’s presence, convincing existing owners to continue investment in high level marquee players and new owners to establish expansion teams in the A-League.

Even if all these strategic elements are implemented properly, there are no guarantees that ADP’s stay will be successful and result in a lasting legacy. Some things are at least partially beyond the control of Sydney FC and the A-League. ADP must speak positively about his experience, he needs to remain healthy and the Sky Blues need to be competitive on the field.

That being said, the team and league have a huge opportunity. If they maximize what they do control, chances are very good that Del Piero’s impact on football in Australia will be everlasting.