Executive chairman Shane Mattiske is confident the Newcastle Jets can be a force on and off the field and says the club's new owners intend to grow rather than offload the A-League franchise.
It has been almost three months since a consortium made up of owners from rival clubs Sydney, Western Sydney, Wellington and Western United rescued the the Jets after Martin Lee was stripped of his licence by Football Australia.
The Jets had been for sale for two years before Lee's exit, leaving $13 million in debt.
Initially, the new ownership group was seen as a stopgap measure.
However, Mattiske said the focus was now on growing the club and providing stability for the players, fans and community.
"The new owners are invested and they are committed," Mattiske said. "There is not a watching brief to find a buyer. They understand the jeopardy that comes with short-term decisions and bringing the wrong people into a club. The focus isn't on bringing through investors, the focus is on growth.
"The owners are committed and I think the fans should appreciate that we now have owners who are A-League people. They understand how the financial model works. They understand the challenges and the risks.
"Significantly, they understand the importance of the Newcastle Jets to this region and the importance of the team to the broader A-League competition. They are here to support the team and build a strong, fiercely competitive, sustainable team."
Mattiske has set a target of 11,000 members, more than double the current number, within 12 months. Sunday's double-header at McDonald Jones Stadium, where the Jets host Adelaide and Brisbane tackle Wellington, is the first of a number of initiatives to grow the fan base.
