Industry News – Thursday August 18th – Sponsor announcements, renewals and more

A-leagues

• Melbourne Victory is pleased to announce Maple Living as a Premier Partner for the 2022/23 season.  

AFL 

• The AFL has not ruled out moving more AFL Women’s games as it eyes blockbuster Round 1 crowds next weekend to kick off its seventh season.
• The Fremantle Football Club have continued their strong investment in female football through a newly formed partnership with IGSSA to help further promote and develop women’s football in WA.
• Geelong Cats have announced it has broken its all-time membership record, with the Geelong army now standing at 70,758 in 2022.
• Hawthorn is excited to reveal WISE Employment has come on board as the official AFLW coaches partner ahead of the club’s inaugural season.
• MELBOURNE and New Balance are on track to reach a personal best, extending their relationship to become the longest-standing apparel partnership in the AFL.
• North Melbourne and Mazda are set to continue one of the longest running relationships in Australian sport, with Mazda extending its partnership with the club by a further three years.
• The general public ticketing allocation is officially exhausted for Showdown LII at Adelaide Oval, but supporters wanting to be there to farewell Port Adelaide legend Robbie Gray can still attend by purchasing a membership.
• The Sydney Swans are proud to announce we are partnering with 98 Gym, who will be tenants in the new Sydney Swans HQ at the Royal Hall of Industries.
• The next important phase of the highly anticipated VU Whitten Oval redevelopment is about to commence, concurrent with the completion of the demolition of the Whitten Stand.

BBL/WBBL

• The Melbourne Renegades are excited to welcome DXC Technology to the team, as the club’s official partner for the CDU Top End T20 Series in Darwin for 2022.
• The Melbourne Stars are pleased to announce global IT services company, DXC Technology, as the official partner of the Stars Academy for the Top End T20 Series in Darwin in 2022.

Cricket

• Australia’s two biggest Test series against England and India will be shoehorned into bizarre time slots due to the new supremacy of white ball franchise cricket. But despite this new world order, the Big Bash League is still struggling to get the consistent clear air it craves.
• Australia will play India and England more regularly in men’s cricket after the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed its Future Tours Program.

NBL 

• The Adelaide 36ers are delighted to announce specialist law firm Workplace Law has re-signed for the NBL23 campaign.
• The Brisbane Bullets are pleased to announce that former National Football League star player Vernon Davis has joined the ownership group of the Club.
• With community engagement always front of mind, Melbourne United is excited to be officially partnering with basketball associations across Victoria.
• The Wildcats are thrilled to welcome back prominent national brands Tyrepower, IGA and Bowra & O’Dea, who have once again thrown their support behind the 10-time champions ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
• South East Melbourne Phoenix is pleased to announce the continuation of the partnership with major partner, Ringwood MG along with Ringwood Nissan.
• Sydney hoops fans are rallying behind the NBL champions in record numbers, as they attempt to defend the crown. Fresh off a fourth championship, full season membership sales have already eclipsed last season’s mark with two months before tip-off.
• On the back of their strong performances last season the JackJumpers have sold out their allocation of memberships for the upcoming NBL season … in just 26 minutes.

NRL

• The NRL insists the late call on hosting rights for the 2022 Grand Final won’t hurt crowd numbers after a decision on the venue was pushed back again. News reports say that decision will be made Thursday.
• An emergency meeting between South Sydney CEO Blake Solly, club chief commercial officer Shannon Donato and NSW Sports Minister Alister Henskens on Wednesday tried to solve a dispute over where the club would play home games from 2023. Souths have been told a shift east won’t be at the expense of the NSW taxpayer.
• The Western Australia government wants to bring an NRL double-header – potentially a season opener – to Perth’s Optus Stadium next year as attempts to take the grand final interstate ramp up.
• The NRLW’s best players have warned the code could lose top talent to rival sports without the safety net of a pregnancy policy, which looms as a crucial part of negotiations over a new pay deal.
• NRLW captains are predicting a competition that produces its strongest results yet after the fifth season was officially launched at the newly built Allianz Stadium on Wednesday morning.
• More firefighters will be at the top of their game as Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) teams up with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and other elite sporting organisations to deliver health and wellbeing support.
• The Central Capras will become an affiliate team of the Dolphins next year, which will include support through the provision of NRL squad players to the Rockhampton-based club.
• Penrith Panthers has continued its strong partnership with Coreen School in Blacktown with a group of players making a meaningful difference in the community.

Broadcasting

• The WNBA in 2022 delivered its most-watched regular season in 14 years. Games carried by national TV partners ABC, CBS, ESPN and ESPN2 averaged 379,000 viewers, up 16% over the 2021 season. Highlights included the All-Star Game being the most viewed All-Star Game in six years, averaging 734,000 viewers, up 53% year-over year. The WNBA Draft averaged 403,000 viewers on ESPN, up 20% over 2021 and was the most-watched draft since 2004.

Other

• Swimming Australia has released a ten-year roadmap to 2032, with phase one involving the creation of a re-energised vision and strategy, and the launch of new consumer brand platform, SWIMAUS.

New Zealand

• The Black Caps are set to play in Australia’s iconic Boxing Day and New Year’s tests during the 2026-27 summer.
• In a huge move for the club, the New Zealand Warriors have announced they are re-joining the New South Wales Cup after a three-year absence brought about by the Covid pandemic.