<![CDATA[Notice]]>https://www.noticesports.com.auhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5MVS!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe6eb69c8-84e4-4156-9acf-2b6ccdbc11ee_350x350.pngNoticehttps://www.noticesports.com.auSubstackWed, 29 Jul 2026 13:49:54 GMT<![CDATA[Who are the brands backing the Australian Commonwealth Games Team?]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/who-are-the-brands-backing-the-australianhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/who-are-the-brands-backing-the-australianWed, 22 Jul 2026 22:01:44 GMTThanks for reading Notice, the e-newsletter delivering everything you need to know about Australian sport business, every Thursday.

Cricket Australia and Hola Health expanded their partnership - Now a Gold Partner, the Hola Health logo will appear on the Australia Men’s and Women’s teams’ playing kits as the lower back shirt sponsor across all three formats for international games played in Australia

TCS Sydney Marathon, presented by ASICS unveiled Vaseline (Unilever) as its ‘Official Nipple Protector’ partner following research which indicates that 92% of marathon participants experience chafing, with 67% reporting bleeding and one in three experiencing nipple chafing

Voltaren City2Surf signed a new multi-year partnership with Swisse Wellness which will look to highlight its position as ‘Australia's #1 Magnesium Brand’

Melbourne FC secured Polestar as the Co-Principal Partner and Official Automotive Partner of its AFLW program for a further season - the Swedish electric performance car brand will take pride of place on the front of the playing guernsey, as well as all training and off-field apparel - To mark the occasion, Broden Kelly dropped off some of Melbourne’s AFLW players at the 'G

Port Adelaide FC announced one of SA's leading providers of sports medicine, orthopaedic care, physiotherapy and podiatry, sportsmed, as an official club partner

Collingwood FC welcomed DTMF Group as its Official Commercial Cleaning Partner

Newcastle Jets announced Adept IT Solutions as the Club’s Major Partner for the 2026 Australia Cup campaign

Brisbane Roar welcomed back HART Sport, RYGG and Rise 96.5 as partners for the 2026/27 season

Cricket NSW announced an expanded multi-year partnership with New Balance and Belgravia Apparel - Under the new partnership, New Balance will become the Exclusive Apparel Partner of both the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder T20 Youth Camps and Academies

Queensland Premier Cricket secured a new 3-year sponsorship extension with KFC that will see it take on the naming rights of the T20 Max and Queensland Premier Cricket competitions

Melbourne Victory and 3AW extended their partnership which will include a designated weekly Victory segment during ‘Sports Today’ hosted by Jimmy Bartel and 3AW becoming an Official Media Partner of ‘Victory in Business’

Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 appointed Quint Australia as its exclusive Official Fan Travel and Hospitality Partner, which will design and deliver premium packages, hospitality offerings and bespoke event experiences for the major netball event taking place in Sydney from 25 August – 5 September 2027

Sports Group Melbourne announced Sports Direct as the Official Retail Partner of the Junior Champions League - the brand will feature heavily across the JCL26 Finals campaign from July - September providing a dedicated Sports Direct Arena, Players Tunnel, Fan Zone and activations

Victoria Racing Club announced that FISHER will return to Flemington to close the Melbourne Cup Carnival on TAB Champions Stakes Day - it also welcomed back McDonald’s Australia back as presenting partner of the Elms Live Stage

Adelaide Lightning inked a new deal with United Group Australia for the upcoming WNBL season

Townsville Fire and SCA extended their partnership for another 2 years - as part of the new deal, Kate Jeboult and Ck Kern are taking the lead as the Club’s new home game MCs

BCF launched a PR campaign in partnership with Jeremy Cameron, releasing a one-of-a-kind fish-suit onesie that’s ‘so bad, it’s good’

SBS recorded remarkable viewership results for its FIFA World Cup coverage - Spain v Argentina attracted a Total TV reach of almost 5.3 million and cumulative Total TV reach for the tournament reached 18.04 million (64% of Australia’s population watched some of the tournament)

The NFL Kickoff Festival presented by American Express was unveiled - the 3-day festival located at Melbourne Park will kick off on Thursday 10 September and feature NFL exhibits, retail pop-ups, Flag Football clinics, an American food village, official watch parties, music concerts and more

Australian Professional Leagues confirmed Australian Sports Group as the new owner of A-League Women's team Canberra United FC, which is taking ownership from Capital Football

AFL officially launched the 2026 NAB AFLW Season at Marvel Stadium alongside its biggest start and as tickets went on sale

Basketball Australia signed a landmark 4-year MOU with the Chinese Basketball Association which aims to strengthen high-performance programs, support player and coach development, and grow the game through greater collaboration

Australian Sports Technologies Network released its 5th annual Sports Innovation Report which revealed Australia’s sportstech sector is now worth A$7.11 billion

Chelsea FC announced a Premier League first by joining Strava’s platform and worldwide community of over 195 million users in more than 185 countries - the initiative aims to bring the global Blues family closer together through running, training and wellness

Who are the brands backing the Australian Commonwealth Games Team?

The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games begin today, bringing together more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories and representing over 2.5 billion people – around one-third of the world’s population.

Across 10 days of competition, 215 gold medals will be decided over 133 sessions spanning 10 sports and six Para sports, making it one of the biggest sporting events on the global calendar this year.

The Australian Team will be represented by 247 athletes from every Australian state and territory, backed by a portfolio of commercial partners helping fund, equip and amplify the team’s campaign.

Here’s a look at how brands are supporting and activating their partnerships with the Australian Team ahead of and during Glasgow 2026.

Seven Network announced its key brand partners for its live, free and exclusive coverage

Seven, the official Australian media partner, is set to bring every minute of Glasgow 2026 to Australians live and free, across multiple platforms. This includes a 24/7 digital offering on 7plus Sport, which will be built around 15 x channels of live content and 8 x FAST replay channels.

Yesterday, it unveiled its suite of blue-chip broadcast partners - AAMI, Harvey Norman, Woolworths, Hancock Prospecting and Kidman have signed on as principal sponsors, joined by Chemist Warehouse and BUPA as major integrated brands.

Commonwealth Games Australia has welcomed some of Australia’s biggest brands and most prominent sponsors of sport to its partnership family

These partnerships extend well beyond logo placement. Across Glasgow, brands will create content, reward supporters, equip athletes and enhance the Australian Team experience.

AAMI were announced as an Official Partner in March, marking the insurer’s first partnership with Commonwealth Games Australia

AAMI is activating its partnership across the Games in multiple ways:

  • Sideline Champions: an initiative designed to recognise, engage and celebrate the family, friends and supporter networks behind the Australian Team - As part of this initiative, AAMI has set up a Lounge at AUS HQ

  • Presenting partner of ‘The Pursuit of Unstoppable’, a six-part Green2Gold2Great documentary series available on 7Plus and YouTube

  • Ambassador program which includes:

    • Jessica Hull

    • Kyle Chalmers

    • Hani Watson

    • Lachlan Kennedy

    • Serena Bonnell

    • Taishar Ovens

In addition, AAMI’s partner brand, Suncorp is a sponsor of the Australian Diamonds Netball team and will be activating its partnership across the competition.

Harvey Norman returned as a partner after first backing the Australian Team at Birmingham 2022

Its activation centres around creating a home away from home for athletes inside AUS HQ. Highlights include:

  • Supplying televisions, gaming technology, table tennis and other entertainment for athletes in the Team Lounge

  • Ambassador program:

    • Ariarne Titmus

    • Madison De Rozario

    • Nya Hayman

    • Montana Atkinson

    • Joe Dixon

    • Tim Hodge

    • Rhiannon Clarke

Harvey Norman announced as Official Partner of Commonwealth Games Australia | Commonwealth Games Australia

  • Branded content with the Australian Team, including ‘Moment of the Day’ and a Mario Kart ‘Hot Laps’ competition

  • Disposable cameras giving athletes the ability to capture behind-the-scenes moments throughout the Games

Woolworths is activating in-store and in Glasgow

In-store: The supermarket giant teamed up with Royal Australian Mint to celebrate the 2026 Australian Commonwealth Games Team by releasing three limited-edition collectible coins - From Wednesday 15 July, Woolworths customers paying in cash have been able to collect the exclusive $2 coins in their change. New coin designs will be landing in cash tills each week across a three-week period.

In Glasgow: Woolworths will support in the delivery of grab-and-go dining and snacks for the Australian Team at AUS HQ

Ambassador: Woolworths recently announced an ambassador partnership with Mollie O’Callaghan

Apparel has been a popular partnership category

Speedo recently unveiled its competition and training wear for the Australian Dolphins

The unveiling marked more than 60 years of collaboration between the Australian Team and the iconic swimwear brand.

In Glasgow, Speedo is planning to deliver a family and friends experience for its sponsored athletes at the AUS HQ, along with delivering a kids swim clinic with Australian athletes.

Valour Sport became the official Green & Gold Kit Partner of the Australian Team

The Australian Team’s new kit was revealed to more than 150 stakeholders and media in May, with an innovative range introducing new colours and new fabrics, including the Unity knit fabric thoughtfully integrated into the garment through advanced knit construction.

Valour Sport is also set to play a significant role beyond simply supplying apparel. At Glasgow 2026, the Australian brand will:

  • Outfit the Seven commentary team

  • Support the packing of the Australian Team’s uniforms

  • Sell a range of merchandise items to the Sideline Champions program

  • Run merchandise giveaways across its social media channels

R.M.Williams is continuing its partnership which spans across three games

R.M.Williams is once again outfitting the Commonwealth Games, continuing a partnership that spans across three games, and which began with the Gold Coast 2018 Games.

The Australian heritage brand unveiled its latest designs in May with a Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb featuring Cam McEvoy and Delta Amidzovski.

Beyond official team apparel, R.M.Williams will:

  • Activate the Australian Team’s uniform distribution centre to provide fittings and alterations

  • Supply a branded INEOS 4WD for key Australian Team events, including the flag bearer announcement at the Australian Team Reception

  • Roll-out a dedicated content campaign across its own channels, supported by earned media activity led by PR agency MCM

Additional apparel partnerships:

  • Sylvia P Teamwear became the Official Supplier of gymnastics teamwear

  • STING became the Official Supplier of the Australian Boxing Team

Supplier partnerships are delivering products to help Australian athletes, staff, family and friends from the sidelines

ST. ALi was announced as the Official Coffee Supplier for the Australian Team back in April. Now, the famed Melbourne coffee roaster has arrived in Glasgow, where it has built a café inside Aus HQ and is expected to brew more than 700 cups of coffee every day for athletes, coaches and officials throughout the competition.

To mark its arrival, ST. ALi shared the below video with a cheeky message which generated plenty of attention on social media.

YETI was announced as an Official Supplier this month, and its providing Australian athletes and officials with custom 36oz Rambler Bottles and 10oz Rambler Tumblers, along with a stable of Tundra Haul wheeled Coolers and Hopper Flip soft coolers to support the delivery of performance healthcare and nutrition.

Zoomlite has delivered custom-designed, high-performance carry-on luggage for every member of the Australian Team. The specially-design luggage was ‘Designed to keep up with Australia’s elite athlete ‘ Tough, agile, unstoppable and decked in Aussie green’.

Multiple levels of government, along with associated bodies are getting behind Australian Athletes

The Federal Government announced a $513 million investment in sports funding ahead of Brisbane 2032 Games.

The NSW Government pledged $500,000 to support the Australian Commonwealth Games Team ahead of Glasgow 2026.

The Australian Sports Commission and Commonwealth Games Australia joined forces to champion Play Well, Australia’s national sport participation strategy, in the leadup and at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. The Play Well logo will feature on the Australian Team competition uniform.

Brands are also investing directly in athletes

Official Australian Team partnerships represent only one part of the commercial picture surrounding Glasgow 2026.

Alongside the brands supporting the broader Team, a number of Australian athletes have secured individual partnerships with brands looking to align with their personal stories, performances and growing profiles. More to come.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[Belonging is the new scoreboard]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/belonging-is-the-new-scoreboardhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/belonging-is-the-new-scoreboardWed, 15 Jul 2026 22:01:42 GMTThanks for reading Notice, the e-newsletter delivering everything you need to know about Australian sport business, every Thursday.

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Rugby League World Cup 2026 announced the tournament’s inaugural commercial partners, coinciding with its 100 Days To Go countdown:

  • Youi – Official General Insurance Partner

  • Bank South Pacific – Official Banking Partner

  • Rebel – Official Sports Retail Partner

  • Steeden – Official Match Ball Partner

  • Ticketmaster – Official Ticketing Partner

  • New Balance – Official Apparel Partner

Los Angeles Rams launched a new collaboration with social enterprise streetwear label HoMie ahead of its clash against the San Francisco 49ers at the MCG in October - all profits from its new range go directly to combat youth homelessness

Essendon FC announced that Toyota Material Handling Australia will continue as a co-major partner of the Club’s AFLW program for Season 11 which will see the TMHA logo remain featured on the Bombers AFLW playing guernsey

Cronulla Sharks welcomed leading Australian clean energy company Think Renewable as the front of shorts sponsor for both the NRL and NRLW teams, the partnership will cover the remainder of the 2026 seasons for both the men’s and women’s teams, while extending into 2027 as NRLW shorts sponsor

Western Sydney Wanderers FC unveiled Western Sydney International Airport as a Major Partner for the club’s highly anticipated Sydney Super Cup fixture against English Premier League side Chelsea FC

Perth Glory announced a 3-year major partnership with Northside Rentals which will feature on the back of the match shorts worn by Glory’s A-League Men’s and Women’s teams

South East Melbourne Phoenix secured a new partnership with Budget Car & Truck Rental for the NBL27 season which will feature on the front of the Phoenix's home and away jerseys, as well as the club's training apparel

Brisbane Bullets announced a suite of new and renewed partnerships with Cleanworks Australia (Official Cleaning Partner), Sirromet (Official Wine Partner) and Sunny Advertising (Media Partner)

Townsville Fire (reigning WNBL Champions) and South32 Cannington renewed their partnership for 3 more years

Brisbane Roar renewed multiple partnerships which includes Cannon Logistics, Arrivederci Pizzeria and Big Michael’s

Netball WA and West Coast Fever renewed their partnership with HCF through to 2027

AusCycling unveiled a string of new partnerships ahead of the UCI BMX Racing World Championships:

  • Quench Water Bottles became an Official Supplier

  • Queensland University of Technology will support the delivery of a live stream of the Challenge component of the event (from 20-25 July) and students will receive work placement opportunities

  • Brisbane SX (part of Stadiums Queensland) is hosting the event and has agreed to a holistic partnership covering food and beverage, venue hire, marketing and infrastructure

AusCycling also confirmed that Westbridge Funds are returning as naming rights partner of the Westbridge Funds Road National Championships, being held in Perth in January 2027

Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship presented by Monster Energy announced the renewal and expansion of its partnership with DEWALT for the 2026 season, and welcomed MyPayNow back as a Major Partner

Torrie Lewis and Mollie O’Callaghan were unveiled as NAB ambassadors ahead of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

South Sydney Rabbitohs hosted Jai Arrow’s 31st birthday alongside a VIP list of guests which included Anthony Albanese, Peter V’landys Andrew Abdo and The Wiggles

AFL, Dan Does Footy, 7plus and Kayo Sports united for a creator-led live stream - In an AFL industry first, ‘The Ultimate Footy Watchalong 2’ integrated official AFL match vision into the Dan Does Footy creator-led live stream

AFL and Bunnings launched their inaugural National Footy Sausage Sizzle involving more than 260 community football clubs taking over the tongs to raise vital funds that flow directly back into their clubs

AFL unveiled its long-term strategy to grow the game in India, with an ambition to increase participation in the country (population 1.48B) to more than 100,000 registered participants over the coming years

Melbourne Storm confirmed that it is in negotiations with two international bidders and is exploring a mega $160 million investment (via Code Sports)

Cricket Australia announced that the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers will open the KFC BBL|16 season in Chennai, India

Both of the above announcements were made as part of Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the Melbourne Cricket Ground

AO Ventures, the venture capital arm of Tennis Australia and the Australian Open, announced two new investments 1) Scottish wearable technology company PlayerData 2) Sports media platform ScorePlay

A-Leagues revealed the Isuzu UTE A-League Men 2026/27 fixture exclusively across the official A-Leagues’ app - The season will kick off with the Sydney Derby for the first time ever

Seattle Seahawks sold for an NFL record of US$9.61bn (Previous NFL team record sale was US$6.05bn)

FIFA is considering expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament (this year’s tournament featured 48 teams, up from 32)

Guest Writer: Tom Meredith

Today we’re welcoming Tom Meredith, Director & Principal Consultant at PLYMKR, as this week’s guest writer!

Tom is a freelance sport marketing and fandom consultant who supports agencies, brands and governing bodies in unlocking growth by connecting with fans in more meaningful and memorable ways.

Guided by a deep passion for sport, and his beloved Swansea City Football Club, Tom has carved a 15-year career in the sport marketing industry, at agencies in London and Melbourne - IMG, Synergy Sponsorship, Bastion Collective, TLA Worldwide and TGI Sport Wildcard.

In today’s article, Tom In today’s article, Tom shares his biggest takeaway from Victory Lap 2026, exploring why belonging has become the most powerful competitive advantage in modern sports branding.

Belonging is the new scoreboard

A few hundred marketers gathered in a converted power station on the Brisbane River last week, and something interesting happened. Across sixteen sessions, given by an array of world class sports marketeers - the same words weren’t always used, but almost everybody arrived at the same idea… The power of belonging.

That’s my real takeaway from Victory Lap, and it’s a genuinely exciting one for anyone building a sports brand right now. It’s a shift from rational marketing and analytics to emotional connection and identity.

The journey is simple - a clear brand narrative leads to compelling content, compelling content leads to fandom, and fandom, if built well, leads to belonging - the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself that speaks to you emotionally. The power that gets someone to renew a membership, buy a jersey, get a tattoo, or barrack for a club they’ve on the other side of the world like it’s family.

Kieran Murphy, now Senior Creative Director at IMG after shaping the Tottenham Hotspur rebrand and Formula 1’s creative direction, framed it as well as anyone on the day - attention used to be the metric brands chased. Now it’s belonging. The more you can get a fan to participate in your sports brand, the more opportunities you have to make them feel belonging.

At Tottenham:

“Football was the product, but belonging was the brand.”

- Kieran Murphy, now Senior Creative Director at IMG

Swap football for whatever code you love and you’ve got a sentence worth pinning above your desk.

Tottenham Rebrand:

People, place, positioning, participation – the pillars of belonging

Four ideas kept surfacing throughout the conference – people, place, positioning and participation. These four factors drive belonging and are levers that you can use to create deeper and more meaningful connections to your fanbase.

People, first. Know what makes your people tick. The strongest brands have done the deep work of understanding why someone becomes a fan in the first place, then build everything else from there.

Shana Stephenson’s story of Ellie the Elephant is a masterclass in this. Ellie is the New York Liberty’s mascot, dressed in swaggy outfits, with dance moves dripping in Brooklyn style and born from Ellis Island (home of the Statue of Liberty) and the true story of elephants once being walked across the Brooklyn Bridge to test its strength. She’s a style icon, appeared in Vogue, but most importantly she belongs to the people of Brooklyn. It’s not a content idea, it’s fandom research wearing a costume, and it’s now the most valuable mascot in women’s sport because of it.

Then place. Every place has a story to tell. Dan Beltran’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers talk was one of the highlights of the conference for its commitment to place. When Tom Brady moved on, the Bucs brand team had a moment of real clarity - for years they’d let one player carry their identity, and now it was time to build something that belonged to the city itself.

Beltran’s team spent months photographing Tampa’s architecture, its light, its textures, its hidden design, and turned all of it into the brand’s visual language

This is real identity. ‘Your city already has a brand,’ he said. ‘Your job is to find it.’ It’s a brilliant reminder for every Australian club sitting on its own goldmine, every place has a history and a community with a story only that club can tell.

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Positioning was a thread running through multiple sessions, and we heard two equally valid ways to execute and manage it.

New Zealand Rugby’s Kerry McKenzie runs the All Black marketing off a beautifully tight brand framework - Think, Feel, Do - anchored to one positioning line, ‘Embrace the Power of Black’. This is the framework that everything they do has to live by - from a coach announcement to a TikTok post.

Dan Beltran liked a bit of breathing room for creative exploration - his rule was that if a piece of content feels 75% right, that’s good enough to put into the world, and the flexibility is what keeps things feeling alive. Whereas the creators spoke to enjoying the freedom of flexibility in the content they create. The core point that everyone that spoke to positioning was the importance of total clarity on why the brand exists, so every decision downstream gets easier.

Our Home, Our Team – All Blacks

And participation, the pillar with significant energy behind. Formula 1 was held up again as the brand that’s cracked it – Drive to Survive, F1 go-kart tracks, a merch line dressing people who’ve never watched a race. For clubs and sports, the takeaway should be that the brands winning today aren’t creating bigger campaigns. They’re creating bigger ecosystems with multiple entry points for participation - and the role of branding has shifted from helping people recognise a brand to helping people find their place within it.

F1 Drive - Go Carting Experience

How are you helping your fans participate in new ways?

Speed and craft, working together

It’s an age-old tension – do you want it done quickly, or do you want it done well. We saw advocates for the power of both at Victory Lap. Dan Gorringe made the case for speed with the energy of someone who’s built ten million followers on it – the core of his approach is that being early to a moment or conversation is a genuine competitive advantage. He argued that attention needs to be grabbed in the first 2.8 seconds or you’ve lost. Attention belongs to no one, it’s earned. Because of this, Gorringe’s production and craft is limited – but for him, that works - his voice, deliberately, sounds like you’re down the pub with your mates. As creators, speed is vital. And AFL have recognised the power of this and DDF by granting them access to match vision as part of an AFL industry first collaboration with 7plus, Kayo, DDF and the AFL. The Ultimate Footy Watchalong will change the way AFL fans interact with the sport.

Shahbaz Khan, leader of the NFL’s global social strategy team, talked about the importance of craft when the time is right to create a deeper belonging – ‘build things that last rather than things that trend’, and earn your stripes on the platform before you make the commercial ask to the fan. For major sporting brands such as NFL, All Blacks or F1, craft is important for perception of the brand as well as connection.

However, speed and craft may actually be two halves of the same toolkit. Speed is how you show up for culture in the moment. Craft is how you show up for identity over time. The best brands or sports know how to reach for both, utilising the relevant creators or channels and understanding what’s right for the moment.

The opportunity in front of us

What struck me most, is how achievable all of this can be. It’s an invitation to lean into the most rewarding parts of our jobs - genuinely getting to know your fans and your place and building your brand or campaigns to tell their story. Get clear on what you stand for before you decide what execution looks like and then share real creative control with the people who can make it feel true - your creators, your players, your community.

Lavender Baj’s session was a genuine call to arms on this front, encouraging brands to treat creators as production partners with real access rather than talent working off a brief – something that NBA and NFL have really lent into with amazing success in recent years. Lavender’s promise was that the work gets better for everyone when they do.

In closing, Nicole Pincus’s line has stuck with me since - belonging is the new reach, and today’s fans, especially the younger ones, can tell instantly when a brand has earned the right to ask something of them.

That’s the golden goose sitting underneath everything at Victory Lap this year. Belonging. Fans who belong don’t just watch a sport, they attend it, defend it, fund it, wear it, and pass it on. Every club, league and brand in this industry already has the raw material to build that - a place, a history, a community, a story nobody else can tell. The opportunity now is simply to build the brand around it, with the same courage, clarity and emotional resonance that the best speakers in the room showed us this week.

See you at Victory Lap 2027.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[Rugby World Cup Experiences 2027: Where the seat is just the beginning]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/rugby-world-cup-experiences-2027https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/rugby-world-cup-experiences-2027Wed, 08 Jul 2026 22:01:06 GMTThanks for reading Notice, the weekly e-newsletter delivering everything you need to know about Australian sport business, every Thursday.

PGA of Australia and Golf Australia welcomed Avis Car Rental as their Official Car Rental Partner across their premier tournaments and initiatives as part of a 2-year deal

Rugby Australia confirmed the return of LION to the rugby family with Hahn Brewing becoming the Official Beer of the Wallabies for at least the next 2 years

Rugby Australia and IHG Hotels & Resorts extended their long-time partnership for an additional 3 years with the global hospitality leader confirmed as the Official Hotel Partner of the Wallabies and Wallaroos

Commonwealth Games Australia secured a new partnership with premium outdoor brand YETI which is set to support the Australian Commonwealth Games Team with customised products

AFL and Telstra announced a 4-year extension to the ‘Telstra Footy Grants’ program (until 2031) which sees a $2 million pool of funds distributed each year, with eligible regional and metro clubs able to apply for grants up to $20,000

NBL unveiled a new partnership with Australia’s premium savings and loyalty platform Mega Rewards which will provide fans with a range of money-can’t-buy experiences connected to some of the league’s biggest moments

Woolworths and the Royal Australian Mint are celebrating the 2026 Australian Commonwealth Games Team by releasing three limited-edition collectible coins

Hawthorn FC and ST. ALi officially joined forces as part of a multi-year partnership that will see the specialty coffee pioneers ensures the Club’s elite athletes, staff, and thousands of visitors are fueled by the very best

Collingwood FC announced a partnership extension with The Sporting Globe Bar and Grill for a further 2 seasons

Sydney Roosters renewed its partnership with Reddawn Security through to at least the end of the 2028 season - As part of the renewed agreement, Reddawn Security will continue to feature on the Sydney Roosters NRL playing and training shorts, while also expanding its support of the Club’s women’s program through new branding on the NRLW playing shorts from the 2026 season

Parramatta Eels announced a new partnership with Mother Energy which will join the Club as the Official Energy Drink Partner through to the end of 2027 and bring its fan-favourite “Mullet Cam” activation to CommBank Stadium

Wests Tigers secured a partnership extension with One World Courier which will remain with the Club through until the end of 2028 and have its logo feature on the Club’s NRL jersey

Brisbane Bullets and Coors renewed their partnership for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season which will see Coors’ continued support as major partner of the ‘Coors Champions Club’ at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Adelaide 36ers and SKG Services renewed their partnership for the next two NBL seasons which will see the provider of commercial cleaning, security, maintenance and construction services continue its prominent presence on the front of the Adelaide 36ers’ away jersey

Perth Bears launched ‘Bears in Business' - an exclusive corporate networking program designed to bring together ambitious businesses, meaningful connections and shared opportunities within the Perth Bears community - Corporate Traveller Australia and Penrite Oil were announced as Co-Major Partners of the new initiative

Sydney FC and Carbiz renewed their community-themed partnership for a 10th successive season - the Australian replacement car company will become the Naming Rights Partner of Sydney FC’s Primary Schools Cup and support the club’s School Holiday Clinics and Skills Training Programs

NRL announced the largest broadcast deal in Australian history, signing a 7-year, $5.3 billion deal that will see Nine and Foxtel retain their existing NRL media rights (The deal surpasses the AFL’s $4.5 billion media deal)

UFC announced that UFC 325 (Volkanovski vs Lopes), which took place earlier this year and drew a sold-out crowd of 18,102 and set the Qudos Bank Arena gate revenue record with $14.4M (highest-grossing event at any indoor arena in Australian history) also sparked significant economic impact, generating $65.7M throughout the Sydney metro area

Victorian Government announced a strategic partnership with ASX-listed sports technology company HITIQ to expand its advanced manufacturing and research facility in South Melbourne

NSW Government just committed $14M to the next stage of planning for Newcastle Arena – a shiny new 12,000-person arena that will be constructed alongside McDonald Jones Stadium (via Timeout Sydney)

Sport Design Australia hosted its inaugural ‘Victory Lap’ Sport Marketing & Creative Summit at Brisbane Powerhouse, attracting a sold-out crowd, a line-up of blue-chip speakers and (unexpectedly) plenty of beach balls

adidas unveiled the ‘adidas Trionda Final’ - the Official Match Ball for the World Cup semi-finals, bronze final and final

Justin Bieber is reportedly in talks to join the FIFA World Cup Final halftime show on July 19 at MetLife Stadium

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Guest Writer: David MacCallum

Today we’re welcoming David MacCallum as this week’s guest writer!

Profile image

David is a Director & the General Manager of STH Group in Australia, part of Sodexo Live!, where he leads the organisation’s commercial strategy, operational delivery, and premium fan experience programs across the Australian market.

Today he explains why premium sports hospitality is no longer defined by the best seat in the house, but by the experiences built around it.

Rugby World Cup Experiences 2027: Where the seat is just the beginning

A decade ago, premium sport was defined by one thing: the best seat in the house - Today, the seat is only the beginning

Competitive advantage no longer comes from the seat alone. It comes from the experiences built around it.

The data increasingly supports this shift. Men’s Rugby World Cup France 2023 generated €1.8 billion in economic impact, attracted more than 425,000 international visitors who stayed an average of 10 days, and 82% said they intend to return.

Global sporting events are no longer simply competitions. They’re catalysts for travel, shared experiences and lasting memories, creating value for fans, destinations and host nations alike.

From Access to Experience…

For years, premium sport followed a simple formula: better seats, better lounges and closer proximity - Today, access is simply the entry point

Consumer behaviour has shifted. Since the pandemic, people have become far more deliberate about how they spend both their time and money. Increasingly, they’re investing in experiences over possessions, looking for moments that feel meaningful, memorable and worth sharing.

In an increasingly digital world, live sport offers something that’s becoming harder to find: real moments, genuine human connection and shared experiences that simply can’t be replicated.

Whether it’s reconnecting with lifelong friends, bringing generations of a family together, or celebrating a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, major sporting events become the backdrop for memories that last long after the final whistle. The match is the catalyst, but it’s the moments shared around it that people remember most.

That’s why fans are increasingly building entire holidays around major sporting events rather than simply attending a match. The game provides the reason to travel, while the destination provides the experience.

As fans can organise more of a trip themselves, the competitive advantage is no longer selling hospitality in isolation. It’s about seamlessly connecting match access with travel, accommodation, dining, culture and local experiences into one curated journey.

As expectations evolve, premium becomes less about exclusivity and more about removing friction, unlocking access and curating experiences that would be difficult for travellers to create on their own.

Premium is no longer defined by the seat alone, but by everything surrounding it.

Why Australia Changes the Equation…

Australia offers something few Rugby World Cup hosts can: a tournament designed around travel

Rather than visiting a single destination, fans can experience:

  • Vibrant cities

  • World-class food and wine

  • Spectacular coastlines

  • Unique wildlife

  • Some of the world’s oldest living cultures across multiple host destinations

The tournament becomes more than a series of matches; it becomes a shared journey through a country, experienced with the people who matter most.

Instead of concentrating value inside the stadium, Australia creates opportunities across the entire journey.

This reflects a broader shift in sports tourism. Fans are increasingly using major sporting events as the catalyst for wider travel experiences, extending their stays, exploring multiple destinations and forming deeper connections with the places they visit.

The Rise of Sports Tourism as Experience Travel

This shift extends well beyond rugby.

Success is no longer measured solely by attendance or ticket sales.

Increasingly, rights holders and host nations are looking at visitor length of stay, regional dispersal, local spending and repeat visitation as measures of long-term value

The greatest economic impact is created as much outside the stadium as inside it.

For premium hospitality providers, the opportunity is no longer simply selling access to an event. It’s curating journeys that combine world-class sport with authentic destination experiences.

A Rugby World Cup journey in 2027 could include:

  • An opening experience on Bondi Beach

  • A curated culinary programme in Melbourne

  • A regional escape through Queensland

  • Cultural immersion alongside match access

  • Seamless travel and hosting throughout

Today’s premium traveller expects experiences that feel effortless rather than complicated, authentic rather than manufactured, and personal rather than standardised.

The value no longer lies in individual components, but in how seamlessly they come together. Curation has become the new premium.

One of the strongest insights from France 2023 wasn’t simply visitor numbers - it was duration

An average stay of 10 days shows fans weren’t flying in and out. They were investing time in the destination.

Longer stays create greater visitor spend, deeper regional exploration, stronger local economic impact and more meaningful memories.

For Australia 2027, encouraging earlier arrivals, multi-city travel and extended stays represents one of the tournament’s greatest opportunities.

Redefining premium

Premium sports hospitality was once defined by exclusivity inside the stadium.

Today, it is increasingly defined by the quality of the complete journey.

The most memorable Rugby World Cup experiences won’t be remembered solely for the seat or the final score. They’ll be remembered for the road trip between host cities, the long lunch at a winery, the conversations after the match, the people they shared it with and the memories created along the way.

The seat still matters. It just isn’t the whole story.

Looking ahead

The next generation of global sporting events will be defined not only by the quality of competition, but by the journeys they inspire.

Premium is no longer about exclusivity within a stadium. It is about creating connected experiences that bring together sport, travel, culture and destination in ways that feel effortless for visitors and valuable for host nations.

The match may be the reason people travel.

But the moments they share before kick-off, the places they discover, the relationships they strengthen and the memories they create together are what make the experience unforgettable.

That’s the future of premium sports tourism.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[TikTok has become Australia’s second screen for the FIFA World Cup 2026]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/tiktok-has-become-australias-secondhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/tiktok-has-become-australias-secondWed, 01 Jul 2026 22:00:39 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by Victory Lap

If you like what you read in the below and want to hear more, you can listen to Wade Shipard, Global Sports Partnerships AUNZ for TikTok, speak on stage at Victory Lap, Australia’s premier sports marketing and creative summit.

Event details:

  • Date: 7–8 July 2026

  • Location: Brisbane Powerhouse

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NBL secured a partnership renewal with Choice Hotels for the NBL27 Season - As part of the renewed partnership, Choice Hotels will launch a platform providing Choice Privileges members with new opportunities to get closer to the game through unique experiences and rewards

Hawthorn FC and KFC extended their partnership for another 5 years which will see KFC’s iconic logo continue to appear on the back of Hawthorn’s AFL and AFLW guernseys, as well as on the front of the Club’s AFLW shorts and across AFLW off-field apparel

Fremantle Dockers and Zoo Fit (Viva Leisure-owned) announced a 3-year partnership across the Club’s AFL and AFLW programs as the new fitness brand prepares to launch in WA

Tasmania FC announced Victor Sports as its Official Sports Medical Supplier and Sports Equipment Supplier for 2026 and 2027

Canberra Raiders and Toyota Material Handling Australia renewed their partnership through to the end of the 2030 season, which will see the Toyota Forklifts brand continue to feature prominently on the Raiders’ playing kit and across the club’s stadium and digital assets

Sydney Roosters announced a partnership with Friendly Plumbing which will support the ‘Forever Roosters Day’ taking place during its clash with the Parramatta Eels in Round 19 at Allianz Stadium

Western Sydney Wanderers and ASICS announced their new partnership - As the club’s new kit supplier, ASICS will provide a full collection of on-field and training apparel and footwear for its 2026/27 A-League season for both the men’s and women’s games

Central Coast Mariners announced Australian-owned sporting apparel company Konqa as its new official kit and apparel partner

Perth Wildcats welcomed Pirate Life as its Official Beer Partner as part of a 3-year deal which will see the brewery go all-in on the game-day experience, with exclusive member benefits, game-day activations, away-game events and the return of the Wildcats marching band

Melbourne United unveiled a new major partnership with Openway Food Co. for the NBL27 season, with leading brand Table of Plenty joining the club as its Official Snack Partner

Basketball WA inked a new partnership with Western Australia’s newest regional airline Nexus Airlines - the partnership will focus on supporting BWA’s regional development team and referee travel for events in regional areas

Adelaide Lightning secured a new partnership with Bowlsome for the 2026/27 WNBL season

South Australian Cricket Association and its long-term partner LION announced the next chapter in their enduring relationship, with branding transitioning from the iconic West End to the much-loved Hahn

AusTriathlon welcomed Speedo as a new partner, which joins as the organisation’s Official High-Performance Swim Training Partner

Water Polo Australia announced BMS Group as a National Supporter of the 2026 World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Finals in Sydney

SportNXT welcomed back MKTG Sports + Entertainment Australia as a Gold Partner and dentsu Sports Analytics as a Silver Partner for its upcoming event

Ultra Football hosted Nike Football’s ‘Merc: Unstoppable’ event, which brought together players, creators, collectors and fans for an evening to celebrate the speed, style and culture that have made Mercurial one of football’s most iconic boots

Queensland Maroons hosted its ‘Maroons Under the Stars’ event - a premium dining event held at a picturesque working cattle property just outside Rockhampton, with an all-star lineup including Darren Lockyer, Ben Ikin and Steve Price

Tennis Australia launched ‘AO Future Champions’ - a new initiative, bringing 6 up-and-coming brand marketers from around the world to the Australian Open in January for a ‘once in a career AO experience’

Melbourne Victory announced that Juan Mata, the World Cup-winning Spanish international, agreed to become a shareholder in the Club, adding to his ownership portfolio which also includes BWT Alpine Formula One Team and MLS club San Diego FC

Mizuno Australia unveiled a 3.5-metre mural of Socceroo Harry Souttar in Richmond

Socceroos secured $16 million in prize money after reaching the FIFA World Cup 2026 round of 32

Tabcorp and DAZN announced the launch of WorldPlay, a global sports games platform created to bring fans together around the world’s biggest sporting events, starting with the World Cup

NRL is on the verge of securing a mega 7-year, $5 billion TV rights deal with Nine and Foxtel, worth around $700 million annually, more than the AFL’s $643m per season (Via Code Sports)

AAMI Park announced it’s providing breakfast for the first 10,000 fans at its free live site which is showing the Socceroos’ FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash against Egypt on Saturday 4 July

Queensland Government secured the rights to host 3 x ANZAC Day Bledisloe Cup matches over the next six years as part of a deal with Rugby Australia

HYROX touched down in Sydney to get set to host 28,000+ participants (Australian record) across 5 x days from 1-5 July at Sydney Showground - BYD returns as the title partner

The annual 2026 Mick Fanning Charity Golf Day raised a record $747,000 which will be distributed to GIVIT, Human Nature and Hands on Heart, three organisations working tirelessly on the ground to support the Northern NSW community (which was devastated by floods in 2022)

World Surf League expanded its existing partnership with Apple, which will see the tech company continue to support athletes, social media and broadcast with performance data & insights

TikTok has become Australia’s second screen for the FIFA World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup is still watched on television. But increasingly, it’s experienced on TikTok.

Earlier this year, it was announced that FIFA and TikTok partnered to bring millions of fans even closer to the action at the FIFA World Cup 2026™as part of a ‘first-of-its-kind Preferred Platform agreement’.

The agreement builds on the groundbreaking tie-up between FIFA and TikTok for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™, which resulted in tens of billions of views.

Running until the end of 2026, central to the new agreement is TikTok’s GamePlan initiative - a comprehensive product suite that allows sports teams, leagues, and broadcasters to drive discovery, deepen engagement, and deliver real business results.

The new partnership also unlocks significant opportunities for official FIFA World Cup 2026 Media Partners on TikTok, including, the ability to:

  • Live-stream parts of matches

  • Post more curated clips

  • Access special content produced by FIFA for TikTok

With more than 10.5 million Australians using TikTok each month and sports content generating billions of video views locally, the platform is becoming one of the most important places for broadcasters, brands, creators and rights holders to connect with football fans.

Here are some of the ways that partnership is showing up in Australia…

SBS has turned its TikTok into an extension of its broadcast

In 2023, SBS secured the Australian broadcast rights to the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, maintaining its unbroken FIFA World Cup broadcast record, having aired every tournament since 1986.

In the lead up to the tournament, the broadcaster secured a strong portfolio of broadcast partners including Hyundai, Hisense, Macca’s, Rexona, bet365, Commonwealth Bank and Youi.

Since the beginning of the tournament, The broadcaster and its sponsors have already seen strong returns. Despite the less-than-ideal time zones, 11.6 million Australians tuned into SBS’s coverage during the first nine days of the tournament.

Complementing SBS’s broadcast is its presence on TikTok

SBS’s @sbssportau TikTok channel is filled with content that keeps fans engaged before, during and after matches, including:

  • Match highlights

  • Pre-match predictions and activations

  • Educational explainers

  • Player profiles

  • Team arrivals

  • Fan interviews

  • Behind-the-scenes footage

  • Creator collaborations

  • Fan reactions

Fed Square pandemonium after World Cup goal — Melbourne erupts

One of TikTok’s greatest strengths is that it transforms spectators into contributors

Instead of simply watching football, fans are actively participating by reacting to goals, debating refereeing decisions, sharing memes, posting predictions and creating their own content.

This behaviour has become increasingly normal for sports fans - Research commissioned by TikTok and conducted by OMD just found that three in four TikTok sports fans (5.8 million Aussies) now use the platform for sports content weekly, with many engaging daily to follow highlights, reactions, and commentary as it unfolds.

Meanwhile:

  • 85% engage with TikTok while watching live sport

  • 62% watch major sporting events specifically to participate in the cultural conversation surrounding them

Sport is no longer confined to just the game.

Creators have become key to FIFA’s global growth strategy

How fans engage with sports has shifted dramatically thanks to the growth of non-traditional digital media platforms and this has given rise to the ‘creator economy’ that sits among Australian sports media.

Related: The rise of the sports creator economy

One of the most significant parts of FIFA’s agreement with TikTok is its investment in creators

Rather than relying solely on official content, the FIFA and TikTok have built a creator programme designed to tell the story of the tournament through fan-first, creator-led storytelling.

The suite of Australian creators that form part of the partnership’s global roster of creators includes:

These creators are helping brands leverage their football partnerships in ways that traditional media can’t.

For example, Kat Sasso partnered with Hisense to promote its “Hisense Hangout” (here) and Macca’s to promote McDonalds is offering limited-time FIFA World Cup 26™ Meals - below.

Related: How brands are showing up around the FIFA World Cup 2026

TikTok is creating entirely new sponsorship inventory for broadcasters, teams & leagues

One of the most interesting outcomes of the FIFA World Cup has been the growth of official accounts.

TikTok’s GamePlan actively funnels fans towards official FIFA, broadcast, team and player accounts, helping convert casual viewers into long-term followers.

The growth has been substantial:

  • @sbssportau grew to over 1.1 million followers on TikTok at the end of June, more than quadrupling its follower count prior to the tournament

  • SBS has generated over 400 million video views from its World Cup related content across all its channels on TikTok in June

  • @socceroos are on pace to triple their follower count and become the most followed Australian sports team on TikTok by the end of the tournament

These larger audiences allow broadcasters and sporting organisations to develop branded-content throughout (and long after) the tournament to activate official sponsorships and generate incremental revenue.

Some branded content examples worth noticing:

@sbssportau

  • Watch parties, hosted by Nickstav_ and sponsored by Macca’s - below

  • The Football Verse - Youi Insurance - here

@socceroos:

  • CommBank Diary Room - below

  • Breakfast Quickfires presented by Bluestone Lane - here

  • Socceroos arrival at Qantas LAX Hanger - here

FIFA Sponsors

VISA and Rexona have sponsored the official ‘Collect & Play’ and ‘FIFA World Cup 2026 Search Hub’ within TikTok’s Game Plan Hub.

Rather than simply increasing reach during the FIFA World Cup 2026, TikTok is helping broadcasters. rights-holders, players and brands build owned audiences that remain commercially valuable long after the tournament finishes.

TikTok is becoming critical infrastructure for sport

The FIFA x TikTok partnership case study is one of many examples that illustrates TikTok’s importance within the new sports media landscape.

TikTok has been working closely with Australian sporting organisations behind the scenes for years, helping them grow audiences, reach younger fans and experiment with new ways to tell stories. Many sports are now leveraging the platform in increasingly creative ways.

Related: TikTok is playing a key role in shaping the future of sports

Last calendar year, Australian sports such as AFL, NRL and Tennis actively partnered with TikTok and cracked 1 billion video views.

Codes without active partnerships have still managed to sit in the hundreds of millions of views, but when TikTok works actively with a sport, the numbers move dramatically.

“The TikTok effect” extends beyond the phone screen

Online media is revolutionising the way sport is experienced and it’s often the entry point (top of funnel) for younger fans - A previous survey from Deloitte found that 90%+ of Gen Z fans use social media to consume sports content.

In addition, TikTok-commissioned research, conducted by Ipsos found that after viewing sports content on the platform, fans surveyed were more likely to take action beyond simply watching videos.

The research found that:

  • 42% will go on to tune in via TV or streaming services

  • 36% will go on to look up more information about the sport

  • 27% will go on to buy something they saw an athlete wearing, using, or promoting

  • 23% will go on to attend a sporting event

TikTok isn’t the only big-tech company investing in the FIFA World Cup 2026

The tournament has become a battleground among the world’s largest digital platforms, each racing to become the destination where fans watch, discuss, create and engage with football.

The sports media landscape has fundamentally changed, and so has the fan experience

Watching the match is now only one part of following the tournament. Fans are simultaneously consuming highlights, debating decisions, following creators, discovering brands, interacting with athletes and sharing their own content across TikTok.

  • For broadcasters like SBS, the platform has become an extension of the live broadcast

  • For brands, it provides new sponsorship inventory and richer storytelling opportunities

  • For creators, it has created an entirely new role within the sports media ecosystem

  • For rights holders, it has become one of the most powerful tools for growing audiences and building fandom

As major sporting events become increasingly digital-first, success will no longer be measured solely by television audiences. It will be measured by how effectively organisations own the conversation happening alongside the game.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[How brands are showing up around the FIFA World Cup 2026]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/how-brands-are-showing-up-aroundhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/how-brands-are-showing-up-aroundWed, 24 Jun 2026 22:01:07 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by Victory Lap

Australia’s premier sports marketing and creative summit, Victory Lap, is only two weeks away from descending onto Brisbane with an impressive lineup of international and local sports marketing leaders representing some of the world’s most popular teams, leagues and brands. Taking place 7 – 8 July 2026 at Brisbane Powerhouse, the two-day summit brings together the creative leaders reshaping how global sport is built, marketed and experienced.

Special offer for the Notice community

We’ve secured the Notice community a special offer to attend the first event alongside us: Purchase 3x or more tickets and receive $200 off EACH ticket (eg. $600 off 3x tickets).

Visit victorylap.com.au and use promo code NOTICE to redeem. The code is valid until 11:59PM, Wednesday 1 July 2026 or until sold out.

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Rugby Australia inked a new multi-year partnership with Melbourne world-renowned distillery, Starward Whisky, which became the Official Whisky Partner of the Wallabies, Wallaroos and Perth SVNS

Rugby Australia secured a partnership extension with Australia’s leading cyber security services firm CyberCX (part of Accenture) through to the end of 2027

Rugby Australia and Coca-Cola announced a 4-year partnership across National Teams that will see the world’s largest beverage manufacturer become the official soft drink, hydration, and energy drink partner for the Wallabies, Wallaroos and Australian Sevens teams (Coca-Cola has also been confirmed as the exclusive non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverage partner for the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 in Australia)

Western Sydney Wanderers announced a new partnership with Jaecoo ahead of its Sydney Super Cup clash against Chelsea FC next month

Melbourne Victory and Movember launched a strategic partnership aimed at supporting men’s health - during Men’s Health Week, Movember mental health guidelines will be piloted in community football clubs to support improved mental health for players, coaches and volunteers

Collingwood FC welcomed Comfort Sleep as the Club’s Official Elite Sleep Partner for the next year

Brisbane Bullets welcomed Australia’s leading car buying service Motor Scout Australia back on board as a major partner for Hungry Jack’s NBL27

Adelaide 36ers secured a 3-year partnership extension with Nippy’s, a proudly South Australian owned, family-run manufacturer of real fruit juices and flavoured milk drinks

Melbourne Vixens announced a new partnership with The Pass, a free-to-join loyalty app rewarding good times at more than 200 pubs and bars across Australia

Softball Australia announced Queensland University of Technology as its major education partner, forming a powerful alliance designed to propel Australian softball toward success at the LA28 Olympic Games

Water Polo Australia confirmed a partnership extension with Australian wealth management and investment firm Ord Minnett

New Balance opened one of its new ‘Grey Stores’ in QV Melbourne - Designed as a gallery-like space, it features exclusive collaborations, ‘MADE in USA’ and ‘MADE in UK’ collections, and limited-edition releases

WA Government unveiled a new partnership with Virgin Australia to offer discounted airfares to Perth ahead of the three-match series featuring AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Palermo - The deal is designed to make it easier and more affordable for interstate fans to travel to WA

Queensland Government unveiled plans for its largest upgrade to Suncorp Stadium in the venue’s 23-year history which includes an increase in capacity, a wraparound LED video screen, new terrace viewing platforms and entertainment zones

A rendered image inside a stadium showing a crowd seated around a rectangle field.

GIANTS Super Netball League goal shooter Matisse Leatherbarrow became an Ambassador for the Kids with Cancer Foundation to help shine a light on the more than 1,000 children diagnosed with cancer every year

AFL is reportedly considering a ‘mid-to-long-term’ plan to play a home-and-away game in Mumbai, India (via Seven, Tom Morris)

NRL and Mark Hughes Foundation joined forces to kick off the 10th anniversary Beanie for Brain Cancer Round across Round 17 of the 2026 Telstra Premiership Season

NRL reportedly agreed to salary cap concessions where existing club sponsors can top-up a Perth Bears player’s contract by 20% in a bid to compete with rival expansion side PNG Chiefs - the total team-wide concession amount cannot exceed $500,000 (via Code Sports)

NRL State of Origin Game 2 in Melbourne was the most watched Origin game of all time (4.3M) and biggest Origin crowd of all time (91,671)

Australian Open 2026 set new benchmarks, breaking attendance records, attracting unprecedented visitor stays in Melbourne, and delivering a record $722.32 million injection into the local economy, according to a new IER report

Australian Professional Leagues announced Total Soccer Growth Holdings (majority shareholder of Queens Park Rangers and part-owner of Los Angeles FC) as the new owner of the Central Coast Mariners FC

Marvel Stadium unveiled ‘Marvel Stadium 365’ - a new attractions hub offering a suite of unique experiences for visitors 365 days a year - Launching in July and developed in partnership with Imagineear, FutureLabs, and District Agency ‘Marvel Stadium 365 Tour’ will be the first experience to be rolled-out

Water Polo Australia announced Kayo Sports as the official broadcast partner of the 2026 World Aquatics Water Polo World Cup Finals in Sydney

Populous, a global sports and entertainment design practice, announced a partnership with Melbourne Victory midfielder and Chelsea FC legend, Juan Mata, who will become a special advisor to the firm’s practise on Football & Training

DAZN (owner of Foxtel Group) is reportedly restructuring its business (with a new ‌Cayman ⁠Islands holding company) to ​make it easier ​to raise new money ⁠and explore ​a possible public listing (via the Financial Times)

American influencer and online streamer, IShowSpeed (55M+ YouTube subscribers) struck a deal with FIFA, Fox, and YouTube to stream live FIFA World Cup games

Electronic Arts introduced ‘EA Advertising’ - a new platform enabling brands to connect with hundreds of millions of fans across its global portfolio of games

LVMH’s private-equity arm L Catterton is reportedly in exclusive talks to acquire a stake in Hyrox

How brands are showing up around the FIFA World Cup 2026

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup becomes one of the biggest marketing stages on the planet.

The 2026 edition has taken that opportunity to an entirely new level.

Hosted across the US, Canada and Mexico, featuring 48 nations and 104 matches, this is the largest FIFA World Cup in history, up 50% from the last one which had 32 teams competing.

FIFA’s tournament expansion has created significantly more inventory for broadcasters, sponsors and brands, providing more opportunities to reach audiences at scale than ever before.

For brands, partners and broadcasters in Australia, the tournament has become far more than a sporting event - it‘s a platform to launch campaigns, create experiences, engage customers and connect with football fans at a time when attention is concentrated on the world's biggest game.

How have brands done this?

Here are some of the Australian-centric partnerships, campaigns and activations worth noticing.

SBS continues to score with strong audiences and a strong sponsor portfolio

In 2023, SBS secured the Australian broadcast rights to the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, outbidding Paramount-owned Network 10 and Optus Sport.

The deal ensured SBS maintained its unbroken FIFA World Cup broadcast record, having aired every tournament since 1986.

Ahead of the tournament, SBS:

  • Partnered with Droga5, Poem, Hearts & Science and Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed to launch the cheeky “SBS World Cup Watchers’ Rights Association” campaign which encouraged Australians to find creative ways to watch matches at work (two-thirds of matches are being played during Australian business hours)

  • Secured a strong portfolio of broadcast partners including Hyundai, Hisense, Macca’s, Rexona, bet365, Commonwealth Bank and Youi - Hisense unveiled the “Hisense Hangout” as part of its partnership

The broadcaster and its sponsors have already seen strong returns.

Despite the less-than-ideal time zones, more than 11.6 million Australians tuned into SBS’s coverage during the first nine days of the tournament, demonstrating the enduring appeal of football’s biggest event.

Football Australia entered the tournament with new commercial momentum

Football Australia used the lead-up to the tournament to strengthen its commercial portfolio through a series of new partnerships.

Recent additions included:

  • Coca-Cola as the Official Supplier of the CommBank Socceroos and CommBank Matildas

  • Bluestone Lane as the Official Coffee Partner of the CommBank Socceroos

  • M.J. Bale extending its long-standing partnership as Official Tailor of the CommBank Socceroos

  • EA SPORTS announcing the CommBank Socceroos’ return to EA SPORTS FC 26 and EA SPORTS FC Mobile after a 3-year absence

  • BEDGEAR joining as Official Sleep Supplier of Football Australia, the CommBank Socceroos and CommBank Matildas

These additions strengthened an already impressive commercial portfolio and provided partners.

Football Australia’s partners have embraced the occasion

Many of Football Australia’s partners have launched integrated campaigns across paid, owned and earned channels.

Some campaign examples worth noticing include:

To celebrate its new partnership, Coca-Cola transformed its iconic Kings Cross billboard in Sydney into a green-and-gold tribute to the Socceroos.

Allianz Australia leveraged its partnership with Football Australia by launching a bespoke 3DOOH full motion ‘Care never gives up’ campaign on Melbourne’s Emporium digital large format screen, in partnership with QMS.

Meanwhile, Qantas welcomed the Socceroos to the United States with an event inside an LAX hangar.

At the same event, Bluestone Lane officially launched its new partnership and revealed plans to activate across its network of more than 65 cafés throughout the United States through co-branded cups, themed barista uniforms and prominent in-store signage.

Nike and Football Australia unveiled the Socceroos’ 2026 FIFA World Cup kit collection in March - the new kit collection was driven by a celebration of two decades on the world stage and a signal towards the future.

Peter Filopoulos, Former Chief Customer, Brand and Marketing Officer at Football Australia recently explained the rationale behind the design here.

Nike is also celebrating the Socceroos and the game via two upcoming events:

  • Merc: Unstoppable - A one-night takeover of Ultra Football Melbourne, bringing together players, creators, collectors and fans for an evening to celebrate the speed, style and culture that have made Mercurial one of football's most iconic boots

  • Merc Market - An event and curated space featuring local creators, collectors and independent labels, exclusive product drops and custom pieces

Limited-edition products continue to be a popular tactic

Major tournaments create urgency, collectability and cultural relevance, making them the perfect platform for limited-edition products.

Coca Cola launched limited edition cans (available exclusively at Coles) featuring four CommBank Socceroos – Nestory Irankunda, Mathew Ryan, Jordy Bos, and Cameron Burgess.

Powerade, Smith’s, Rexona and Coca-Cola have all rolled out specially marked FIFA World Cup products throughout the tournament.

McDonalds is offering limited-time FIFA World Cup 26™ Meals.

Every Large FIFA World Cup 26™ Meal comes with a free collectible cup with 6 different designs featuring either David Beckham, Ronaldinho Gaucho, Thierry Henry, Heung-Min Son and Lamine Yamal or Grimace.

Each Happy Meal includes one of 15 collectible Squishmallows plush, dressed in FIFA World Cup-inspired jerseys.

These products not only generate sales but also help bring the tournament into homes, workplaces and everyday consumer routines.

Brands are increasingly leveraging creators

As attention continues to fragment, creators have become an increasingly important part of the marketing mix.

Australian football creators Those Carter Boys have emerged as one of the most popular examples during the tournament, partnering with a suite of brands including:

Their involvement highlights how brands are increasingly using creators to translate sponsorships into content that feels more authentic, relatable and native to social platforms.

Live sites and fan experiences are bringing fans together

Not many fans can make it to North America, but brands are finding ways to recreate the atmosphere at home.

TAB partnered with Bastion and OMD to launch its national “The Cup at TAB” campaign, positioning TAB venues as destinations for Australians to gather and experience the tournament together.

The campaign spans TV, social media, retail, PR and experiential, with matchday experiences and venue-based events taking place throughout the tournament.

Above: Hickens Hotel goes wild for Metcalfe goal

Other notable branded live-site and fan-zone destinations include:

  • Allianz Stadium - here

  • Westfield - here

  • Marvel Stadium/Coca Cola - here

  • Ultra Football - here

Meanwhile, adidas created a FIFA World Cup 2026 pop-up installation in Sydney's CBD, providing another touchpoint for fans throughout the competition.

A brand activation that captured attention

In the lead up to the start of the tournament Sportsbet unveiled the ‘Statue of Aloisi’, a 40-metre Statue of Liberty-style tribute to John Aloisi on Cockatoo Island, in partnership with TGI Wildcard.

The giant inflatable (one of the largest inflatables ever created) was a nod to the night John Aloisi’s penalty sent Australia back to the World Cup, a moment that captured the country’s underdog spirit, self-belief and arrival on the world stage.

The statue captured the attention of Sydneysiders on their Thursday morning commute, and carried one simple message: Believe. John Aloisi was joined by Mark Schwarzer and Alex Volkanovski at the official unveiling in front of media.

FIFA’s sponsorship protection strategy has backfired

There are countless creative soccer-themed brand activations that are worth noticing from across the globe, but one of the more interesting stories of the tournament has been FIFA’s sponsorship protection measures.

To create ‘commercially clean’ venues for official partners, host stadiums and facilities have been required to cover or remove branding from non-affiliated brands.

The result has been a wave of creative responses from brands that suddenly found themselves becoming part of the story.

After its logo was covered at a host venue, Levi’s playfully updated its social media profile picture to cover its own logo as well, turning a sponsorship restriction into a widely shared marketing moment.

The brand has continued to lean into the narrative through additional social content and campaign executions (e.g. covering up the logo’s on its retail stores) and it’s following on Instagram continues to grow.

Gillette (below) and Heinz (here) are also among the brands that have found creative ways to participate in the broader conversation.

Sometimes the simplest sponsorship executions work best

One of the most talked-about sponsorship executions of the tournament belongs to Rexona - The deodorant brand’s logo appears directly underneath the armpits of every referee’s shirt.

The logo is only visible during pivotal moments such as penalties, cards and substitutions, remaining hidden for most of the match. Yet that scarcity has become its strength, generating widespread attention, earned media and praise for being one of the tournament's most clever and on-brand sponsorship executions.

Final whistle

The FIFA World Cup has always been a sporting spectacle, but increasingly it is becoming a global marketing battleground.

What stands out from the examples above is the diversity of approaches. Some brands are investing in major advertising campaigns, others are creating limited-edition products, experiential activations, live sites, creator partnerships or memorable stunts designed to generate earned media and social conversation.

For Australian brands, the tournament continues to provide a rare opportunity to participate in a genuinely global cultural moment while connecting with local audiences through the CommBank Socceroos and the broader football community.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[The unlikely brand that inspired the GWS Giants’ social media strategy]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/the-unlikely-brand-that-inspiredhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/the-unlikely-brand-that-inspiredWed, 17 Jun 2026 22:01:09 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by Victory Lap

If you like what you read in the below and want to hear more, you can watch & listen to Jacob Gaynor speak on stage at Victory Lap, Australia’s premier sports marketing and creative summit.

Event details:

  • Date: 7–8 July 2026

  • Location: Brisbane Powerhouse

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For a limited time, we’ve secured the Notice community a special offer to attend the first event alongside us: Purchase 3x or more tickets and receive $200 off EACH ticket (eg. $600 off 3x tickets).

Visit victorylap.com.au and use promo code NOTICE to redeem. The code is valid until 11:59PM, Wednesday 24 June 2026 or until sold out.

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Melbourne Storm unveiled a new partnership with health and wellbeing insurer AIA Australia - As part of the partnership, the pair launched the Club’s inaugural Mental Health Round, under the banner of ‘Tackle Tough Together’, proudly supported by Beyond Blue

Melbourne Victory announced BYD as a Major Partner and the Club’s exclusive Motor Vehicle Supplier for the next 12 months - BYD’s branding will feature on both the home & away A-League Men’s jerseys, alongside a strong presence across other areas of the Club, including media, Academy and Community assets

NBL & WNBL announced a new, multi-year Major Partnership with Optus, which became the Official Telco Partner of both competitions - Related: Why major brands are backing the NBL

Rugby Australia secured a 4-year partnership renewal with Australian tailor, M.J. Bale - As part of the renewal, M.J. Bale will continue to provide the Wallabies with their official formal wear

Rugby Australia announced that the Wallabies and Wallaroos will continue to wear iconic R.M.Williams boots following a multi-year partnership renewal, through to the end of 2029

Rugby Australia secured a new multi-year agreement with Bauerfeind ANZ, who became the Official Supplier of Compression and Supports for Australia’s national rugby teams until the end of 2027

nib Newcastle Knights announced Australian property development company James Place as an Official Partner of the Club’s NRLW program, which will see the James Place logo feature on the rear right panel of the NRLW shorts

Parramatta Eels welcomed Peoplecare as the Official Health Insurance Partner of the Parramatta Eels NRLW and female pathways programs

Netball WA & West Coast Fever welcomed Oasis Fertility Centre as the preferred supplier of fertility services to Netball WA athletes

Adelaide 36ers launched a new partnership with Learn Fresh which will deliver the internationally recognised NBA Math Hoops program to schools across South Australia and the Northern Territory

AusTriathlon announced a new partnership with Scicon Sports, which join as the organisation’s Official Luggage and Eyewear Partner and a key supporter of the High-Performance Team

Basketball Australia secured a partnership extension with Seven Consulting which extended its support as Major Partner of the Australian Opals until 2029

NT Cricket announced the Top End T20 Series will return to Darwin in August 2026, with Study NT confirmed as naming rights partner for the next 2-years

Port Adelaide FC’s not-for-profit arm, Power Community Limited, will expand its Empowered program in 2026 following an increase in funding from Credit Union SA

SBS Australia signed a 2-year broadcast partnership with the TCS Sydney Marathon presented by ASICS, securing exclusive FTA live coverage of the event

Hisense launched the ‘Hisense Hangout’ as part of its broadcast partnership with SBS Australia

Tennis Australia and the PGA TOUR announced a new partnership which will see Tennis Australia support the operational, experiential and commercial delivery of the 2028 Presidents Cup at the iconic Kingston Heath Golf Club

The NRL launched ‘NRL Travel’, a new dedicated travel and experiences offering that will enhance how fans attend the game’s biggest events, including Rugby League World Cup 2026 - Quint Australia is supporting the delivery of the program

AFL Gather Round is set to stay in South Australia thanks to a new 3-year deal between the league and the SA State Government - a free parade featuring players from each club on Friday night in Adelaide's CBD will be introduced next year

Josh Giddey met with Nathan Cleary and the NSW Blues for a crossover moment at the MCG ahead of State of Origin Game 2

Carlton FC captain, Patrick Cripps joined BFT founder Cameron Falloon and a group of investors backing Stille, a $10 million Melbourne wellness club that promises elite-athlete recovery tools for everybody, via Forbes Australia

Allianz Australia leveraged its partnership with Football Australia by launching a bespoke 3DOOH full motion 'Care never gives up' campaign on Melbourne’s Emporium digital large format screen, in partnership with QMS

Speedo unveiled the Australian Commonwealth Games aquatic team uniforms for Glasgow 2026 aboard a chartered ferry in the Sydney Harbour

The White House hosted UFC Freedom 250 Presented by Crypto.com and Ram Truck

Guest Writer: Jacob Gaynor

Jacob Gaynor opens up on the world of AFL social media | The Mercury

Today we’re welcoming Jacob Gaynor as this week’s guest writer!

Jacob is a creative content leader who has digitally reshaped the media landscape in Australian sport. Recently appointed Head of Content at the Tasmania Football Club, he brings nearly six years of innovative experience from the GWS GIANTS, most recently as Head of Content.

At GWS, Jacob developed a bold, personality-driven social media voice that catapulted the club into the spotlight. Known for cheeky memes, playful jibes at players and rivals, and candid TikToks, Jacob’s style earned him the reputation of revolutionising sports social media in Australia.

The success of GWS’s content strategy saw Jacob’s work featured across major Australian media outlets including Code Sports, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Seven, The Chronicle and GQ Australia.

Today, Jacob shares the unlikely source of inspiration that helped shape the GWS Giants’ successful social media strategy.

Enjoy the read!

The unlikely brand that inspired the GWS Giants’ social media strategy

For a long time, social media in sport functioned almost exclusively as a digital noticeboard. Clubs used social media to communicate team selection, injuries, score updates, sponsorship obligations and media releases. Yes, it was informative and required, but it was rarely human.

In a market as crowded and competitive as Australian sport, the traditional approach struggles to cut through, unless you’re a well-established and traditional club like the South Sydney Rabbitohs or Collingwood.

This was especially true during my time at the GWS Giants in the AFL.

From the outside, people probably underestimate how difficult the challenge was and continues to be for GWS. Not just from a football perspective, but from a branding and cultural perspective within a city and state dominated by the Sydney Swans and the NRL.

The Swans spent years fighting for relevance in a rugby league-dominated market, but by the time GWS entered the competition they’d already built generations of supporters, strong corporate backing and a recognised identity across NSW.

The GIANTS didn’t have the luxury of leaning on tradition and generational support, but rather than that being a weakness, that became the greatest opportunity to build something completely different.

The GIANTS needed to find a genuine point of difference, they needed to be culturally relevant beyond the field, and they had already embraced aspects of that before I arrived.

But when Leon Cameron departed in 2021, it felt like another turning point for the club from a creative point of view. It represented an opportunity for a brand reset.

The creative reset

From there the GIANTS’ brand became more self-aware, more playful and more importantly, the club became comfortable with not taking itself too seriously all.

Social media rewards authenticity and personality far more than perfection

Audiences can tell immediately when a brand is trying too hard to sound corporate or overly polished, the clubs and organisations that succeed online are the ones that feel human.

During my time at GWS we wanted supporters to feel like there were actual people behind the account rather than a communications department speaking through carefully approved statements and unnecessary unengaging information.

Fans needed to feel emotionally connected to the players and staff beyond what happened on the field for two or three hours each weekend.

A significant part of the strategy was simply letting humour exist organically, leaning into jokes and leaning into disappointment after losses. Celebrating wins with humour and emotion, just like a supporter would.

@gws.giantsOne first class ticket to the the MCG 🎫
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Our inspiration for that approach didn’t come from another Australian sporting organisation because, honestly, nobody in Australian sport was really operating that way at the time, nor were they in a market quite like GWS.

As an avid football fan, I looked at EPL clubs in particular who were beginning to understand social media as entertainment rather than simply communication. Bundesliga and La Liga clubs were also producing incredible cinematic storytelling, emotional player features and fan-first content.

But the account that influenced me most wasn’t even in sport.

The Ryanair influence

It was Ryanair, a low-cost airline in Europe, who are now known for their distinctive presence on social media.

Ryanair understood something incredibly important about modern communication, and that’s that brands perform better online when they stop sounding like a brand.

Their social strategy was self-aware, fast-moving and sarcastic.

They embraced internet culture instead of avoiding it and I think most importantly they were willing to laugh at themselves, willing to react to trends in real time and willing to lean into criticism.

Ryanair understood that audiences connect more deeply with brands that are imperfect, reactive, funny and human. That philosophy massively influenced the way I thought about sports content and that soon became the foundation of the GIANTS’ tone of voice and brand.

I think the GIANTS’ tone of voice was conversational, witty, self-aware and occasionally unhinged (which was my favourite part).

We leaned into memes, internet culture and AFL discourse all because the GIANTS weren’t burdened by tradition, there was freedom to experiment.

That was arguably the best part about being the youngest club in the competition, we could take risks traditional clubs couldn’t.

The power of internal trust

The GIANTS brand wouldn’t have worked without trust internally from the CEO, the coach and the board. One of the most underrated parts of the GIANTS’ success creatively was the buy-in from the staff.

David Matthews and his executive team understood the value of personality, the coach Adam Kingsley embraced it and most importantly the AFL and AFLW playing groups trusted the content team.

That trust allowed content to feel genuine because players weren’t being forced into something artificial.

I also think on-field success obviously matters too, because winning gives content relevance, and during my time at the GIANTS I was extremely lucky to be there during a relatively successful period.

Over time, the GIANTS built a reputation as one of the most entertaining clubs online and people began expecting the club to do something different.

Rival supporters follow the account, media outlets discuss the content regularly, both in a negative and positive way and the club became part of conversations outside traditional AFL media.

That’s something I’m incredibly proud of. Not because of the engagement numbers, but because it felt like we as a content team genuinely shifted how sporting organisations viewed digital media in Australia.

Creative growth requires discomfort

While I loved my life at the GIANTS, the friendships I’d built and the opportunities the club had given me, I felt myself becoming too comfortable creatively. I wanted to challenge myself in a new environment and continue growing professionally.

When the opportunity to help build Tasmania’s AFL club from the ground up emerged, it was too hard to ignore.

What I’ve found already is that Tasmania is completely different, and that’s what makes this opportunity so exciting.

Building an authentic Devils identity

The GIANTS were trying to create relevance in a crowded market, while Tasmania already had emotional investment before the club even played.

This club means something incredibly deep to people not only on the island but on the mainland as well.

I think the best part about being here now is that the people here don’t just want an AFL team, they genuinely feel like they’ve earned one.

That emotional connection creates enormous responsibility creatively because the Devils can’t just become another AFL club, they need to authentically represent Tasmania.

For me, that means understanding the identity of the state itself and understanding that the storytelling approach needs to be different to GWS.

I don’t want the Devils to simply replicate what worked at the GIANTS because this isn’t Western Sydney.

I still want the Devils to entertain people, I still want to lean into humour, the internet culture, the AFL media chaos and the constant rumour mill surrounding players and coaches.

But I also want the Devils to feel authentic. I want to embrace the weather, the uniqueness of Tasmania and use social media to portray how passionate the local supporters are on the island.

It’s unusual that a social media manager changing clubs was news, and with that there’s obviously expectation attached to what I helped build at GWS, and naturally people expect similar things to happen immediately in Tasmania.

But building a brand takes time. The GIANTS content strategy didn’t appear overnight, and Tasmania’s identity won’t either.

But that’s what excites me most.

This club has the opportunity to become one of the most unique and culturally important brands in Australian sport.

Want to hear more?

Jacob will be sharing more of his GWS Giants / Tasmania Devils story live at Victory Lap, July 7-8 at Brisbane Powerhouse.

For a limited time, we’ve secured the Notice community a special offer to attend the first event alongside us: Purchase 3x or more tickets and receive $200 off EACH ticket (eg. $600 off 3x tickets).

Visit victorylap.com.au and use promo code NOTICE to redeem. The code is valid until 11:59PM, Wednesday 24 June 2026 or until sold out.

Tickets available here

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

Subscribe now

]]><![CDATA[Why major brands are backing the NBL]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/why-major-brands-are-backing-thehttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/why-major-brands-are-backing-theTue, 16 Jun 2026 22:01:29 GMT

Last week, the NBL & WNBL announced a new, multi-year Major Partnership with Optus, which became the Official Telco Partner of both competitions. Detailed plans around how the partnership will be activated are still to come, but it was revealed at the press conference that the Optus logo will feature on every NBL & WNBL jersey, and will be visible on the Spalding Game Ball for the NBL moving forward.

The partnership announcement followed the NBL & WNBL’s new 3-year partnership announcement with Virgin Australia which became the Official Airline Partner of both competitions and Presenting Partner of the HoopsFest, which is returning to Perth in January 2027 thanks to a renewed 2-year commitment by the WA Government, via Tourism Western Australia.

Why is this worth noticing? Because these aren’t just partnerships with any brands. They're partnerships with some of Australia's largest and most recognisable companies, and they're the result of years of investment and innovation that have helped drive basketball's growth across Australia.

“What makes the NBL special is the way we bring people together. We see families and communities connecting through the game every day, and that’s something brands genuinely value. Partnerships with organisations like Optus and Virgin Australia reflect the progress we’ve made over many years, and the confidence these brands have in where the NBL is heading.”
— Samantha Green, Chief Growth Officer, NBL Group

The NBL’s growth is reflected across every key metric

NBL smashes records across attendance, broadcast and digital

The Hungry Jack’s NBL26 season delivered another season of record growth across attendance, broadcast and digital, strengthening its position as Australia’s fastest growing sporting league.

Broadcast audiences continue to climb

Viewership growth remains one of the league’s strongest indicators of momentum:

  • ESPN streaming audiences increased 21% YoY, marking a second consecutive season of more than 20% growth

  • Network 10’s average audience grew 18%, while the Championship Series finale became the most-watched NBL game in the broadcaster’s history

As sports media consumption becomes increasingly fragmented, sustained audience growth of this magnitude is particularly significant.

Record crowds reflect growing demand

The surge in interest isn’t limited to screens:

  • More than 1.23 million fans attended NBL games last season, an increase of 9% YoY and the second consecutive season the league has broken its all-time attendance record

  • The NBL26 Championship Series attracted a record 70,269 fans, while 63 games sold out across the season

  • The Adelaide 36ers alone recorded 42 consecutive home sell-outs, a remarkable demonstration of the growing demand for live basketball

The league’s digital footprint expanded

The league’s digital ecosystem is growing just as quickly:

  • The NBL’s social audience increased 17% to almost 2 million followers, while its fan database grew 31% to approximately 2 million people

  • App downloads rose 25% and web and app users increased 20% YoY

Collectively, these metrics paint a clear picture: more people are watching, attending and engaging with the NBL than ever before.

The strategy behind the numbers

Strong results rarely happen by accident.

The NBL’s growth has been underpinned by a deliberate strategy focused on broadening reach, increasing accessibility, strengthening the basketball ecosystem and creating more ways for fans to engage with the sport

One of the more interesting aspects of the NBL’s strategy is that not every partnership is designed purely to generate sponsorship revenue. Many are designed to help grow basketball itself and improve the fan experience.

Building a larger broadcast & digital ecosystem

The NBL has built a diversified media ecosystem, combining free-to-air, subscription, digital and international distribution partnerships to maximise reach, revenue and audience growth.

The league's recently announced partnership with Nine will see two marquee free-to-air NBL games broadcast each week from 2026.

How to watch the Hungry Jack's NBL27 season

The ESPN partnership provides continued access to subscription audiences, and its integration into Disney+ opens the door to an estimated 3.7 million Australian subscribers. ESPN’s NBL programming also makes all 165 Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season games available via Foxtel, Kayo Sports and Fetch TV.

Beyond broadcast, Basketball.com.au has emerged as a significant digital platform uniting the NBL, WNBL, NBL1 and broader basketball ecosystem under one roof.

Internationally, the league has also expanded through agreements with NBA TV and the NBA App, giving fans in the United States and Canada access to NBL content. Games are now broadcast in 190+ countries worldwide.

The global audience is becoming increasingly evident across digital platforms - 70%+ of Instagram and YouTube views were from overseas around the finals series.

Government partnerships that help grow the game

The NBL has secured new and renewed government partnerships that are not simply sponsorship agreements. They’re arrangements designed to create value for both parties - generating economic activity for host destinations while helping the league expand its footprint.

Examples include:

  • Western Australia’s support of HoopsFest, via Tourism Western Australia

  • Queensland’s support of the Ignite Cup, via Experience Gold Coast

  • The Victoria Government’s partnership around The NBL x NBA Melbourne Series (featuring the New Orleans Pelicans) and the CODE Sports NBL Blitz in Bendigo, via Visit Victoria

Partnerships beyond sponsorship revenue

Many of the league's partnerships are designed to improve the fan experience and strengthen the basketball ecosystem.

For example, Choice Hotels helps ensure that fans travelling to support their favourite teams benefit from the accessibility and reach of Choice Hotels’ extensive network across Australia and New Zealand. Earlier this year, it teamed up with the league to offer fans the chance to win the Ultimate NBL Finals Experience.

Win the Ultimate NBL Finals Experience

Virgin Australia also appears well-positioned to enhance the fan experience (particularly the in-flight one) around future editions of HoopsFest.

The League’s strong growth is driving its commercial success

As audiences have grown, commercial interest has followed.

Last season, 30+ brands joined or renewed partnerships across the NBL Group.

New Partnerships

  • Disney+

  • Snapchat

  • Step One

  • Simplot

  • Dabble

  • Choice Hotels

  • Mortgage Choice

  • Sportrader

  • Paywise

Renewed Partnerships

  • Europcar

  • Blackmores

  • Mitsubishi

  • Bunnings

  • Kmart

  • Midea

  • Reebok

  • AAMI

  • Foot Locker

  • Spalding

The diversity of the league’s commercial partnerships is noteworthy - Technology, automotive, telecommunications, travel, wagering, entertainment, finance and retail organisations are all finding reasons to invest in basketball.

The NBL’s new ownership of the WNBL is paying dividends, as new blue-chip partners are signing across leagues

In addition to Optus and Virgin Australia partnering across both leagues, the WNBL welcomed more than a dozen new partners last season, including globally recognised brands such as Google, Minor Hotels, Reebok and Sephora and locally loved powerhouses like Bunnings, AAMI, Hungry Jacks, Pay wise and Blackmores. The league also grew its relationship with existing partners Ford, Latina Fresh, Powerade, iAthletic and Spalding.

The asset-value of basketball is rising

The NBL’s commercial momentum is increasingly being reflected in asset valuations.

When Larry Kestelman acquired a controlling, 51% stake in the league in 2015, the NBL was reportedly valued at less than $10 million and facing an uncertain future. By 2024, it was estimated that the valuation had climbed past $350 million.

Team valuations are also moving in the same direction.

For example, Melbourne United recently underwent a significant ownership restructure, with Travis Knipe increasing his stake to 75% of the club at a valuation of $50 million.

Melbourne United enters new era through ownership restructure

Expansion remains on the agenda

The league's has proven capabilities to successfully expand into new cities and launch new teams.

The NBL’s newest club, the Tasmania JackJumpers, was founded in 2020 and entered the league in 2021. In just four seasons, it’s become one of Australian sport’s great expansion success stories, winning an NBL championship in 2024 and establishing a passionate fan base - the club has had a 100% home sell-out record since its inception.

Now attention is turning towards the Gold Coast.

Larry Kestelman has publicly stated his ambition to introduce an 11th team, with reports suggesting discussions have already taken place with local stakeholders in the Gold Coast.

The proposal has attracted international interest, with NBA legends Carmelo Anthony and Kenny Smith publicly backing the concept. Reportedly, the pair would become owners of the club should the expansion bid proceed.

Larry Kestelman has also previously flagged that Canberra has great potential to re-join the league.

Converting attention into commercial results

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the NBL’s growth story is its ability to convert attention into commercial outcomes.

  • Participation remains strong

  • Crowds continue to increase

  • Broadcast audiences are reaching record levels

  • Digital engagement is expanding both locally and internationally

And increasingly, that attention is translating into sponsorship revenue, media partnerships, government investment and long-term commercial growth.

The Optus and Virgin Australia announcements are yet another signal of the league’s success.

The result of years spent improving the product, investing in the basketball ecosystem and building a larger audience.

For sports organisations, it’s a reminder that commercial success rarely starts with sponsorship sales. It starts with creating something people genuinely want to watch, attend and engage with.

The NBL has spent the better part of a decade doing exactly that.

And if recent results are any indication, the strategy is paying off.

Related: The NBL flywheel is spinning, Basketball is on the rise in Australia

*Notice collaborated with the NBL on this article.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[Sports apparel is entering new territory (part 1)]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/sports-apparel-is-entering-new-territoryhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/sports-apparel-is-entering-new-territoryWed, 10 Jun 2026 22:00:49 GMTThanks for reading Notice, the weekly e-newsletter delivering everything you need to know about Australian sport business, every Thursday.

Announcement: Notice is on Instagram - here

There’s so much happening across the Australian sports business landscape right now, and Instagram gives us another way to highlight the trends, partnerships, activations, investments, people and ideas worth noticing.

Follow along at @notice_sports for regular updates and stories.

…And if you’ve come across something worth sharing (e.g. a partnership, campaign, job, event, business, startup or industry news), feel free to reach out to Matt or send us a DM via Instagram or LinkedIn here.

Today’s newsletter is presented by Delphize

Delphize Is Rewriting the Fan Economy Around Verified Behaviour

Delphize is introducing a new infrastructure layer for sport built around verified fan behaviour. The platform enables leagues, sponsors and rights holders to verify real-world and digital fan actions and securely connect those actions back to existing customer and membership systems.

As pressure intensifies around sponsorship accountability, attribution and measurable return, Delphize is challenging the industry’s reliance on impressions, reach and assumed engagement. Rather than measuring audiences alone, Delphize verifies attendance, participation and commercial outcomes in real time creating a more accountable and measurable model for sport.

The company believes the future fan economy will be built on proof: verified behaviour connected directly to measurable value

Find out more

Football Australia announced a new partnership with Bluestone Lane which became the Official Coffee Partner of the CommBank Socceroos - the Australian-born café and coffee brand will activate the partnership across its 65+ café locations throughout the US, promoting the CommBank Socceroos through co-branded coffee cups, Socceroos-themed barista apparel, and prominent in-store signage

Football Australia inked a new deal with BEDGEAR which became the Official Sleep Supplier of FA and its two senior national teams, the CommBank Socceroos and CommBank Matildas

AFL announced the extension of its partnership with DiDi, which will continue as the Official Ride Share Partner of the AFL, AFLW, and Marvel Stadium through until the end of 2027

Melbourne FC and New Balance expanded their partnership - the American sports footwear and apparel brand has been a men’s partner since 2010 and is now expanding it to include the AFLW - alongside Belgravia Sports, it will supply performance, on-field and supporter ranges for athletes, staff, and fans

West Coast Eagles welcomed Indigenous-owned construction company Eastern Guruma as a partner of the AFLW team, Naitanui Academy and Soar program, its logo which will feature on the sleeve of the AFLW media polo

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs secured a partnership extension with KFC through to the end of 2028, which will see KFC continue as the Club’s Official Quick Service Restaurant Partner, as well as the Official NRL Upper Back Partner and Official NRLW Lower Back Partner

Wests Tigers confirmed VICTA’s support of the Club’s NRLW squad as they prepare to ‘mow down’ their competition over the next 3 years - The Australian lawnmower company will feature on the team’s upper back

Rabbitohs Institute announced a new partnership with Viva Leisure, the parent company of Club Lime, designed to strengthen industry engagement and create new pathways for students into the health, fitness, and broader sports sectors

Supercars confirmed Bosch Power Tools as Naming Rights Partner of the Perth Super 440 for a 4th consecutive year in 2026

Tennis West announced a new partnership with waterdrop®, appointing the hydration brand as the Official Hydration Supplement of Tennis West and Official Refill Bottle of Tennis West

Netball Queensland and the Queensland Firebirds announced Australia’s largest rail freight business Aurizon renewed its commitment as Principal Partner of the Queensland Firebirds and Major Partner of Netball Queensland, extending the partnership through to the end of 2029

Wheelchair Rugby Australia and etrainu announced etrainu as the Official Education Partner for WRA, supporting the development of coaches, officials and volunteers nationwide

FIFA unveiled Salesforce as the Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2027™

Manly Sea Eagles’ coach Kieran Foran became the new face of KFC at Manly Vale, and to celebrate the appointment of “Foz” as Head Coach, 4 Pines Brewing Co. gave 4 Pines Park a one-round makeover, renaming it “Foz Pines Park”

Stan Sport owner Nine Entertainment made an early bid to extend its deal to broadcast the the English Premier League (reported by Australian Financial Review)

It was reported that Miley Cyrus is getting set to perform at the NFL’s first ever regular season game between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers at the MCG

Football Australia confirmed that the CommBank Socceroos will officially feature in EA SPORTS FC™ 26 and EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile following a 3-year absence

Sportsbet unveiled the 'Statue of Aloisi', a 40-metre Statue of Liberty-style tribute to John Aloisi on Cockatoo Island, ahead of the 2026 World Cup

The NRL announced a month-long ‘Jai July’ MND Fundraiser campaign supporting South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow following his shock MND diagnosis - he tossed the coin pre-match at Big Freeze 12 (Melbourne vs Collingwood) on Monday - Construction magnates Quentin and Kylie Birt donated $40m to FightMND after attending the game - the couple initially pledged $10m to the cause, but quadripled the amount after they felt so inspired by the incredible spectacle at the MCG

Macarthur FC launched a proposal for a purpose-built school in Sydney's Southwest that could facilitate 1200 students, as well as a childcare centre catering to 120 children

SailGP unveiled event dates and ticket experiences for the 2027 Australia Sail Grand Prix in Perth - Following the sell-out success of this year’s inaugural event, the 2027 edition will welcome more fans than ever before with a significant increase in grandstand capacity

Marvel Stadium launched its new live site alongside Jack Higgins, Marcus Windhager and Tim Taranto

A pair of courtside seats for Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden between the Knicks and Spurs sold for $1 million at a charity auction

Sports apparel is entering new territory (part 1)

For decades, sports apparel & merchandise followed a fairly predictable formula.

A new playing jersey would be launched each season, accompanied by a range of supporter apparel produced by established sportswear brands such as Nike, Adidas and Puma.

That model still exists.

But increasingly, sports organisations are experimenting.

Across Australia, teams and leagues are pushing beyond traditional merchandise categories, partnering with unexpected brands (best known for Streetwear, Lifestyle, Athleisure, Fashion) to launch lifestyle collections, embrace fashion trends and create products that look very different from the supporter gear of the past.

The objective isn’t simply to sell more merchandise.

It’s about finding new ways to engage fans & participants, differentiating from competitors, connecting with culture, creating new revenue streams and expanding the reach of their brands.

Many of the examples below involve brands that traditionally had little or no connection to sport… And that’s exactly why they’re worth noticing.

*Today’s article is part one of a two-part series exploring how sports organisations are experimenting with sports apparel.

Teams & leagues are experimenting with women’s apparel collaborations

Historically, merchandise ranges were often built with male supporters in mind, but the rapid rise of women’s sport is opening the door to entirely new partnership opportunities, and sports organisations are increasingly experimenting with products specifically designed for female fans.

Newcastle Knights x SŚAINT PARFUM

The Newcastle Knights recently unveiled a groundbreaking merchandise capsule collaboration with Australian lifestyle brand, SŚAINT.

As part of the collaboration, the pair launched a limited-edition range (includes tee, cap, polo and bomber jacket), blending contemporary streetwear aesthetics with the identity and energy of the Knights brand.

Newcastle Knights x THE ICONIC

The collaboration above followed the Knights’ new partnership with leading fashion and lifestyle platform THE ICONIC which became the club’s exclusive Online Fashion and Lifestyle Retail Partner for the 2026 NRLW season.

logo, company name

This partnership has seen THE ICONIC feature on the team’s playing kit, while also designing the squad’s off-field uniforms.

Both these partnerships (among others) form part of the Club’s efforts (led by Jodie Cross) to challenge convention and find new ways to keep fans engaged, excited and emotionally connected to the Knights’ brand.

South Sydney Rabbitohs x Upstate

South Sydney Rabbitohs and Upstate Sport hosted a free women’s wellness event to celebrate the launch of their brand-new women’s activewear range.

Styled for life, made for movement. Rabbitohs x Upstate Women's Activewear range has officially dropped. Discover the new activewear collection designed just for women. Shop the range now! https://t.co/Eiw2FD9fWW

Brisbane Broncos x Sabo

In 2025, the Brisbane Broncos partnered with the popular, women-led fashion label Sabo to create a highly successful, limited-edition line of apparel. The collaboration was designed to honour the women who shaped the players, the club, and the rugby league community.

Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds, Pat Carrigan, Jordan Riki and Kotoni Staggs were the faces of the campaign.

The Broncos & Sabo Story, As 'The Jersey That Brisbane Built' Is Launched ( Broncos Women in League Round jersey) : r/nrl

Why is this worth noticing?

Cited in a LinkedIn post from Dr Sarah Wymer, and according to the Rep Her report (2024):

  • The women’s sport merch market is worth $4 billion

  • For every 9 men’s merch items, there’s just 1 for women’s sport

  • 3 in 5 fans who wanted to buy women’s merch said they couldn’t find anything they liked

  • Women already outspend men on sport merch annually, and influence up to 80% of sport purchases

Hawthorn Football Club x KOOKAÏ

Last year Hawthorn FC welcomed popular women’s fashion label KOOKAÏ to the brown and gold family.

As part of the partnership, the Australian-owned brand styled Hawthorn’s female staff and administrators in its high-quality corporate apparel, featured in digital marketing and signage around the ground, and served as the club’s presenting partner of the coveted AFLW Best and Fairest.

Non-traditional collaborations

One of the clearest trends emerging across Australian sport is a willingness for sports organisations to partner with brands that sit well outside traditional sporting categories…

The AFL has been looking to expand its cultural reach via design-led collaborations.

AFL x STRATEAS CARLUCCI

The League teamed up with STRATEAS CARLUCCI to create a limited capsule which was developed with the Melbourne-based luxury design house, alongside partners Fanatics and PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival. AFL and AFLW stars Isaac Quaynor, Cody Weightman, Changkuoth Jiath, Mon Conti, Sophie McKay and Matilda Scholz showcased the range on the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival catwalk.

AFL x HoMie

The AFL has teamed up with Melbourne-based brand HoMie, a streetwear label and social enterprise where 100% of profits go towards achieving its mission: to support young people affected by homelessness or hardship.

The pair has produced limited-edition knits and jersey-collections of all 18 AFL club colourways. Last year, A selection of the AFL range was officially debuted on the Block Party Runway at the PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival.

AFL x StreetX

The AFR reported that Perth street fashion label StreetX achieved 50% growth in just one year after partnering with the AFL and adopting a unique approach to marketing - Past and present AFL cult heroes and internationally renowned UFC cage fighters headline its social media activity.

AFL x Elite Eleven

The AFL and Elite Eleven just launched a new collaboration - the Australian-owned activewear & athleisure brand has created 3 AFL merchandise pieces for each club.

This follows last year’s collaboration launch, the most successful in the brand’s history, with more than 20,000 units sold in under 24 hours.

The Gold Coast SUNS have become trailblazers

Not every sports organisation is relying on external collaborations. Some are creating their own products designed to challenge category norms.

Few clubs have embraced experimentation more aggressively than the Gold Coast SUNS - In the lead up to Gather Round 2025 it launched the ‘GC SUNS Pink Collection’ which included a pink jersey (hero piece), lifestyle tee, two hoodie variations and a pink training singlet. The pink collection pays tribute to the quintessential pink skies of a Gold Coast sunrise, and reflects the evolution of the Gold Coast SUNS – modern, agile and unshackled from long-standing tradition.

The SUNS have since been doubling down - not only has it continued to embrace pink as a way to be different (which has been highly popular), it has also experimented with new products, such as its new ‘Suns are Hot’ cropped tee:

The rising popularity of football (soccer) jerseys

Many of sports apparel experiments are being influenced by broader shifts occurring outside of sports. As outlined in The Guardian, one of the most prominent examples is the rise of football jerseys as fashion items.

‘Blokecore’ - a term used to describe men and women styling vintage football shirts with baggy or straight-cut jeans, knee-length shorts, skirts and trainers, has been on the rise over the last couple of years.

Celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Sabrina Carpenter, Rita Ora and Dua Lipa have posted photographs of themselves wearing football shirts.

Fashion brands Gucci, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney and Armani have embraced football culture in their collections (Gucci collaborated with Adidas).

As stated by GQ in 2022:

“Dressing like your dad on his way to a Saturday afternoon match has never been cooler”

Profiled in The Guardian, Instagrammer Mariame Choucair has built a steady following showcasing her obsession for football jerseys, and her love for Sydney FC.

The rise of football jerseys as fashion items is creating value, even well beyond sport.

Around the world, clubs are increasingly monetising nostalgia. Many leading football teams now feature dedicated "retro" collections on their online stores, allowing fans to purchase replicas of iconic kits from previous eras e.g. Arsenal

In Australia, owners of vintage clothings stores are cashing in thanks to the seeing the noticeable shift in demand for vintage football shirts

International retailers such as ‘Classic Football Shirts’ are actively stocking retro A-League jerseys, demonstrating growing global interest in Australian football apparel.

An opportunity for the A-Leagues?

As fans (and increasingly non-fans) embrace football shirts as lifestyle and fashion products, the A-Leagues and its clubs may have an opportunity to unlock new revenue streams through retro collections, heritage merchandise and re-releases of iconic kits.

Teams are increasingly launching special edition jerseys

Lastly, one of the more notable trends emerging across Australian sport is the growing use of purpose-driven and culturally significant jerseys.

Teams are increasingly moving beyond their traditional home, away and alternate kits, launching special-edition jerseys to celebrate important causes, communities and moments. Indigenous Round, Multicultural Round, ANZAC commemorations and mental health awareness campaigns are just some of the occasions inspiring unique designs.

These jerseys do more than create another merchandise opportunity. They provide clubs with a platform to tell stories, strengthen community connections and align their brands with causes that matter to players, members and fans.

One of the most prominent examples is the Brisbane Broncos' Black Jersey, developed in partnership with the Black Dog Institute and ASICS. The jersey was created to raise awareness of mental health issues while generating funds to support mental health programs and services.

The South Sydney Rabbitohs just announced it will wear a special ‘whiteout’ playing strip in tonight’s round 15 clash with the Brisbane Broncos, honouring and supporting recently retired player, Jai Arrow and his fight against motor neurone disease.

Teams are creating jerseys for moments, not just seasons

Another emerging trend is the growing number of jerseys being created for specific moments, milestones and marquee events.

St George’s Fire & Ice Edition Edition Jersey was designed in partnership with Sport Design Australia and Classic Sportswear for the Club’s first ever game in Las Vegas - It quickly became the highest-selling jersey in club history.

To celebrate his record-breaking 433rd AFL game, Scott Pendlebury wore multiple jumpers throughout the match, each featuring his iconic No. 10 in gold, transforming a playing jersey into a commemorative piece of sporting history.

Related: Why Scott Pendlebury’s record has sparked more than celebration

Earlier this year, the NBL and its clubs also unveiled a series of HoopsFest jerseys, creating another layer of storytelling and fan engagement around one of the league’s marquee events.

…It’s not just the football codes leveraging this trend).

Sports organisations are becoming more willing to experiment

They’re testing new partnerships, exploring new product categories, responding to cultural trends and pushing beyond the traditional boundaries of merchandise.

What was once a relatively predictable category is becoming a platform for creativity, differentiation and brand building.

In Part 2, we'll explore how additional sports (such as golf, tennis and sailing) athletes and emerging startups are continuing to push the boundaries of apparel and merchandise. We'll examine how the lines between sport, fashion, culture and lifestyle are becoming increasingly blurred, and what opportunities this evolution may create in the years ahead.

Related stories:

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]]><![CDATA[How Dan Does Footy is winning the attention game]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/how-dan-gorringe-is-winning-the-attentionhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/how-dan-gorringe-is-winning-the-attentionWed, 03 Jun 2026 22:00:59 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by Victory Lap

If you like what you read in the below and want to hear more, you can watch & listen to Dan Gorringe speak on stage at Victory Lap, Australia’s premier sports marketing and creative summit.

Event details:

  • Date: 7–8 July 2026

  • Location: Brisbane Powerhouse

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Special offer for the Notice community

For a limited time, we’ve secured the Notice community a special offer to attend the first event alongside us: Purchase 3x or more tickets and receive $200 off EACH ticket (eg. $600 off 3x tickets).

Visit victorylap.com.au and use promo code NOTICE to redeem. The code is valid until 11:59PM, Wednesday 10 June 2026 or until sold out.

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Football Australia announced that M.J. Bale has extended its partnership, continuing as the Official Tailor of the CommBank Socceroos - the leading Australian menswear brand will play a central role in presenting the team with a premium, unified and distinctly Australian look across travel, matchdays and official appearances

Hawthorn FC and Trilogy Funds confirmed an extension of their partnership for a further 3 seasons - The Official Finance and Investment Partner will continue to feature across AFL match‑day signage and player appearances

St Kilda FC welcomed live-stream shopping platform Whatnot as its Official Exclusive Live Shopping Partner through to the end of 2026 - As part of the new partnership, fans will have the opportunity to join and interact live on the platform with Saints players and fan favourite Ollie Geale, across several livestreams this season

Essendon FC inked a new deal with Broadscope which became its Official Cleaning Partner - it will service both the AFL and AFLW programs and join as an EFC Network Business Member

North Melbourne FC welcomed Mimosa Homes which joined the club as the Official Residential Home Building Partner across its AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW programs

Fremantle Dockers expanded its partnership with Kleenheat, with the WA-based energy retailer extending its support to the Club’s AFLW program

AFL and Elite Eleven launched a new collaboration - the Australian-owned activewear brand has created 3 AFL merchandise pieces for each club

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs welcomed CBS Complete Building Solutions as a Corporate Partner for the 2026 season, and intelligent automation platform, Celigo, as a Presenting Partner of the Bulldogs in Business program

Dolphins announced a new 2-year partnership with Nomadic Off-Road Campers which will play an integral role in the club’s The 100 Club membership initiative, offering a pop-top camper as the major prize for one member who attends every home game throughout the season

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles unveiled Element Live Productions as its Official Events Solutions Partner

Perth Wildcats announced a new partnership with the WA Government (administered by Defence West) that will strengthen community engagement with basketball, healthy and active lifestyles, as well as WA’s defence industry and the career pathways and economic benefits it provides

Sydney FC signed a new 3-year partnership with GAC Australia which will see the global automotive manufacturer’s branding feature prominently across Sydney FC’s A-League Men’s, A-League Women’s and Academy playing and training kits

Boost Mobile AUSX Supercross Championship presented by Monster Energy unveiled its 2026 schedule, with Boost Mobile Australia reaffirming its commitment to the rapidly growing series as Naming Rights Partner for the upcoming season

VB announced a competition which will see it fly two lucky fans on a fully branded private jet to NRL State of Origin Game Two - the ‘Thirst Class’ PR campaign was created in partnership with TGI Wildcard and celebrates VB’s new 3.5% Mid Strength beer

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Tim Cahill invested in Australian sports technology platform Nardo (founded by Geedup Co co-founder Beau Catley), joining the business as an investor and strategic partner as the company secures a $1 million pre-seed raise

Football Australia revealed video footage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Base Camp for the CommBank Socceroos which is located at The Oakland Roots/Soul Training Facility in the San Francisco Bay Area

Marvel Stadium announced a free live site at Stadium Square delivering two months of non-stop sport, featuring every game of the NBA Finals, all Australian FIFA World Cup 2026™ group matches, and select FIFA World Cup 2026™ finals matches

Wellington Phoenix’s Tim Payne saw his Instagram following explode from 5,000 to 4,600,000+ after Argentine influencer Valen Scarsini (elscarso) made a video declaring his mission to champion the 'least-known footballer' at the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup

News broke that the Melbourne Renegades is set to be sold to a private investor, with Cricket Victoria to also rename the Melbourne Stars - the move is subject to approval by Cricket Australia

It was reported that Suncorp Group exited as the Naming Rights Partner of Super Netball after the 2026 season

Foxtel reportedly proposed $4 billion to secure exclusive control of all NRL broadcast rights from 2028, and is seeking an alliance with Seven or Ten to block Nine

Viva Leisure, Australia’s second-largest fitness network, launched a new low-cost gym brand Zoo Fit which is set to open its first two locations in WA in late July

Disney+ greenlit a new premium docuseries which is set to follow SailGP’s BONDS Flying Roos from Australia and world-famous co-owners Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds - it will be produced by Maximum Effort (co-owned by Ryan Reynolds), Eureka Productions and with ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ executive producer Rob Mac

Wimbledon announced that it’s installing a pop-up grass court in New York’s Central Park from 26-29 June 2026, with an exhibition doubles match, public play slots and a live screening of Wimbledon’s opening day

'The Wimbledon Court in Central Park, New York'

Stephen Curry signed a significant 10-year endorsement contract with Chinese company Li-Ning reportedly worth $400M, this follows his recent departure from Under Armour

How Dan Does Footy is winning the attention game

In a world where attention increasingly lives on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and podcasts, creators are becoming the new media channels, and DDF is leading the charge in Australia

For decades, sports media operated through a relatively simple model.

Broadcasters owned the rights, newspapers controlled the headlines, and radio shaped much of the daily conversation around sport.

Today, however, the sports media landscape looks very different.

Related: Is free-to-air coverage still the North Star of sport media strategy?

Attention is increasingly shifting towards digital platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and podcasts. Younger audiences are discovering, consuming and discussing sport in feeds rather than on front pages, and through creators rather than traditional media personalities.

As a result, individuals are increasingly becoming media platforms in their own right.

No Australian sports creator is leveraging the ‘new media’ better than Dan Gorringe via Dan Does Footy (DDF).

DDF has managed to build a significant audience online

  • Dan Gorringe Instagram - 373k followers

  • DDF Instagram - 571k followers

  • DDF TikTok: 286k followers

  • DDF YouTube: 40k subscribers

  • DDF Podcast - 5m downloads in 2025

Related: The rise of the athlete creator

What’s his formula for his success?

1. Doing things different

DDF has become a trailblazer in the Australian sports creator economy.

One of the biggest challenges in today’s creator economy is that content creation has become accessible to everyone.

Anyone can, start a newsletter. launch a podcast, create a YouTube channel, publish content daily.

As a result, content itself is increasingly becoming commoditised.

Differentiation is important in both marketing and the creator economy because attention is scarce, competition is abundant, and audiences need a reason to choose you over countless alternatives.

Whether via humour, big public bets, experimentation, strong opinions or unconventional ideas, he has consistently been willing to do things differently.

As Dan’s Manager, Edward Deal, Founder and Head of Talent at The Gifted Group, recently noted:

“Each decision we make is underpinned by the question, ‘is it different?’ with a constant focus on innovation.”

DDF’s content strategy appears to embody this philosophy.

2. An always-on approach

Algorithm-driven platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube reward consistency.

The more regularly creators publish relevant content, the more opportunities they have to appear in feeds, generate engagement and build audience loyalty.

DDF’s always-on content engine often centred around the topics sports fans care about most, such as:

  • Carlton’s latest result

  • A controversial AFL decision

  • A trending player storyline

  • A fan debate gaining momentum online

His discipline and consistency has led to April 2026 being the biggest month in Dan Does Footy history, with the podcast reaching the #1 Sports Show position nationally.

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DDF’s always-on strategy ensures Gorringe remains part of the daily sports conversation.

In many respects, the approach mirrors the ‘old media’ model of daily YV, newspapers and radio shows, the difference is that distribution is now being handled by algorithms rather than editors.

3. Creating moments the Internet can’t ignore

Consistency keeps audiences engaged and drives steady growth.

Moments turbo-charge growth.

One of the most fascinating aspects of DDF’s rise is Gorringe’s ability to manufacture attention-grabbing moments that travel well across social platforms.

Over the past few years, he has become known for developing stunts, bets, challenges and experiences specifically designed to spark conversation, sharing and earned media.

Some examples worth noticing:

  • Hosting an ‘Ultra Goal-kicking Challenge Challenge at Marvel Stadium, Live on YouTube which saw Dan Gorringe attempt to kick 1,000 consecutive goals across a continuous 48-hour livestream here

  • Teaming up with Gatorade, and being an ambassador for its inaugural ‘Run the Track’ fun run around Albert Park in the lead up to the Formula 1 Grand Prix

  • Changing his name to “Richmond Gorringe” after losing a bet, following Richmond defeating Carlton here

  • Getting a Nick Daicos tattoo on his ankle after losing a bet, following Carlton’s loss to Collingwood here

  • Locking himself inside a glass box outside of the MCG for 48 hours here

  • Hosting a first of its kind AFL Finals watchalong on YouTube here

  • AFL Gather Gather Round Survivor Bus Challenge here

  • Appearing at the Big Bash League’s Melbourne Derby here

  • Collaborating with the NFL’s LA Rams and Seattle Seahawks

  • Appearing, and owning a signficant presence at last years AFL Legends Game

  • Going live online with guests with Cody Weightman painting, Changkuoth Jiath DJing, Cam Zurhaar cooking live here

At first glance, these moments appear to be little more than entertainment.

In reality, they reveal a sophisticated understanding of how attention works on modern media platforms - Algorithms reward engagement, conversation and content that people feel compelled to share.

DDF PR stunts generate significant cut-through and online performance

Some performance metrics worth noticing:

Ultra Goal Kicking Challenge:

Locking himself inside a box outside of MCG:

Even the ‘Old Man Media’ which Gorringe has waged a war against, cover his stories - For example, his Ultra Goal Kicking Challenge was covered for 4 minutes on 10 News+.

4. Extending beyond online, into the real life

Another notable feature of the creator economy is the growing convergence between content and experiences.

The strongest creator brands are no longer confined to digital platforms.

They’re building communities online and offline.

Through live watch parties, appearances, fan experiences and events, DDF has created opportunities for audiences to engage with the brand beyond a podcast feed or social media platform.

Examples include:

  • On-stage show at ‘Next Door hosted by Hard Rated’ at AFL Gather Round here

  • AFL Grand Final breakfast

  • Selling out his 2025 live podcast show at Adelaide Oval Live Show in 48 hours here

New event: Dan Does Footy at Margaret Court Arena

The live momentum is set to continue - On AFL Grand Final Public Holiday Eve, DDF is taking over Margaret Court Arena for the biggest live podcast event in Australian and New Zealand history.

In partnership with Pepsi and Jameson, DDF Live will feature special guests, huge moments, fan interaction, surprise acts and arena-scale production designed to turn Grand Final weekend into a full-blown festival of footy.

5. An integrated approach to sports media

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the Dan Does Footy model is how each channel works together.

  • The podcast creates long-form content

  • The long-form content becomes short-form clips

  • The clips drive social media growth

  • Social media and podcasts promote live events

  • The events create new content

  • The content attracts new fans, drives audience growth

…The cycle repeats.

Rather than operating as separate channels, each platform contributes to a broader media ecosystem designed to maximise audience growth and engagement.

Every channel extension widens the funnel.

Every piece of new content strengthens the flywheel.

Brands are paying attention

Attention is one of the most valuable assets in modern media.

Generally speaking, the more attention a creator can generate, the more opportunities exist to commercialise that audience through sponsorships, partnerships, events and experiences.

It’s therefore no surprise that Dan Does Footy has attracted an impressive roster of commercial partners, including:

  • Gatorade

  • DoorDash

  • Koala

  • Nike

  • Youi

  • Isuzu

  • Jameson

  • Sportsbet

  • Pepsi

  • McDonald’s

  • Asahi / Hard Rated

Dan Gorringe has built a sports media business that’s appropriately designed for the algorithm era

Ultimately, DDF’s rise reflects a broader shift in sports media.

Attention is moving towards creator-led platforms, algorithms are replacing traditional gatekeepers, and individuals are becoming media brands in their own right.

The creators who can consistently earn attention will be among the biggest winners.

Related: How Dan Does Footy is shaping the future of Australian sports media

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]]><![CDATA[Is free-to-air coverage still the North Star of sport media strategy?]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/is-free-to-air-coverage-still-thehttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/is-free-to-air-coverage-still-theWed, 27 May 2026 22:01:00 GMTGood morning, and thanks for reading Notice, the weekly newsletter delivering everything you need to know about Australian sport business, in one place, every Thursday at 8am.

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Football Australia announced a new 2-year partnership with Coca-Cola, which joined as the Official Supplier of Australia’s senior national teams (CommBank Socceroos and CommBank Matildas) across key international windows including the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™

NBL and WNBL announced the return of HoopFest thanks to a renewed 2-year commitment by the WA Government (via Tourism Western Australia) which will see an extended 5 day festival in January 2027 - Virgin Australia was also named Presenting Partner of the festival which forms part of its new 3-year deal as the Official Airline Partner of both competitions

Surfing Australia welcomed Southern Cross University as an Official University Partner and Major Partner, which will support and activate across eleven of Surfing Australia’s major events, spanning the Australian Boardriders Battle series, women’s and girls’ surf festivals, junior and high school pathways, and the Australian Surfing Awards

Qudos Bank Arena is set to be renamed ‘Afterpay Arena’ after the leading buy-now-pay-later platform secured Naming Rights to the iconic stadium as part of a 5-year deal

Carlton FC welcomed Fisher & Paykel and Haier as new partner, joining as a Gold Partner across both the AFL and AFLW programs - The partnership also extends into the Club’s corporate network, with the company coming on board as a Platinum Partner of the Carlton IN Business Network

Collingwood Football Club and AIA Australia extended their partnership - the health insurer will continue to support both its AFL and AFLW programs

Port Adelaide FC announced the extension of its partnership with the SA Attorney-General’s Department which will contribute more than $570,000 to the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup across the next 4 years

Tasmania Devils inked a new 2-year deal with AlphaFit which joined as the Official Sports Supplement Supplier and will support the VFL/W high-performance programs with trusted, HASTA-certified sports supplements

Fremantle Dockers and Containers for Change WA expanded their ongoing association through the 2026 AFL season

Penrith Panthers announced a new partnership with Ringers Western for the 2026 season - The Australian apparel brand supplied suits for players at the club’s season launch, and the Panthers commercial staff, executives and board members are set to wear the range throughout the year

Gold Coast Titans and Magic Millions announced a new 3-year partnership that will see two of the city’s most iconic brands join forces to support and elevate the club’s NRLW program

Supercars and Tyrepower extended their partnership through to 2030, building on a relationship spanning more than two decades, dating back to the introduction of the Tyrepower Cutting at the Bathurst 1000 in 2006

Newcastle Knights unveiled a groundbreaking merchandise capsule collaboration with Australian lifestyle brand, SŚAINT

Commonwealth Games Australia and Valour unveiled the Australian Team’s 2026 green and gold uniform which is set to be worn on the world stage in Glasgow - the design was revealed at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia

Adelaide 36ers secured a new, elevated 3-year agreement with Revo Fitness which will see the Revo brand feature prominently on the front of the 36ers’ playing jerseys (it was previously featured on the playing shorts)

Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers secured new partnerships with Aussie that will see Australia’s largest retail mortgage broker take identical kit, broadcast and community assets across both clubs

Athletics Victoria extended its partnership with VicHealth, continuing its commitment to protecting young people from the harms of vaping through new initiatives delivered via UNCLOUD

Australian Professional Leagues and Paramount Australia and New Zealand announced a 3-year broadcast partnership extension - under the agreement, every Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s match and every Ninja A-League Women’s match will be available live on Paramount+

The Yard Gym became a Global Nike Training Partner, marking Nike Training’s first global gym partnership - the pair will co-create training experiences, activations and community events, and Nike Training will be TYG’s exclusive partner for footwear, apparel and accessories

South Sydney Rabbitohs launched ‘Rabbitohs Social’ - a Members-only, troll-free community platform (app & website) built exclusively for South Sydney supporters

The Enhanced Games recently listed on the stock market and its price has suffered a major fall of over 40%, wiping out almost $800 million in market value

Los Angeles-born Alo Yoga opened its first Australian store in Chatswood Chase, Sydney, with massive queues

AFL announced that Dom Dolla is set to turn Marvel Stadium into a ‘Superclub’ during Grand Final week, in partnership with Untitled Group and Frontier Touring

The Street Social, a new winter waterfront event series in the Docklands, is set to launch next month featuring a lineup of Melbourne food favourites, DJs, silent disco sessions, AFL live screenings and family friendly entertainment

NBL announced its pre-season tournament, the CODE Sports NBL Blitz, will be held in Bendigo, Victoria ahead of the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season

XXXX dropped its giant 4-metre ‘Postcode’ cans over Sydney Harbour to fuel the QLD vs NSW rivalry ahead of NRL State of Origin - In a battle extending beyond the field, fellow Lion brands XXXX and Tooheys will go head-to-head alongside their home state teams, the QLD Maroons and NSW Blues

St George Illawarra Dragons officially opened the $65million Bruce Gordon Centre at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus - Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper and Federal Minister for Communications and Sport Anika Wells were among a long list of dignitaries on hand

Guest Writer: Dr Hunter Fujak

Dr Hunter Fujak is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Management at Deakin University and a thought leader in sport fandom, consumer behaviour and media. He is also the author of Code Wars: the Battle for Fans, Dollars and Survival, and is a leading authority on Australia’s sport landscape. Dr Fujak has written for The Guardian and The Conversation, and has been featured in The New York Times, BBC World News, and Forbes. Dr Fujak's research has appeared in leading academic journals including the Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, European Sport Management Quarterly, and Media, Culture and Society. He has worked in sports and general consultancy for Australasia's largest sporting leagues and events, including the Australian Open (tennis), the Rugby World Cup, and Cricket Australia, as well as for some of Australia's most prominent brands, including Telstra, Sportsbet, Foxtel, and Woolworths.

Profile photo of Hunter Fujak

In today’s article Hunter unpacks why the real value of Netball Australia’s broadcast deal with Nine extends far beyond free-to-air reach and into the power of Nine’s broader media ecosystem.

Enjoy the read!

Is free-to-air coverage still the North Star of sport media strategy?

In April, Netball Australia announced its return to Nine for the period 2027 to 2031. On face value, the deal feels like a familiar Australian sport media story: a property seeking audience growth via the reach afforded by free-to-air television.

For netball, history looks to be repeating. The sport returns to Nine a decade on from the launch of Suncorp Super Netball with a relatively similar strategic imperative; to convert one of Australia’s largest participation sports into a more visible, commercially sustainable, mainstream media product.

Yet the sporting and media landscape of 2027 will be very different from that which surrounded Super Netball’s launch in 2017. Accordingly, the broader question is whether free-to-air can still perform its established strategic role as the default engine of audience reach, discovery and growth.

Is FTA still the ‘go-to’ growth engine for sport audience development?

Television has long been central to establishing the cultural hierarchy of sport. Across markets, broadcast exposure has helped determine which sports have become embedded as mainstream.

Australia has been no different. For decades, commercial free-to-air coverage represented the strategic north star for aspirational sport organisations. For leading properties, it delivered self-perpetuating mass reach, routine visibility and reinforcing cultural positioning. For emerging properties, it has offered a primary mechanism to achieve audience exposure and discoverability for fan development.

In an analogue media environment, mass reach and discoverability mattered enormously. Television held a dominant share of people’s media consumption, and viewers switched between a small number of channels such that sport content could be easily discovered. The capacity of Australia free-to-air in this respect was reinforced by anti-siphoning regulation, historically suppressing Foxtel’s penetration rate to well below global benchmarks (circa 30%).

But that logic has undergone long-term structural erosion. ACMA data shows that the proportion of Australian adults watching free-to-air television in the previous seven days declined from 71% in 2017 to 52% in 2025. In 2012, television reached 62% of people aged 16+ between 8pm and 10pm daily. Television’s decline has been sharpest among younger demographics: among 25–34-year-olds, free-to-air viewing declined from 62% to 30% over this period. Conversely, paid subscription service uptake has climbed from 25% to 68% in the general population. Notable here is that Foxtel Media reports that 70% of Kayo’s audience is aged between 18 and 54.

These shifts complicate the long held strategic binary equating free-to-air coverage to reach and exposure and subscription platforms to revenue maximisation. This raises a critical strategic question for sport organisations: how valuable is mass media reach if it is increasingly concentrated among older viewers? For sports seeking to grow their fan base, free-to-air may still deliver visibility, but its ageing audience profile makes it a less straightforward tool for long-term fan development.

Nine’s real superpower: media synergies and sport co-promotion

While free-to-air may be losing some of its old power as an engine for sport audience growth, Nine’s strategic value as a media partner is arguably stronger than ever. Nine offers a distinct commercial advantage within sports rights negotiations that remains comparatively underacknowledged: an ability to leverage synergies derived from its integrated media ecosystem to cross promote its sport properties.

In a forthcoming research paper, I test whether this kind of co-promotion effect occurs in practice by longitudinally examining the distribution of sport coverage in the Sydney Morning Herald (Nine) and Daily Telegraph (News Corp). The results show a clear relationship between media-rights ownership and coverage allocation. Most notably, netball coverage in the SMH halved whilst doubling in the Daily Telegraph in the year media rights moved to the latter (2022).

Figure 1: Netball and rugby union newspaper coverage, 2019-2023.

This abrupt shift in editorial attention is illustrative of the broader influence our largest media organisations have in shaping the visibility, legitimacy and commercial momentum of sport properties. Whilst the above illustrates changes in coverage allocation, the study also captured striking examples of News Corporation’s rapid negative shift in editorial tone towards rugby union upon the discontinuation of its partnership.

The data illustrates that media partners do not simply telecast fixtures, but can be critical in shaping the broader attention environment surrounding a sport. This is where Nine’s contemporary value becomes especially significant. With an asset portfolio spanning linear, 9Now, Stan, publishing, radio and digital media, Nine offers a distinctly compelling partnership proposition.

A distinguishing feature of mainstream sports is that they occupy a cultural position broader than their individual matches. For a sport such as netball, the strategic goal is thus not simply to be available to watch, but to be made visible, talked about, commercially packaged and culturally legitimised. Nine’s integrated media ecosystem gives it the ability to support that process through heightened editorial attention and amplification across its media ecosystem.

Notably, Nine now largely stands alone in its capacity to offer this kind of amplification. Foxtel’s sale to DAZN has diminished News Corporation’s equivalent media synergies.

The real test of the Nine deal: from reach to attention

Netball Australia’s agreement with Nine will test two propositions at once. First, whether a larger free-to-air footprint can still help the sport reach beyond its existing audience base. Second, whether Nine’s wider media ecosystem can convert availability into attention and relevance. This makes the deal more than a free-to-air story as may have been the case in the past. It is a test of whether integrated media ecosystems can generate mass attention for aspiring sport properties in a fragmented media market. For sport properties, the strategic question is no longer “Can we get free-to-air coverage?” but rather “Can our media partner help make us matter beyond the match telecast?”.

Sending a big shout out to those who’ve recently stepped into new roles across the sports industry! 👇 👏

  • Alana Portlock - Head of Consumer at Perth Bears (previous Football Australia)

  • Bridget O'Sullivan - General Manager - Experiential & Sponsorship Management at Bastion (Promotion)

  • Rohan Sawyer - Chief Operating Officer at Brisbane Lions (previous Bastion)

  • Sarah Udovenya - Brand Marketing Senior at Nike (previous FutureBrand)

  • Marc Belteky - Senior Football Brand Specialist at Nike (previous The Players’ Tribune)

  • Will Hartnell - Client and Growth Partner at Scout (previously Geelong Cats)

  • Daniel Giese - Chief Results Officer at Incrementum Advisory Group (previous Carlton FC)

  • Jess Keily - GM Audience & Growth at Incrementum Advisory Group (previous WA Cricket)

  • Camryn Liddle - Participant to Fan Executive at Incrementum Advisory Group

  • Alex Brown - AI Solutions Architect at Sports Cloud Australia (previous iReel)

  • Ben MacCormack - Chief Executive Officer at Basketball South Australia

  • Peter Munt - Head of AFL/W at W Sports and Media

  • Dorian Hughes - General Manager at VenuesWest (previous City of Melville)

  • Paul Malina - launched Backline Sports & Entertainment (previous TGI Sport Australia)

  • Andrew Abdo - Chief Executive Officer at Tennis Australia (previous NRL)

Board Appointments

Why are we noticing this?
Too often, recognition in sport stops at what happens on the field, but there's just as much to celebrate off it. This new segment acknowledges achievements, promotions and key industry moves, helping shine a light on the people shaping sport from behind the scenes.

Help us keep the industry informed!
📩 Have a colleague or peer that deserves a shout-out? Send us a DM below or message Matt here.

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]]><![CDATA[Why Scott Pendlebury’s record has sparked more than celebration ]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/its-a-numbers-gamehttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/its-a-numbers-gameWed, 20 May 2026 22:01:24 GMTGood morning, and thanks for reading Notice, the weekly newsletter delivering everything you need to know about Australian sport business, in one place, every Thursday at 8am.

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Golf Australia announced a landmark, multi-year partnership with global trading platform Capital.com which will become Title Partner of the Capital.com Australian Open and the first Naming Rights Partner of the Capital.com GA Handicap - The agreement represents one of the largest commercial partnerships in Australian golf history

Commonwealth Games Australia welcomed Harvey Norman as an Official Partner which will support the Australian Commonwealth Games Team by delivering an engaging Team Members lounge at AUS HQ in Glasgow

GWS Giants inked a new 5-year partnership with AirTrunk (a leading Asia-Pacific & Middle East hyperscale data centre specialist) which will become the Naming Rights Partner of the GIANTS’ community and training facility, to be known as the AirTrunk Community Centre

St Kilda FC welcomed Medibank as the Official Health Partner of Spud’s Game 6 - the Club’s marquee mental health awareness match which has been played annually since 2021 in honour of club legend Danny “Spud” Frawley

Gold Coast SUNS and New Balance & Belgravia Apparel expanded their partnership - the new agreement will see New Balance become the ‘fabric of the club’ as the Official Apparel Partner of both the SUNS AFL & AFLW programs in 2026 and 2027

Essendon FC announced that PUMA has expanded its partnership and will supply apparel across all football programs - AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and VWFL through to at least the end of 2028

North Melbourne FC secured a new supply partnership with SA1NT Layers which will see the sports apparel brand join the Kangaroos as the club’s official high-performance compression wear partner

West Coast Eagles and BHP extended their 20-year partnership for another 3 years, which will have an emphasis on promoting football in the Pilbara and Goldfields

Port Adelaide FC and Enerven renewed their partnership which will see Enerven continue as a Major Partner of the Santos Aboriginal Power Cup, while also expanding its support to become a key support partner of the club’s Empowered program

AFL and clubs renewed and expanded their partnership with Tradable Bits following a competitive RFP process, selecting the company’s fan data platform to power digital fan engagement across both the AFL and AFLW

Victoria Racing Club announced a new multi-year partnership with Australian-owned technology leader Sharp EIT Solutions - Under the new agreement the VRC will introduce solar infrastructure across Flemington Racecourse

Netball NSW secured a new partnership with Game Face Pro which will supply its SPF50 mineral sunscreen products to Netball NSW Community Coaches across the state

Hockey Australia, Hockey One League, Queensland Government, Gold Coast City Council and Hockey Queensland announced that the Gold Coast has officially been locked-in as the host destination for the 2026 ONE Active Hockey One League Finals Series and a blockbuster home series of the FIH Pro League in 2027

NRL confirmed the Melbourne Storm, Wests Tigers, Parramatta Eels and Gold Coast Titans as the 4 x teams to be part of the 2027 Las Vegas season opener

NRL Magic Round delivered its biggest event to date - Suncorp Stadium welcomed 170,000+ fans through its gates, total viewership hit 6.5 million (+15% YoY) and festivities spread across the city - 30,000+ out-of-region travellers visited Brisbane, hotels were over 84% full and $50m was expected to be injected into the local economy

QLD Government secured the long-term future of NRL Magic Round in Queensland, fending off rival interest from NSW WA, SA and New Zealand, the showpiece event is locked-in at Suncorp Stadium until 2032

New Zealand Warriors launched a pop-up store in Queen Street Mall in the Brisbane CBD ahead of NRL Magic Round which reportedly took in over $100,000 a day in sales

Nelson Asofa-Solomona and George Burgess faced-off in multiple locations across NRL Magic Round including the Caxton Hotel and Suncorp Stadium - the pair are set to fight inside Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena in June

Barry, the Australian RTD brand owned by Bailey Smith, Nick Daicos, Josh Daicos and Charlie Curnow which has experienced explosive revenue growth, surging from $748,000 in FY24 to more than $3.68 million in FY25, opened an EOI process for potential shareholders

Rugby World Cup marked 500 days to go until the Men’s Rugby World Cup Australia 2027 Rugby - World Cup winner Brad Thorn, former Australian Captain James Horwill and Wallaby Tom Lynagh joined hundreds of school students in Brisbane to create a large-scale human mosaic spelling ‘RWC27’

Rugby Australia appointed Australian-born platform Komo to become the engagement & loyalty infrastructure supporting its 'From Green To Gold' strategy that will see Australia host the Men's Rugby World Cup in 2027, the Women's Rugby World Cup in 2029 and the Brisbane Olympics in 2032

Puma teamed up with Five by Flynn to transform an old cinema into a one-night-only club in Sydney’s Paddington called ‘Studio Suede’

Dan Does Footy launched a world record attempt for most goals kicked consecutively in 48 hours straight at Marvel Stadium - the 48-hour event is live-streamed on YouTube and sponsored by Jameson, Koala and Kookaburra

Melbourne United had a significant ownership restructure - Travis Knipe increased his stake within the club and now owns 75% of the club (at a valuation of $50m) - an increase from his 30% stake he originally acquired in March

Netball Australia launched its new National Volunteer Action Plan, a coordinated 3-year roadmap designed to strengthen, support and modernise the volunteer experience across every level of the sport

New data from the Australian Sports Foundation’s latest Giving for Sport Report shows more than $22.8 million was directed toward women and girls’ sport, an increase of $11.3 million year-on-year - More than 84,600 donors supported sport through the ASF in FY25, contributing a total of $118.8 million

Softball Australia announced that the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2027 will be played at Kayo Stadium - In a groundbreaking move, the NRL stadium will be converted into an international softball diamond when the Aussie Spirit take on the other top seven nations in the world in April 2027

Big Bash League is reportedly set to hold its season opener in India at Chennai's M.A Chidambaram Stadium (capacity of 38,000 and home of the Super Kings in the IPL)

FOX Sports and Indeed launched a PR campaign to fill the position of “FOX One Chief World Cup Watcher Hired Through Indeed” - The job, which will pay $50,000, entails the individual watching all 104 matches of the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup from a “custom-built, dream viewing space” glass cube in the middle of Times Square, New York

Guest Writer: James Pennycuick

Today we’re welcoming James Pennycuick, Head of Client Strategy & Growth at TGI Wildcard, as this week’s guest writer!

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James Pennycuick is a sports marketing and brand strategist specialising in fan engagement, commercial growth and cultural storytelling across sport and entertainment. As Head of Client Strategy & Growth at TGI Wildcard (The Marketing Services arm of TGI Sport), he works with rights holders, brands and major events to develop commercially driven campaigns, partnerships and experiences that connect sport with modern audiences.

Today James explores the debate surrounding Scott Pendlebury’s AFL games record milestone, and what it reveals about the evolving relationship between tradition, fandom and commercialisation in modern sport. Enjoy the read!

Why Scott Pendlebury’s record has sparked more than celebration

Scott Pendlebury breaking the AFL games record should be one of the cleanest celebrations in modern football history.

Instead, it has become one of the most debated.

In the lead up to Pendlebury surpassing Brent Harvey as the AFL’s all time games record holder, discussion has shifted well beyond the football itself. Debate has centred around Collingwood reportedly managing his schedule to ensure the milestone lands at the MCG, approval for a one off gold number on the back of his guernsey, and the commercial opportunities attached to the occasion through merchandise and licensing.

For some, it has all felt a little too manufactured. Too commercial. Too calculated.

But perhaps that is exactly the point.

Because the outrage surrounding this moment says far more about the uncomfortable relationship AFL fans have with modern sport than it does about Scott Pendlebury himself.

High performance now extends beyond the field

At its core, this is the collision point between two very different philosophies. High performance on field versus high performance off field.

On one side, there are football purists who believe milestones should happen organically, untouched by commercial influence or excessive theatre. On the other, there is the reality that modern sporting organisations are no longer simply football clubs. They are entertainment brands, content businesses and commercial operations measured on fan connection, audience growth, attendance and revenue just as much as wins and losses.

And in truth, Collingwood would probably argue they are simply doing their job.

Former club president Eddie McGuire estimated that a standard fixture of this nature may traditionally draw around 45,000 fans. Instead, this game could push towards 90,000. That transforms what may have been a relatively routine home and away fixture into one of the biggest sporting events of the AFL season.

From a commercial perspective, it would be irresponsible not to lean into it

Marketing and commercial teams are KPI’d on driving crowds, creating culturally relevant moments and maximising engagement with fans. The AFL itself is built on engineered fixturing, marquee rounds, broadcast optimisation, sponsorship integration and monetised storytelling.

And realistically, giving a 38 year old additional recovery days across a season is hardly the most controversial high performance decision modern sport has seen.

The AFL already commercialised the game years ago

The gold number debate feels similar.

I highly doubt Scott Pendlebury himself sat there demanding a visual distinction for the occasion. More likely, this is the club recognising the significance of the moment and wanting to present it accordingly. It is not dissimilar to a milestone birthday. The celebration is often driven more by the inner sanctum of people around you than yourself.

That is part of the role football clubs now play. Not just developing players, but celebrating legacy.

And in almost every other major global sporting code, this type of visual moment would be viewed as a smart event presentation rather than a threat to the integrity of the competition

Modern sport is already deeply commercialised. The AFL is built on sponsorships, broadcast deals, engineered fixturing, corporate hospitality and monetised storytelling. The debate is rarely about whether commercialisation exists. It is about which forms of commercialisation fans personally deem acceptable.

Above: Puma collaborated with The AFL Record to temporarily rename the matchday publication as “The Scott Pendlebury”

Fans are comfortable with gambling sponsorships, stadium naming rights, special edition guernseys, streaming integrations and tourism driven marquee rounds. Yet a gold number and commemorative merchandise suddenly becomes a step too far.

Legacy athletes are now cultural assets

The financial component has arguably created the loudest backlash. Reports surrounding merchandise royalties and the AFL approval process have sparked criticism from rival supporters and commentary around salary cap loopholes.

But legacy athletes are now commercial assets. That is simply the reality of modern sport.

Pendlebury is not just a player. He is one of the defining figures of a generation at the biggest football club in the country. Fans want to participate in history. They want memorabilia, storytelling and moments attached to greatness. It is not lost on me that I am writing this piece whilst wearing a Brent Harvey 427 game record hat from 2016.

Above: Scott Pendlebury collaborate with the Yarra Valley’s Yering Station, to create a limited edition Pinot Noir

Clubs understand this because modern sport has evolved from simply presenting games to actively creating cultural events around them.

The Collingwood factor changes the conversation

And perhaps this is where the Collingwood factor matters most.

If another club engineered this same celebration, would the reaction be identical? Probably not.

Part of the backlash is not really about commercialisation at all. It is about comfort.

Football audiences are generally more accepting when commercial ambition comes from clubs viewed as battlers, not powerhouses

Collingwood’s scale changes the emotional response. Everything the club does feels bigger, louder and more deliberate because Collingwood occupies more cultural space than almost any other sporting institution in Australia.

Their greatest commercial strength is also their greatest vulnerability. Visibility naturally attracts scrutiny.

Fans rarely embrace innovation immediately

Footy fans are famously protective of tradition. Any significant innovation is often met with resistance before it is experienced.

Gather Round is the perfect example. At launch, many viewed it as artificial, gimmicky and overly commercial. Now, for anyone who has experienced Adelaide during the event, it has become one of the most celebrated weekends on the AFL calendar.

Wildcard Weekend will likely face the same cycle. Resistance first. Acceptance later.

Because fans rarely fall in love with concepts on announcement day. They fall in love with them once they experience the atmosphere, emotion and memory creation firsthand.

The modern game is no longer separating football from business

And that is ultimately what this entire conversation comes back to.

Sport has always been a numbers game.

Games played. Memberships sold. Crowds through the gate. Sponsorship revenue. Television audiences.

The difference now is that clubs are no longer pretending those worlds operate separately.

Scott Pendlebury’s record breaking game is not changing the direction of modern sport. It is simply exposing where modern sport already is.

Bigger moments. Bigger storytelling. Bigger commercial ambition.

Traditionalists may not love every part of that evolution immediately. History suggests they rarely do.

But if 90,000 people turn up to celebrate one of the greatest players the game has seen, perhaps Collingwood are not damaging the spirit of football at all.

Perhaps they simply understand the modern game better than most.

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]]><![CDATA[The creator economy is fuelling golf’s growth]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/the-creator-economy-is-fuelling-golfshttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/the-creator-economy-is-fuelling-golfsWed, 13 May 2026 22:01:56 GMT

AFLW and BHP renewed their partnership which will see the mining giant continue as the AFL Women’s Coaching Partner, champion gender diversity, inclusion & equality and become a Supporting Partner of ‘Movember Ahead of the Game’ - A youth mental health program, that teaches players, parents, coaches and volunteers to understand mental health and build mental fitness

Carlton FC announced that PUMA has expanded its long-standing partnership, officially becoming the Club’s AFLW Apparel Partner through to at least the end of 2029 - PUMA will now supply apparel across all Carlton football programs: AFL, AFLW, VFL, VFLW and the Carlton Academy

Collingwood FC unveiled Nike as the Club’s Official Apparel Partner across all programs - Already worn across the Club’s AFL, VFL, VFLW, Wheelchair and community programs, the partnership now extends to the Magpies’ AFLW side

Essendon FC announced MOVA as its AFLW Co-Major Partner - MOVA is a brand specialising in AI-driven smart home products such as robotic lawn mowers, pool cleaners and home cleaning robots, and it officially launched in the Australian market last year

AFL & GWS Giants secured a partnership with The City of Parramatta - The AFL will contribute $120,000+ worth of value to the partnership, which will include things such as the delivery of free year-round programs through Council’s ‘Active Parramatta’ program, free match access for disadvantaged community groups and player appearances at Council events

Richmond FC became a DonateLife community partner, and will help raise awareness about organ and tissue donation so more Australians can receive a life-saving transplant

Melbourne Storm announced Defibrillators Australia as an Official Partner for the 2026 season - As part of the partnership, DA has installed a defibrillator cabinet at the Storm’s Club Office at AAMI Park and will also support the Club’s Football Department and Medical Staff

South Sydney Rabbitohs and Upstate Sport hosted a free women’s wellness event to celebrate the launch of their brand-new women’s activewear range

Gold Coast Titans inked a new deal with Greater Bank which will feature in the front-of-dress logo position, marking a significant investment in the growth and visibility of Titans Netball both on and off the court

Sunshine Coast Lightning secured a new 2-year partnership with Brighton Homes which will feature on the front of the Lightning dress across 2026 and 2027

Melbourne Mavericks announced a new 2-year partnership with Klein Tools - the pair will encourage more girls to consider careers in the trades, particularly as electricians

Adelaide United welcomed Leader Computers as a new partner ahead of the Isuzu UTE A-League Finals campaign, whose logo will feature on the back of the men’s shorts

Hockey Australia renewed its partnership with SportsLink Travel which will continue to support HA’s extensive domestic and international travel requirements for the Hockeyroos, Kookaburras, national pathway programs, staff and officials

National Pickleball League announced Leapmotor as its Official Automotive Partner, marking the first exclusive automotive partnership in Australian pickleball

R.M.Williams partnered with Commonwealth Games Australia to design the ceremonial and village uniforms for Team Australia at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games

South Australian Cricket Association secured a 5‑year extension of its long‑standing partnership with Kookaburra

Prime Video announced that every match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be streamed live, exclusive and free for all fans in Australia

Men’s Health launched its inaugural AFL digital issue ahead of the 2026 Sir Doug Nicholls Round, with a showcase of some of the game’s foremost Indigenous stars – Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Toby Bedford and Latrelle Pickett

Josh Addo-Carr is teaming up with Swap Itt, ‘Australia’s Premier Destination for Trading Card Enthusiasts’, on eBay Live for a Pokémon & One Piece stream

On hosted its new ‘On Squad Race World Series’ event (600 squads going head-to-head aross 20 cities) in Sydney where 52 squads competed in a relay-format race in a car park to book a place in the World Finale in Los Angeles

Foot Locker and On partnered to launch FAST LANE, an invite-only 5km sprint taking place through Sydney’s Wynyard Tunnels

Ahead of the NBA House opening, NBA legend DeMarcus Cousins had a crossover moment with Melbourne FC players and the Melbourne Stars at the MCG

Super Rugby hosted its Super Round in Christchurch with 73,000+ fans flooding through the gates of the One New Zealand stadium across three sold-out days of Rugby Union action

Sam Kerr launched her own sparkling flavoured water brand, WAWA

The Female Athlete Project and Neha Kumar (@Watchherfooty) teamed up to launch “The Warm Up” event at Caxton St Brewing Co ahead of the Women’s State of Origin game 2 (with guest speakers, Ali Brigginshaw and Shannon Mato also joined by Marlee Silva)

Nike unveiled its 2026 After Dark Tour finisher medal which can be worn as a necklace, bracelet, keychain or belt chain

EARLS Collection, founded by ex-NRL player Lewi Brown, launched a collaboration with ASICS SportStyle which leans on heritage, family and sporting nostalgia

It was confirmed that the Four’N Twenty Legends Game for Prostate Cancer is returning and will be played on August 27 at Marvel Stadium

Carmelo Anthony and Kenny Smith have thrown their support behind a potential Gold Coast NBL franchise - The pair are reportedly set to be involved as owners as expansion talks continue to build momentum

Google launched its new ‘Fitbit Air’ fitness band, which has been co-designed with Steph Curry and is aiming to compete with wearable devices from Whoop and Oura

The creator economy is fuelling golf’s growth

Golf in Australia is booming.

You may have already sensed it, but golf is riding a wave of positive momentum in Australia.

Research from Golf Australia’s most recent State of the Game 2025, led by Dr Adam Karg (Deakin University) helps paint a fascinating picture of the modern golf landscape:

  • 4 million+ Australians played golf in some form — across courses, driving ranges, simulators, entertainment venues and social formats. (1.3+ million more than 2022, annual average growth of 14%)

  • New golfers were significantly younger (by 11 years vs established)

  • 60% of new golfers in 2025 were women

  • 41% of new members were under the age of 35

  • Junior membership surged 18.2% in 2025, with under 18-year-old members more than doubling in the last 5 x years

  • More adults play golf than any other sport.

Graph: State of The Game 2025 Report

For a long time, golf has often been seen by many as a sport played by older people and retirees.

But this has changed.

Today’s golfers are more diverse, younger and increasingly seeking flexible, social and experience-led ways to play.

The places where golf is played and accessed are evolving.

Off-course participation now exceeds on-course.

Virtual/social club memberships have become one of the sport’s most powerful entry points, growing more than 3x the rate of traditional memberships.

Elite golf events are inspiring and entertaining millions of people in Australia.

Late last year, The Australian Open set a new attendance record with 112,000+ fans across 4 days at Royal Melbourne Golf Club. The Victorian Government celebrated, but it was short-lived…

Not long after, LIV Golf Adelaide eclipsed it with 115,000+ fans across 4 days at The Grange Golf Club.

Governments are paying attention

Following news of Saudi Arabia withdrawing its LIV Golf funding, (making the league’s future uncertain) South Australia just secured hosting rights to the Australia Open - securing the event away from Victoria. The tournament has only ventured out of NSW or VIC twice in half a century.

The NSW Government also recently secured the return of the Australian PGA Championship for the first time since 1998 - The 2026 BMW Australian PGA Championship in November is expected to attract around 15,000 visitors and inject more than $10 million into NSW.

There’s significant upside from golf’s rapid growth, and the benefits are being felt across the ecosystem

Golf industry: In 2023, An Australian Golf Industry Council-commissioned report estimated that household expenditure on golf was $10.3 billion

Society: The same report revealed golf provides $3.3 billion in total annual benefits to the Australian community, economy and environment.

Golfers:

  • 66% report a positive impact on physical health

  • 73% report a positive impact on mental health

  • 76% report stronger social connection through the sport

Golf is no longer just competing as a traditional sport. It’s becoming part of the broader lifestyle, entertainment and social participation economy.

What’s fuelling this?

Social media’s creator economy is fuelling golf’s growth

Online media is revolutionising the way golf is experienced and it’s often the entry point (top of funnel) for younger fans. A previous survey from Deloitte found that 90%+ of Gen Z fans use social media to consume sports content.

Golf is also uniquely suited for content creation.

It’s one of the few sports where you can film while you’re playing, whether that’s on-course, at the range, in a simulator, or socially with friends, which is helping fuel creativity and discovery across platforms like TikTok.”

Golf Australia CEO, James Sutherland

Creators are using Meta Ray-Ban Glasses to film content for TikTok.

@sungparkgolf#raybanmeta
Tiktok failed to load.

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#GolfTok driving the next generation of swingers in Australia

Golf is experiencing a cultural resurgence in Australia, fuelled by the rise of #GolfTok and TikTok’s creator-driven ecosystem. With more than 12 million monthly active users in Australia, the platform is helping attract new audiences to the sport through a constant stream of golf content, including swing tips, course reviews, fashion, highlights and entertaining on-course moments.

Key stats

  • TikTok creator posts about golf grew 39% in early 2025 vs. 2024.

  • 8.7M+ #Golf posts and 1.4M+ #GolfTok posts globally on TikTok.

  • Views on @australiangolf TikTok account increased 200%+ over two years.

Related: How #GolfTok is redefining the sport for a new generation of swingers

To support the momentum, TikTok recently hosted its first-ever Sydney #GolfTok meetup

TikTok creators @Portia_LianaGolf, @ItsSunnyLong, @sungparkgolf and @SDrucey got together with other creators, influencers, players and PGA Professionals at Moore Park to encourage Australians to get involved in golf through community-driven content and events.

Long form content is playing a major role via YouTube

A wave of content creators have emerged on the platform.

  • Professional golfers such as Bryson DeChambeau (2.69m+ YouTube Subscribers, 4.5m+ Instagram, 2.3m TikTok followers) have become online creators

  • Non-professional creators such as Rick Shields Golf (3.06m), Good Good (2.09m), Grant Horvat (1.7m) and Bob Does Sports (1.42m) have built significant followings on YouTube, and are collaborating with the world’s biggest golfers and stars - LeBron James recently featured on Bob Does Sports’ YouTube channel - the video has received 3.3m views

Golf tournaments are recognising the power of the creator economy across the globe

The PGA TOUR launched:

  • The “Creator Classic” in 2024 which brought together the best of golf’s digital creators (16 in total) to play during the week of the TOUR Championship (the PGA TOUR announced an expanded series in 2025)

  • The “Creator Council” made up of popular content creators/brands who will meet regularly with the PGA TOUR to develop shared strategies for content development and fan engagement

LIV Golf:

  • Announced a partnership with YouTube creator Rick Shiels

  • LIV Golf Adelaide has used local content creators such as “Shepmates”, “Marmalade” and “Those Carter Boys” to help showcase the fun and festive event experience

  • LIV Golf Adelaide headline entertainment acts such as Dom Dolla and FISHER who have millions of social media followers did the same

Tournaments are so committed to the concept that they’re even investing in influencer training.

Golf Brands:

Brands such as Titleist and Callaway Golf have taken note and have integrated creators into their marketing strategies

New golf competitions are emerging from the online world

Netflix created its own golf event - “The Netflix Cup” where race car drivers from “Drive to Survive” take on golfers from “Full Swing” in a match play tournament

The creator economy is giving rise to new competitions such as the ‘Peoples League’ which is made up of 12 players who have a combined social media following of nearly 20m - It brands itself as '“the first golf league where Creators are the Owners, Players and Media Network.”

Golf is showing up on digital platforms in random ways

Tinder: Driving ranges were among the top choices of locations to meet up for a first date among millions of Tinder users in the United States

Netflix: Creators played a key role in launching Happy Gilmore 2 in Australia.

Australian sports stars are becoming golf creators

Min Woo Lee has rapidly become one of the most popular and influential figures in golf, thanks largely to his 1.5m combined social media followers across Instagram and TikTok.

Over recent years he’s connected with the world’s biggest stars such as Justin Bieber and Steph Curry, secured major deals with activewear brand lululemon and golf giant Callaway, and developed a cult following which saw a group of several dozen men follow him around the Phoenix Open, dressed in white khakis, blue polos and red chef hats that read “Let Him Cook”.

It’s not just golfers creating golf-themed content.

  • Western Bulldogs players Oskar Baker, Anthony Scott and Bailey Dale launched Duck Hook Golf, with the trio quickly building a growing digital audience through regular AFL guest appearances and brand partnerships with the likes of Future Golf, sodii and bobby.

  • Brisbane Broncos’ Reece Walsh created ‘The Average Golf Open’ - a golf tournament built for everyday golfers

  • Former Melbourne and West Coast player Jayden Hunt is on a mission to enter professional golf, and has dedicated his social media to his journey

  • Dale Thomas has an interest in golf and has recently collaborated with GolfLoot on social media to promote a ticket giveaway to The Masters

  • Many current and former Australian cricketers are passionate and heavily involved in golf - e.g. Ricky Ponting and Glenn Maxwell have partnered with Callaway

  • Mick Fanning hosted his 2nd annual Charity Golf Day (presented by his beer brand, Balter) in Melbourne last year - a mix of high-profile celebrities, athletes, and sponsors teed off at Yarra Yarra Golf Club to help raise $335,000 for the Cure EB Foundation, Reach Foundation, and Yarra Yarra affiliated charities - it was promoted heavily across social media.

When the World Surf League comes to Australia, the world’s best surfers (and retired stars) take to the golf course during lay days and showcase it via social media.

The list goes on…

Related: The rise of the athlete creator

Golf in Australia feels like it’s entered a completely new era

What was once viewed by many as a traditional sport is now becoming a bigger part of culture, entertainment, media and social connection, particularly for younger audiences. Social media, creators and new formats are changing how people discover and experience the game, while participation numbers continue to surge across almost every category.

From packed-out events and booming junior memberships to the rise of #GolfTok and creator-led golf content, the momentum behind the sport is hard to ignore.

And right now, it feels like golf’s best years in Australia could still be ahead.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[Things worth noticing in sport]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/things-worth-noticing-in-sporthttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/things-worth-noticing-in-sportWed, 06 May 2026 22:00:52 GMTYou may notice this week’s newsletter looks a little different?!

We’re piloting a refreshed format for Notice this week.

We’ve expanded the “Things worth noticing in sport section”. Why? Because there’s so much taking place across sports each week that deserves attention. This approach allows us to better spotlight important news & announcements, big stories and key shifts across the industry, without everything competing for space.

We are also piloting a new section focused on PEOPLE.

Too often, recognition in sport stops at what happens on the field, but there is just as much to celebrate off it. This new section will acknowledge achievements, promotions and key industry moves, helping shine a light on the people shaping sport from behind the scenes. (Today’s new People section has been subbed-in temporarily for the regular deep dive.)

We’d love to get your feedback on our new People section so tell us what you think in the poll towards the bottom of this email.

Help us keep the industry informed!

Have something to share? If you would like to recognise a colleague or peer, or share a news item or announcement, please contact Matt via DM on LinkedIn (here) or using the button below.

New Partnerships

Collingwood FC welcomed Myer as a Major Partner across both its AFL and AFLW programs - The partnership will be brought to life through instore activities, social storytelling and game‑day experiences, alongside select Collingwood players featuring in upcoming Myer marketing campaigns

St Kilda FC announced the extension of its long-standing partnership with New Balance, in collaboration with its elite Teamwear partner Belgravia Apparel, through to the end of 2030 - the Saints’ AFLW team will wear New Balance for the first time

Port Adelaide FC welcomed Nippy’s Fruit Juices as a key partner across all three of its football programs, and not-for-profit arm Power Community Limited - As part of the agreement, Nippy’s will play a key role in supporting player performance through the introduction of the ‘Recovery Zone’, providing post-match protein milk to aid AFL player recovery

North Melbourne FC announced a formal partnership with Deadly Choices, Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander preventative health program

North Melbourne FC secured a partnership extension with freight forwarder Orbit Logistics for 2026

Richmond FC subsidiary Aligned Leisure was appointed to manage the Yarra Ranges Shire Council’s 6 x leisure facilities which include Monbulk Aquatic Centre, Yarra Centre, Jack Hort Memorial Community Pool, Belgrave Outdoor Pool, Lilydale Outdoor Pool, and Healesville Outdoor Pool

Western Bulldogs partnered with the Herald Sun and the Melbourne Press Club to launch the Sam Landsberger Sport Journalism Fellowship, giving aspiring journalists who are school leavers or university graduates from Melbourne’s western suburbs experience across both traditional & club media

Geelong Cats announced a partnership extension with Radiology Victoria which will continue as The Official Radiology Partner of the Club

NRL & NRL inked a new 3-year deal with Coca-Cola Australia - the brand will feature across broadcast, retail and live experiences throughout the rugby league season, and the deal extends across State of Origin, the Finals Series and national team sponsorships

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed a landmark 3-year partnership between Western Sydney Wanderers FC and Western Sydney International Airport - the new deal is the is the first sporting club partnership in the airport’s history

Netball NSW and GIANTS Netball announced a 1-year partnership with Park on King for the remainder of 2026 which will provide convenient and secure parking solutions to support Netball NSW’s Pathway teams, as well as GIANTS Netball’s travel requirements

Swimming Australia and Griffith University announced a new 3-year partnership to ensure the Gold Coast’s Para athletes have access to the world’s best training environment in the lead up to Brisbane 2032 and beyond

Australian Turf Club secured a new multi-year partnership with leading providers of integrated waste and recycling services, United Resource Management

Perth Racing secured a new 2-year media partnership with Sports Entertainment Network

News & Announcements

PUMA launched its ‘Clutch Shop’ activation in the heart of the Melbourne CDB alongside Josh Giddey - fans were invited to test themselves under game-like pressure to unlock exclusive rewards, including newly released PUMA shoes, signed merchandise and vouchers

IRONMAN Group Oceania hosted the 2026 HOKA Runaway Sydney Half Marathon which saw 30,000 runners participate (the biggest edition in the event’s 33-year history) and brand activations from HOKA, Better Beer, PURE Sports Nutrition and CELSIUS - more here

Matildas star, Steph Catley, signed a contract extension with Arsenal FC, alongside her dog, Calvin

NBL owner and billionaire Larry Kestelman stated that the Gold Coast could have a team in the NBL by next year - Gold Coast City Council is currently working through a process to approve the $1bn proposed Gold Coast Arena at Carey Park in Southport (via Code Sports)

It was reported that Kane Cornes will step down from his position as All-Australian selector & Rising Star judge, in light of Sportsbet’s policy change around talent aligned with official roles

Wilson hosted a VIP event to celebrate the reopening of its store at the Emporium Melbourne

GWS Giants chair Tim Reed laid out plans for his club to become a “powerhouse” and flagged a potential name change down the track - noting that “No one who you ask who lives in Sydney says -”I live in Greater Western Sydney”

Sydney Swans welcomed back Sydney Sweeney to the SCG

Melbourne FC raised over $130,000 for the Jim Stynes Foundation through its second annual ‘Jim’s Game’ in Rnd 6 vs Brisbane Lions - All funds raised will go directly to the JSF charity partners including The Reach Foundation, Indigenous Eye Health Unit, Worawa College, AAAC and the JSF Community Leadership Award

Fight MND unveiled a giant hot‑air balloon version of the Big Freeze beanie at Marvel Stadium to launch this year’s Big Freeze 12 fundraising push for MND research

Australia’s newest international airport, Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, opened its brand new runway for a fun run event - Hundreds of runners got to race on the tarmac before a single plane landed on it, and the event raised over $100,000 for the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation

Netball Australia and Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 (NWC2027) launched ‘HerPower27’ - an ambitious new vision to convert the NWC2027 into long-term outcomes for women and girls

Russel Corp, parent company for iconic Australian brands Sherrin and Spalding, announced it’s being acquired by GRAY-NICOLLS SPORTS

NBA Australia locked in its plans for NBA House which includes appearances from NBA All-Stars Jaren Jackson Jr. and DeMarcus Cousins, alongside performances from Baker Boy, DJ Nino Brown and Tye Turner, plus a 3-on-3 Celebrity Game, live NBA Playoffs watch parties, interactive basketball and gaming zones, exclusive merchandise and food & drink offerings

Visit Victoria and City of Melbourne launched an Industry Engagement Session (taking place May 20) for businesses that are interested in learning how they can leverage the significant opportunity of the first ever NFL game in Australia this September

LIV Golf turned to Ducera Partners (investment bank with sports ties) to help secure long-term investment partners, following news it’s losing funding from the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia

Construction commenced on Vietnam’s Hung Vuong Stadium, set to become one of the largest sporting arenas in the world, with a planned capacity of 135,000

Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg and Apple CEO, Tim Cook are reportedly among the names considering bids for the Seattle Seahawks

People

Key Industry Moves

This week, we’re celebrating the individuals taking the next step in their careers and stepping into new opportunities — from new roles to well-earned promotions and expanded responsibilities.

  • Jess Connor - Head of Partnerships at Netball Australia (from Gemba)

  • Lily Lambert - Senior Partnerships Lead at Cricket Australia (from WPP Media)

  • Kelsey O’Brien - Senior Client Director at Bastion (Promotion)

  • Lachlan Rigney - Sponsorship and Marketing Campaigns Lead at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers (from NBL)

  • Angus Johnstone - Digital Marketing Specialist at Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 (from Football Australia)

  • Bradley Millner - Customer Growth Specialist at A-Leagues (from URBNSURF)

  • Hugh Rogan - Senior Director, Global Partnerships at The IRONMAN Group (from Rugby Australia)

  • Charlie King - Commercial Manager at Bursty (from Gemba / TGI Sport)

  • Alex King - Project Manager at Bursty (from Crystal Palace FC)

  • Nicole Atkins - Senior Account Manager at Sydney Swans (Promotion)

  • Tim Cartledge - Senior Sales Manager at SPORTFIVE

  • Maddy Russell - Account Manager at Gemba (from TGI Sport)

  • Liam Daly - Head of Podcasting at Rifle (previously Founder at Shout Collective)

  • Patrick Gannon - General Manager at ActiveXchange APAC (from Rebel Sport)

  • Craig Campbell - Consultant at Basketball Victoria

  • Luke Dennehy - Acting Head of Media and Communications at Australian Athletics

  • Luke Murphy - Acting Director at Visit Victoria

  • Lauren Jackson - Chief Strategy and Basketball Partnerships Officer at WNBL

  • Justin Nelson - Chief Operations Officer at WNBL

  • Mark Falvo - Interim Chief Executive Officer at Netball Australia (currently CEO at Netball World Cup Sydney 2027)

  • Dan Taylor - Chief Executive Officer at Melbourne Football Club (from Stan)

Board & Executive Appointments

  • Anthony Moore - Board Director at Netball Australia

  • Rachel Wiseman - Board Director at Football Australia

  • Angela Mentis - Board Director at Football Australia

  • Alison Lyons - Board Chair at QSport

  • Petter Hutton - Board Chair at Professional Triathletes Organisation

Agency Wins

  • MKTG Sports + Entertainment was shortlisted for The Drum Awards’ Marketing APAC 2026, with two projects (in collaboration with Chemist Warehouse and TAC) recognised among this year’s finalists. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony in Singapore, May 21

  • Upfront Sports Partners was appointed by the Japan Rugby Football Union to advise on its Rugby World Cup 2035 bid

Tell us what you think?

We’re shaping our newsletter around what the Notice community wants to read.

Leave a comment

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]]><![CDATA[The rise of the athlete arrival economy]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/the-rise-of-the-athlete-arrival-economyhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/the-rise-of-the-athlete-arrival-economyWed, 29 Apr 2026 22:00:48 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by Victory Lap

Australia’s premier sports marketing and creative summit, Victory Lap, has revealed its lineup of international and local speakers, bringing together the creative leaders reshaping how global sport is built, marketed and experienced. Taking place 7 – 8 July 2026 at Brisbane Powerhouse, the two-day summit arrives as Brisbane enters its six-year countdown to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, reinforcing the city’s growing role as a meeting point for global sport, culture and creativity.

Check out the full agenda

Melbourne Storm welcomed Dare Iced Coffee (owned by Bega Group) to the Club as a new partner - As part of the 2-year deal, the “Dare Defensive Play of the Week” will run across the Storm’s digital channels, shining a spotlight on standout defensive moments across the NRL season

Gold Coast SUNS and SOLO Energy entered into a new multi-year partnership - Following its official launch into the energy drink market last year, SOLO Energy will now be available to purchase on match days at People First Stadium

Fremantle Dockers unveiled a new WA defence partnership - working alongside the WA Government, the partnership will underpin a range of initiatives, including joint community events, leadership and training programs, opportunities for defence industry participation at Club activities, and collaborative projects that support veterans, young people and emerging career pathways

Collingwood FC renewed its partnership with Access Covers Australia for a further 2 years - the brand will feature on Club doctor and physiotherapists’ bibs on match-day

Adelaide Crows secured a 3-year partnership extension with family-owned business Thomas Foods International which will continue to support the Club’s community programs - the TFI logo will also remain on the AFL and AFLW playing shorts

Brisbane Lions and family-owned fit out and building services company McCormack (which recently brought the new Lions Shop at the Gabba to life) announced a new partnership for the 2026 and 2027 AFL men’s seasons

Port Adelaide welcomed the Barossa Valley’s Teusner Wines to the Club as a Principal Partner on a multi-year deal - The partnership will see Teusner products served in hospitality spaces on game day, and flagship club events

GWS GIANTS welcomed Inglewood Coffee Roasters as an Official Partner for the 2026 AFL season

Adelaide 36ers and BHP extended their partnership which will see the Club continue to deliver impactful community programs (basketball clinics, educational sessions, engagement activities) across key regional centres in SA’s north and far north

Melbourne Storm welcomed leading integrated engineering, construction and urban development business BMD as an Official Partner of its Female Pathways and Women of Storm programs, as part of a 2-year agreement

Brisbane Broncos unveiled a new multi-year partnership with Westfield QLD destinations - shoppers will have the opportunity to win game day tickets & merchandise, and meet Broncos players

nib Newcastle Knights NRLW announced a 2-year back of shorts partnership with local, all female independant real estate agent Salt Property

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles announced a major partnership upgrade and 2-year extension with Solar Battery Partner VoltX Energy which will now feature on the Sea Eagles’ jerseys in the top-of-back position

Brisbane Broncos announced a new 2-year partnership with Queensland-based Coronis which became the Club’s Official Real Estate Agent

Sydney Roosters and Invictus Australia launched a collaboration that will create meaningful opportunities for veterans to connect with – and contribute to – the Roosters community via matchday initiatives, community programs and club events

Perth Bears unveiled its first-ever merchandise collection, developed in collaboration with apparel partner New Balance

Adelaide Thunderbirds and HCF extended their partnership for another 2 years

Melbourne Victory announce CLN Facility Services as a new Associate and Academy Partner - Their logo will feature on the back of both the home and away jerseys for Victory’s Academy teams

World Surf League expanded its partnership with Coastal Property Agents - the Real Estate company claimed the Naming Rights to the Coastal Real Estate Gold Coast Pro Trials event at Snapper Rocks

Under Armour announced the signing of AFL rising star Finn Callaghan, marking a major milestone as the brand’s first men’s AFL athlete in Australia

Former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attended the Essendon Football Club's President’s Lunch at the MCG for the 2026 Anzac Day match against Collingwood and met with players and coaches pre game

PUMA unveiled Josh Giddey’s First Basketball Shoe - The PUMA All-Pro Nitro 2 Josh Giddey drops on May 2

PUMA officially moved into a brand-new headquarters in Cremorne (relocating after 40 years in Moorabbin) and celebrated the move with retail partners, sporting teams and PUMA athletes such as Nedd Brockmann, Josh Giddey, Linden Hall and Emily Bates

adidas made marathon history in London as Sabastian Sawe set a world record of 1:59:30, and Tigist Assefa also set the women's record at 2:15:41 - they both wore Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 which sold out in limited Monday pre-orders within minutes and hit resale prices of $3000+

See The $500 Adidas Shoe That Finally Broke The 2-Hour Marathon Mark - Forbes Vetted
adidas’ record-breaking ‘Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3’ shoe

Media and sponsorships agency Rifle acquired specialist podcasting business SHOUT Collective

Sportsnet Holidays secured a multi-year partnership with the NFL and will offer official travel packages to the first-ever regular season NFL game in Melbourne between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers

World Fencing League held its debut event in Los Angeles with a viewership in the millions and a sell out crowd which included the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian

FIFA World Cup fans are set to pay $200 for train tickets for a 15 minute trip to MetLife Stadium from Manhattan’s Penn Station, nearly 11 times the regular $18 fare for the roughly 15-minute, 14-kilometre ride

The rise of the athlete arrival economy

There was a time when the only thing that mattered about arriving at a stadium was being on time. Now, it’s increasingly become more about being seen.

Across global sport, a new layer of the spectacle is emerging—Athlete Arrivals. The tunnel is no longer an athlete entrance.

It’s a stage.

A runway.

A content engine.

And increasingly, a commercial asset hiding in plain sight.

Athlete arrivals are increasingly doubling as a fashion runway

The shift is simple but powerful: athletes arriving in their own clothes, not club-issued uniforms.

It’s a subtle change with outsized impact.

What used to be a closed, operational moment is now an open, broadcasted spectacle. Cameras are waiting. Social feeds are primed. And athletes are responding, leaning into fashion and self-expression.

International athletes, teams and leagues are leading the way

In the U.S., the athlete-arrival spectacle is already institutionalised.

Lighting, staging, photography, every detail is often engineered.

Players from major leagues have embraced it. For example:

  • NBA - Xmas day fits (below)

  • NFL - Big fits from Wild Card Sunday - here

  • NHL - Mikhail Sergachev fits - here

  • NSWL - athlete arrival examples - here

The list goes on.

Casual fits are spreading across sports…

The ATP just launched its new ‘Athlete Arrivals’ fashion concept at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where multiple athletes collaborated with former GQ Fashion Director Mobolaji Dawodu to define their individual style.

Teams & leagues are commercialising

Liverpool FC x Tommy Hilfiger

In January, Liverpool FC announced Tommy Hilfiger as its Official Global Partner - the American brand is outfitting both the men’s and women’s teams across key moment of the season, including on arrival to key events and match days.

Unrivaled x Sephora

Sephora has a high-profile partnership with breakaway women’s basketball League, Unrivaled, focused on enhancing the player experience and identifying meaningful ways to integrate beauty into the league’s daily ecosystem - a core feature of this partnership is the ‘Sephora Tunnel’.

Brand collaborations have been showing up across some of soccer’s biggest teams and leagues

  • Real Madrid arriving in Louis Vuitton - here

  • AC Milan’s x Off-White collaboration - here

  • Chelsea players wearing bespoke Nike Boreas Tech designed by Maxime Black - here

  • Manchester City’s x C.P. Company - here

The arrival moment is expanding, and every touchpoint is becoming content

It’s no longer just about the walk into the stadium. It also includes:

  • Players stepping off planes

  • Athletes arriving at hotels

  • Trade day arrivals & exits

…Even partner and celebrity entrances are being captured - e.g. Willy Chavarria and YG arrived to NBA All-Star weekend in true LA style - here.

It’s not just about fashion

Athlete arrivals aren’t purely an opportunity to showcase fashion - Athlete’s such as Devon Booker and Luka Doncic show off their luxury cars on arrival to match days.

The trend is visible when major sports events come to Australia

The F1 Paddock at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix doubles as a catwalk for drivers.

At AO26, Naomi Osaka stunned the tennis world when she entered Rod Laver Arena during prime time on Nine, wearing floating custom creations from London-based couturier Robert Wun and Nike.

The impact was immediate and global:

  • Footage was shown across traditional media channels all over the world

  • She was “trending on Twitter”

  • Social media blew up - e.g. 6m+ views on the Official Australian Open Instagram

  • The post quickly drew reactions from celebrities across fashion, music, television and sports

In Australia…

There’s been a major push from Australian athletes and media to shake up the players’ dress-code on match day

Locally, momentum is building. Broadcasters like Channel 7 and Fox Footy are actively pushing for change to take place within the AFL, recognising the storytelling upside of showcasing player personalities before the first bounce.

Players are aligned.

Figures like Jack Ginnivan and Patrick Dangerfield have been advocating for relaxed dress codes, opening the door for more expressive, casual arrivals.

…And clubs are beginning to experiment.

Melbourne Demons became first-movers

The Melbourne Demons were first to move.

The payoff wasn’t just engagement from traditional fans, but the organic crossover into fashion, influencer and lifestyle media.

Note: They’re undefeated since embracing the casuals.

Suncorp Super Netball’s Melbourne Mavericks are following closely, signalling that this isn’t confined to one code.

The opportunity for Australian sports

Currently, no Australian team or league fully “owns” the arrival moment yet. Melbourne Demons are closest. Others are circling. But the opportunity is wide open… and there’s also room for many players.

The athlete appetite and media demand already exists

NRL’s biggest stars have been organically attracting attention for their fashion choices:

AFL stars are also embracing fashion & beauty outside of match day

AFL and AFLW stars Isaac Quaynor, Cody Weightman, Changkuoth Jiath, Mon Conti, Sophie McKay and Matilda Scholz recently featured on the Melbourne Fashion Festival catwalk.

Isaac Quaynor, in particular, is rapidly building a profile beyond football by aligning himself with beauty and fashion brands. He’s recently collaborated with the likes of Armani Beauty, Mecca, Ralph Lauren, Myer, cartier, eBay, Prada, Valentino, unison etc.

The AFL have been dabbling in the concept

Athlete arrivals… A major opportunity for women’s sports?!

As women’s sport continues to rise, many traditionally feminine categories remain underrepresented in sponsorship. But that’s changing rapidly…

Matildas x Beare Park

Around the time that the above clip that was posted (a few years ago) on the Matildas’ social media featuring the players wearing luxury female designer brand BEARE PARK, it received:

  • 1.5+ million views on Instagram

  • 683k+ views on TikTok

It outperformed some other onfield/matchday related posts by as much as 1000%.

WNBL x Sephora

Recently, the WNBL announced Sephora as a partner of the League’s MVP Awards Night, and that it will join the competition as a Foundation Partner and Official Beauty Partner in the WNBL 2026/27 season. Will the ‘Sephora Tunnel’ be launched in Australia next season?

Related: New & noteworthy sports partnerships

Athlete arrivals could be a major unlock for beauty brands

Beauty brands are getting active in Australian sports.

Brands such as Mecca, Bondi Sands, Shark Beauty, Ralph Lauren, Unilever (Rexona, Dove, Lifebuoy and Lux), L’Oréal, La Roche-Posay, Maybelline, CeraVe, Cetaphil are already partnering with athletes, teams and leagues.

Related: Beauty’s growing presence in sports

Athlete arrivals and pre-game routines and rituals create an opportunity for brands within the beauty category, and particularly within women’s sport. These moments create a natural, high-attention environment for beauty integration, where product use doesn’t feel staged, it feels expected. From skincare routines pre-match to glam moments captured on arrival, these touchpoints offer brands a way to show up authentically, rather than interruptively.

When brands invest in women’s sport it can create a powerful virtuous cycle

When beauty brands invest in women’s sports, they fuel its momentum, driving better performance, greater visibility, and a growing fan base. In turn, this expanded platform delivers stronger ROI for brands, empowering them to reinvest and amplify the cycle even further.

So, what’s the hold up?

Broadcasters want more personality. Players want more freedom. Fans want more authenticity.

What’s holding it back? Governance and tradition.

Clubs and leagues traditional held a tight grip of control over players and team narratives, and they have existing commercial obligations with sponsors that need to be met. Although these factors present as current barriers, a lot of industry stakeholders are keen to keep pushing the boundaries and expose the game to new audiences, so alternative brands integration options that deliver value and visibility (such as players walking infront of LED branded signage) are currently being workshopped.

For Australian sport, the opportunity is clear - teams and leagues who are prepared to give freedom to their athletes to openly engage and express themselves in front of media as much or as little as they like will benefit greatly from the production of relatable, engaging (and sometimes controversial) content. This content will enable them better connect with new audiences and the everyday fan, which can help contribute to growth and better commercial outcomes.

Related: Premium brands are rewriting the rules of sports sponsorship

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

Subscribe now

]]><![CDATA[Sports are stepping into run culture]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/sports-are-stepping-into-run-culturehttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/sports-are-stepping-into-run-cultureWed, 22 Apr 2026 22:01:41 GMT

Commonwealth Bank was confirmed as the Founding Partner and Official Bank of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games in a deal that was reported to be worth at least $200 million by the Australian Financial Review - the bank partnered with ‘Those Carter Boys’ to help roll out the announcement on social media

Victoria Racing Club announced a 7-year partnership with Asahi Beverages which will provide racegoers with its beer and cider porfolio including Carlton Draught, Asahi Super Dry, Balter XPA and Somersby’s cider, plus mid-strength offerings such as Great Northern Super Crisp

AFL secured a multi-year partnership renewal with Chemist Warehouse which is deepening its investment in umpires - Over the next 5 years, every pack of Gello Beans and Gello Snakes sold at Chemist Warehouse will contribute to a minimum $1 million investment in the AFL Umpires High Performance Pathway

AFL and Colgate extended their partnership which includes Naming Rights to the AFL Brownlow Medal Red Carpet - now known as the Colgate Red Carpet

NFL announced a new multi-year partnership with South Australian brand Y Series which became the Official Wine Sponsor of the NFL in Australia and New Zealand

Port Adelaide and Ray White extended their partnership for a further 3 years which will see the Ray White brand continue to feature across activations at Adelaide Oval and the Naming Rights of the exclusive House on the Hill hospitality experience

North Melbourne secured a 2-year partnership with Stomping Ground

Brisbane Lions welcomed Buffalo Trace Bourbon as an Official Partner of the club

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles announced a new partnership with Employment Hero (the AI-powered employment operating system is already powering the Club’s HR, payroll and employment workflows through a single, connected system)

Gold Coast Titans announced that My Holiday (Ignite Travel Group) will continue its partnership in 2026 marking the 4th consecutive year of collaboration between the pair

Brisbane Broncos secured a partnership extension with Higgins Coatings for the 2026–27 seasons - To mark the renewal, Higgins Coatings refreshed the Cyril Connell Performance Centre at Red Hill

South Australian Cricket Association announced it’s joining forces with Ambra Spirits (renowned globally for its award-winning Limoncello) - As part of the agreement, Ambra Spirits will feature prominently across SACA events

Melbourne Victory announced P3 Recovery as the Club’s Official Recovery Partner, and a new partnership with family-run Roasting Warehouse, which will help fuel players and staff at Victory

Run Nation Championship, the new impact sport that Tai ‘Bam Bam’ Tuivasa is behind, announced a new partnership with , a premium access platform designed to unlock exclusive offers from over 1000 brands

Two of Australia’s fastest athletes, Lachlan Kennedy and Torrie Lewis became Longines brand ambassadors for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow

AIA Australia announced a new partnership with Lance (Buddy) and Jesinta Franklin

Los Angeles Rams teamed up with The Wiggles for a crossover moment to promote their match against the San Francisco 49ers at the MCG later this year

Netball Australia locked in a 5-year media rights partnership with Nine which will see every Suncorp Super Netball match and all Australian Diamonds matches broadcast across one or more of the 9Network, 9Now and Stan Sport (It also includes the Netball World Cup Sydney 2027) - Australian Diamonds star and players association president Jo Weston called for a pay increase following the announcement

NBL and Nine announced a new 2-year agreement that will see 2 x free-to-air NBL games available every week across the 9Network, including Finals games - Nine’s NBL coverage will sit alongside the WNBL which secured a new partnership with Nine last year

FIFA wrote to Anthony Albanese urging the federal government to help support the construction of a permanent home of football in Australia

The 2026 State of Origin series was launched in Melbourne at the MCG

SEN’s Tom Morris reported that Adelaide Oval is working on a plan to bring an Indian Premier League cricket match to Australia next year

NSW Government entered into a new partnership with the PGA of Australia to secure the return of the Australian PGA Championship to NSW for the first time since 1998 - The 2026 BMW Australian PGA Championship will tee off from 26th-29th November at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney

NBL announced that it will deliver another 7% increase to player payments for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 Season

Chris Kohler posted a funny take on the histroic adidas x Puma feud to promote an episode of his new ‘How we got here’ podcast

Tasmanian Government unveiled a shortlist of 2 major international contractors to deliver Hobart’s proposed new $1.13 billion AFL stadium - BESIX Watpac and the Constructure Joint Venture

Melbourne Demons held discussions with Carlton FC about staging a marquee mental health game in 2027 - this follows the hospitalisation of Elijah Hollands, and Jack Ginnivan and Bailey Smith calling for the AFL to introduce a dedicated mental health round

Melbourne Park announced global ticketing provider AXS as its new ticketing partner for year-round events (outside the Australian Open)

Invictus Games Foundation announced the launch of the Invictus Australia Sports Festival, a brand-new international adaptive sports event set to take place in Perth, Australia, in October 2026

Sports are stepping into run culture

To leverage the growing run club movement over recent years, brands have been aggressively competing to put themselves at the heart of run communities and culture, in an attempt to form connections with runners, build their brands and generate commercials returns.

Related: How brands are leveraging the rapid rise of run clubs

Sports are now following suit.

Clubs and leagues have begun rolling out running experiences designed to be accessible, catering to all abilities, from walking through to competitive running.

Why sports are leaning-in to running culture

Fan engagement – Fun runs can create or contribute to a festival-like atmosphere that extends well beyond a match day experience. They can provide new touchpoints beyond the season calendar, helping sports reach broader and younger audiences (particularly the 18–35 demographic), while deepening existing fan relationships.

Fundraising – At scale, community participation becomes a powerful fundraising engine. Multiple sports have launched running-themed events to support club & community foundations, charity partners, and important causes in a highly-engaging way.

Commercial – Each event creates a new monetisable asset that can be unlocked via sponsorship, ticketing and merchandise.

Here are some recent case studies worth noticing…👇

During Gather Round, the AFL introduced its inaugural ‘Run 4 Your Club’ fun run

The unique concept drew 700+ fans, each representing their club as they ran, jogged or walked a 4km course along the River Torrens on Saturday morning. Participation and performance fed into a leaderboard, with Hawthorn claiming the inaugural title.

Dylan Buckley was an ambassador for the event which raised more than $7,000 for the Adelaide Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation.

Sydney Swans & Nike teamed up with the Coogee Run Club to announce its new partnership earlier this year

In the lead up to the start of the 2026 AFL season, Sydney Swans announced Nike as its Official Apparel and Footwear partner across its AFL, AFLW, VFL, QBE Sydney Swans Academy and ARA First Nations Academy teams. The ‘one club’ partnership was launched at Coogee Beach and celebrated with an event at the Coogee Pavilion.

Canberra Raiders hosted a community fun run for its members and fans

Hosted in partnership with the Stromlo Running Festival, Raiders fans took part in a 5km or 10km run or walk around Lake Burley Griffin, all while raising vital funds for Hands Across Canberra. Club sponsor Under Armour got behind the event.

Carlton Football Club hosted ‘Run for Respect’ to drive awareness and fundraising for its flagship community initiative

In February, fans joined players and staff to take part in either a 400m Junior Dash, 3km, 5km or 10km walk, jog or run around Princes Park and the club’s home, IKON Park. The event aimed to drive awareness, and support fundraising efforts of the club’s flagship community initiative, ‘Carlton Respects’ - an initiative established in 2016, designed to promote gender equality for the prevention of violence against women.

A suite of sponsors signed up to support the cause, including Bupa (Presenting Partner), Puma (Silver Partner), 13cabs, Hyundai, Ampol and Gatorade.

Running events were a popular choice for brands and teams during this year’s Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026

Gatorade launched its ‘Run The Track’ running event, giving 1400+ fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to race on the iconic Albert Park Circuit.

Peloton joined forces with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team to transform Riviera Beach Club into a one-day-only fitness paddock – as part of the event participants hit the streets for a 5K run - here

adidas hosted community morning runs from the Audi Revolut F1 Team activation at AFLOAT on the Yarra River - here

The BWT Alpine Formula One Team joined forces with Beforeyouspeak Coffee to host a run through the streets of Melbourne and a Hyrox-style workout - here

Nedd Brockmann hosted a fun run from PUMA’s ‘Ignition Beach’ pop activation in St Kilda to help promote PUMA’s Deviate NITRO 4 shoe

Related: The ultimate Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026 off-track activity wrap

Running events are being launched around marathon running events

Pre-marathon “shakeout” runs were a popular brand activation during last year’s Sydney Marathon - many brands partnered with local run clubs and community groups in the lead up to race day.

New Balance x Unofficial Run Club shakeout:

  • adidas x 440 Run Club shakeout - here

  • ASICS shakeout - here

  • ASICS x Pace Athletic shakeout - here

  • Brooks x parkrun shakeout - here

  • lululemon shakeout - here

  • LSKD x PILLAR Performance shakeout - here

  • On x Sydney Run Club shakeout - here

  • Peloton x Beyond Blue shakeout - here

  • Tracksmith x Up There Athletics shakeout - here

Related: How sports retail brands got active around the Sydney Marathon

Even sports business events are adopting the format

Last year, the Sports Tech World Series event teamed up with the Australian Corporate Games to host a relaxed 5km run around the MCG and Yarra Park, blending networking with participation.

The sports x running trend is a global one

Some of the world’s biggest sports teams have launched running-themed events and initiatives. For example:

USA

Europe / UK

Sports organisations are increasingly creating new experiences beyond matchday to generate non-traditional revenue streams, and increasingly, fun runs are part of the plan.

These running events help position sport teams and leagues as:

  • Purpose-driven

  • Community-first

  • Sponsor-friendly

The upside is material - By hosting fun run events, sports organisations can build deeper, more personal connections with participants and fans, invent more authentic ways to deliver impact for communities and causes, and build new commercial assets that can be monetised.

Are there any other sports x running partnerships worth noticing?

Leave a comment

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[AFL Gather Round keeps getting bigger and better]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/afl-gather-round-keeps-getting-biggerhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/afl-gather-round-keeps-getting-biggerWed, 15 Apr 2026 22:17:09 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by the AI in Sport Summit

The AI in Sport Summit program is back for its second year and it’s packed with the conversations sport needs right now. On May 13th, leaders from across sport and technology will step into one room to tackle the biggest questions around AI in performance intelligence, organisational transformation, commercial growth and digital marketing.

Across the summit you’ll hear how:

  • AI agents becoming teammates in athlete support, analysis and decision-making

  • Gaming to grassroots: turning digital culture into real-world participation

  • The AI-powered athlete: building brands, reach and revenue beyond the field

  • AI governance in sport: protecting fairness, trust and athlete welfare

  • From data to fandom: hyper-personalised fan engagement at scale

  • Global AI playbooks: lessons from Ferrari and beyond

Access to this level of insight doesn’t come around often. Hearing directly from experts across sport and technology is what makes the AI in Sport Summit unique. Be in the room with the people building what comes next.

From Microsoft and IBM to Cricket Australia, Tennis Australia, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sport New Zealand, Deloitte and more, the speakers are the people actually building and deploying AI across the sport ecosystem.

With less than 4 weeks to go, now is the time to get your ticket and make sure you’re in the room to be part of the conversation.

Register now

NFL welcomed Qantas as its Official Airline Partner in Australia and New Zealand, and the Official Airline Partner of the 2026 NFL Melbourne Game - Qantas will operate charter flights for the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers when they play their regular season game at the MCG later this year

Australian Open welcomed BOSS as the tournament’s Official Lifestyle Outfitter from 2027 which will design and supply apparel for up to 4000 AO staff, officials, umpires, and ballkids

Commonwealth Games Australia inked a new deal with Melbourne coffee roaster ST. ALi which will set up a café in the forecourt of AUS HQ at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and deliver barista-made coffee to athletes, coaches and officials

Paralympics Australia and Bupa Optical launched a nationwide initiative to train optometrists to identify and refer people with vision impairments into Para-sport

AFL unveiled that Monster Energy expanded its partnership, joining as the Official AFLW Energy Drink Partner as part of a renewed multiyear agreement

Brisbane Lions and New Balance extended their partnership until 2030 - The ongoing partnership is delivered in conjunction with Belgravia Sports Apparel, New Balance’s Australasian elite teamwear partner

Western Bulldogs secured an expanded partnership with ASICS which will now provide official apparel for the Club’s AFLW and VFLW teams - this evolved agreement elevates the partnership to a true whole-of-club collaboration

Collingwood FC announced a 2-year extension of its partnership with Australia’s leading cyber security organisation CyberCX

West Coast Eagles inked a new partnership with Tony Barlow Menswear, which became the Club’s preferred supplier of men’s corporate uniforms

Sports Direct became the Official Sports Retailer of the Cronulla Sharks - its branding will adorn the corner posts at Ocean Protect Stadium for at least 2026 and 2027

Sydney Roosters announced JLab as the Club’s Official Audio Partner for the 2026 and 2027 NRL seasons - JLab branding will feature across the Club's digital channels and game-day activations at Allianz Stadium

Brisbane Broncos and Rio Tinto announced a landmark new sustainability partnership, ahead of its Queensland Derby clash with the North Queensland Cowboys - The partnership will see the creation and rollout of reusable drink bottles, made from Rio Tinto’s aluminium, across the Broncos’ football and business operations

URBNSURF announced a new partnership with Jeep Australia and Leapmotor Australia which will see vehicles featured prominently across its Melbourne and Sydney parks

Macarthur Bulls FC secured a new partnership with Oran Park Hotel which became the Official Club destination for away match gatherings for the 2026/27 season

NBL delivered another season of record growth across attendance, broadcast, digital and commercial performance

NFL announced plans to provide FREE Flag Football kits to every school in Australia - starting with Queensland and Victoria this year

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the League is taking a “long term” approach to its entry into Australia, hinting that September’s match in Melbourne will not be a one-off

lululemon released a golf collection with Brand Ambassador and PGA Australian golfer Min Woo Lee

On announced the addition of 5 x athletes to its ‘On Athletics Club Oceania’ Roster - Stewart McSweyn, Toby Gillen, Alex Stitt (AUS), Sam Tanner (NZL) and Sarah Tait (GBR) joined the Melbourne-based hub

LSKD set up its ‘1% Better Hub’ at the Brisbane Bullets’ high performance centre, transforming the facility and providing a training and recovery centre for some of the world’s best hybrid athletes during Hyrox Brisbane

Commonwealth Games Australia and AAMI unveiled ‘The Pursuit of Unstoppable’, a six-part Green2Gold2Great documentary series available on 7Plus and YouTube, to mark 100 days to go until Glasgow 2026

Sports Entertainment Network announced it is the Australian audio rights holder of the Indian Premier League, made possible by Henley Homes

Arsenal FC launched a new global partnership with Meta - Supporters will be able to access new and unique digital experiences across the official WhatsApp Channel and Facebook’s official page

AFL Gather Round keeps getting bigger and better

Three years in, AFL Gather Round is no longer an experiment, it’s a major sports event that’s entrenched in the AFL calendar, and the fabric of South Australia (SA).

It’s also one that continues to scale in size and attendance each year. In fact, AFL Gather Round 2026 was the biggest one ever:

By the numbers:

  • 270,018 attended the 2026 AFL Gather Round (up from 269,506 last year)

  • 6.4 million - Broadcast viewership across the nine Gather Round matches

  • 112,141 fans visited the Macca’s Footy Festival

  • 9,300 fans went through the gates of the new Next Door presented by Hard Rated

  • 18,000 fans were engaged by AFL-themed activations at Rundle Mall

  • 700 fans participated in the inaugural Run 4 Your Club - $7,000 was raised for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation

  • 150 guests from Government, Universities, Mental Health services, along with advocates, specialists and club representatives attended the inaugural AFL Health and Wellbeing conference

  • 150 partners from across commercial, broadcast and licensing attended AFL Axiom

The fan experience was engineered to start at the border

From the moment fans entered SA, whether by road or air, their Gather Round experience began.

On the ground, fans entering regional towns, from Bordertown to Robe, were greeted with family-themed AFL-themed activations, photo moments and outdoor ad-campaigns.

In the air, clubs such as Sydney Swans activated their partnerships with Virgin Australia to treat fans to suprise and delight moments.

Adelaide Airport played host to a full AFL Gather Round takeover which included a giant inflatable Sherrin football, player cut-outs, entry archways, baggage carousel wraps, Sherrin mascots, brand ambassadors and disco dancers welcoming guests. Virgin Australia also gave fans a chance to hold the Premiership Cup.

A whole-of-state takeover

Multiple Gather Round-themed events and activations took place across the state. Some worth noticing:

  • AFL Axiom: A new conference event, attended by 150+ partners unpacking ‘The Future of Fandom’ - discussions centered around how to reach new audiences and bring more people into footy. The event featured futurist Michael McQueen and Ehrenberg-Bass Institute Professor Jenni Romaniuk

  • Welcome dinner at Penfolds Magill Estate: An exclusive dinner attended by some of the most powerful figures in football and politics including Anika Wells, Craig Drummond, Peter Malinauskas, Andrew Dillon, John Olsen, David Koch, Andrew Pridham, Sonja Hood, Andy Gowers and Robert Priestley

  • Bounce Around the Barossa: A free hop on & hop off bus service that returned for its second year, helping fans explore the Barossa

  • Barossa Park Live Site: A free site featuring big screens, appearances from AFL legends, giant Ferris wheel, and an AFL Play Zone

  • Norwood Food & Wine Festival: Held on Sunday, it featured 50+ of the Parade’s best restaurants, cafés and bars, and a free concert by The Presents

  • Run 4 Your Club: 700+ participants turned out for the inaugural Run 4 Your Club - a 4km walk/jog run along the River Torrens - Dylan Buckley was the event ambassador

  • Macca’s Footy Festival: Fans were treated to a 4-day activation site full of free activities and entertainment, including a live show with Bluey, fireworks, live music, zip line, and a suite of sponsorship activations (see below)

  • Mental Health Gathering: The inaugural Mental Health and Wellbeing Gathering took place at Adelaide University and was hosted by the AFL, in partnership with Danny Frawley Community (part of Black Dog Institute)

  • Ball in the Mall: The four-zone activation at Rundle Mall featured accessible activities such as Trickshot Arena, interactive arcade games, styling bar and music, along with a giant gold inflatable Sherrin and frequent player appearances

Player appearances

Players made appearances across the community, with 453 players making appearances around the state, including 10 footy clinics and 4 school visits.

Other notable locations that players visited included:

  • Western Bulldogs - Adelaide Central Markets

  • Carlton - Adelaide Zoo

  • Fremantle - toured the old scoreboard at Adelaide Oval

  • Geelong - RM Williams

  • Collingwood - West Beach Adventure

  • Essendon - Coles Supermarket

  • Izak Rankine entertained guests with a private gig to launch his new collaboration with Rixx Eyewear, the brand founded Tommy Sheridan and Coen Rodgers

Brands invested BIG again

  • Shell gave fans a discount of 10 cents a litre on fuel over the Gather Round weekend as petrol prices continued to surge around the globe

  • ‘The Pepsi Collective’ gave fans a premium viewing experience from level three at Adelaide Oval with DJs including Andrew Loadsman, John Coarse, Havana Brown and Cyril

  • ‘Next Door hosted by Hard Rated’, located next door to the Adelaide Oval, offered a mix of live entertainment, footy on the big screen and music across the week, including a performance from the ARIA Award-winning DMA’S

  • Macca’s Footy Festival played host to 22 x partnership activations from the likes of Telstra, AAMI, Bunnings, Pirate Life, Sportsbet, Energy Australia, Sherrin and Coles, and the site saw 112,141 fans visit here

  • Accor ran a competition and gave one lucky winner a “suite AFL weekend”, including flights, game tickets, merchandise and a stay in the Superfan Suite

  • EnergyAustralia activated its laser and light show, in partnership with KOJO here

  • SOLO teamed up with podcast trio, We Got the Chocolates (979k+ Instagram followers) to help launch its new SOLO Lime Zero Sugar flavour here

  • Chemist Warehouse gave fans seat upgrades to its VIP Deck here

  • Sherrin’s mascots were seen everywhere here

As Gather Round continues to scale year-on-year, it reflects more than just growing fan demand, it highlights a deliberate and sustained push from the AFL and SA Government to own and expand their major sporting events portfolio.

The SA Government has been deliberate in its quest to secure major sports events such as Gather Round

The Herald Sun previously reported how the SA Premier, Peter Malinauskas, was like a ‘dog with a bone’ at the AFL Grand Final in 2022 in luring Gather Round away from larger city’s such as Sydney and the NSW Government who were in the box seat and prepared to spend millions to secure the rights.

Peter Malinauskas has also previously spoken openly about the approach he’s taken to securing major sports events rights, and how he strongly pursued and secured the rights to host LIV Golf.

The SA Government has been heavily investing in the concept

It’s been showing an appetite to build its economy and global profile through major sports events and festivals, which are a significant driver for SA’s economy, generating $565 million in tourism expenditure in the year to September 2024.

Fresh off delivering another successful LIV Golf event, the SA Government recently secured the MotoGP™ Australian Grand Prix, luring it away from Victoria. This added to its expanding portfolio which already includes the likes of Santos Tour Down Under, LIV Golf Adelaide, AFL Gather Round, Adelaide International Tennis and bp Adelaide Grand Final.

AFL Gather Round expenditure:

  • The ABC has previously reported estimates that Gather Round rights costs $16m-20m a year

  • SA Government contributed $20m for a redevelopment (alongside The Barossa Council) enabling games to be played in the Barossa Valley

The SA Government continues to demonstrate strong capabilities in hosting major sports events

Hosting major sports events requires much more than meets the eye - it requires strong and precise coordination across multiple stakeholders and functions such as:

  • Venue operations

  • Government

  • Broadcast & media

  • Accommodation, hospitality & tourism

  • Security & risk management

  • Sporting bodies

  • Fans & general public

  • Local businesses

  • etc

What SA has consistently proven is its ability to align these moving parts into a cohesive operation that creates a seamless and engaging fan experience and state-wide “takeover” vibe.

This capability hasn’t gone unnoticed - last year, LIV Golf Adelaide was awarded “World’s Best Golf Event” at the World Golf Awards for the third consecutive year, reinforcing the state’s position as a global leader in major sports event delivery.

Hosting AFL Gather round delivers a substantial economic ROI for SA

Last year, AFL Gather Round 2025 delivered a blockbuster boost to SA’s visitor economy, with record-breaking crowds, festival attendance, and the greatest ever number of rooms occupied and revenue generated for Adelaide hotels.

Key highlights:

  • $113+ million economic return for the SA economy

  • 269,506 fans attended the nine AFL football matches across the State

  • ~200,000 people flying in and out of Adelaide Airport (eclipsing previous record of 182,000 set during Gather Round 2023)

  • ~4,000 passengers transported to 45 local businesses, wineries, and townships across the region via the Bounce Around the Barossa hop-on hop-off bus service

  • 90,000+ people attended the Norwood Food and Wine Festival

  • Average occupancy of 93%, average rooms occupied of 10,587, and average revenue of $4.6 million each night (Thursday - Sunday)

Will Gather Round 2026 produce another year of economic ROI?

The non-economic impacts are equally profound

Gather Round draws extensive media coverage, enhancing the state’s image, positively shaping public perception. The mass media coverage that its major sports events portfolio attracts provides a platform to showcase to everyone what SA has to offer, and it’s helping shift Adelaide and SA’s perception from a smaller market to an international destination.

Sport = Political popularity

SA Premier Peter Malinauskas recently stormed to the biggest election victory in the state Labor Party’s history, and there’s no doubt, his ability to successfully secure, host and scale major sporting events (especially AFL Gather Round) has been one of the most politically valuable moves.

Negotiations for future hosting rights are taking place

AFL Gather Round was launched in SA in 2023, and this is the last year of the 3-year deal. The AFL and SA Government are currently negotiating its future, and it's being reported that Peter Malinauskas is looking to try and secure a 5-year deal.

Trump-style negotiating tactics have been adopted

At the Welcome dinner at Penfolds Magill Estate, Peter Malinauskas charismatically warned:

“To Craig (Drummond) and other members of the commission, I should let you know that I’m about to post to (Trump’s social media platform) Truth Social the following ... ‘so on the Gather Round extension you f***ing crazy bastards ... we’ll all be living in hell, just watch. Speak to the Jarmans, the Eberts ... thank you for your attention to this matter.

Andrew Dillon responded the next night:

“We were quite surprised at the condition in there was that he wanted to partner with us on the redevelopment of AFL House – to be renamed Malinauskas Towers,”

“And then things got really weird when he put on a baseball cap and said: ‘I made South Australia Great Again’.”

The SA Government is firmly committed to shaping the long-term future of Gather Round

It has a clear preference for a multi-year agreement, as a longer-term deal would unlock certainty for continued investment, enabling it to build on existing momentum.

SA has put itself in a strong position to maintain its hosting rights and fans don’t want it going anywhere. If the AFL shifted it to another state, they’d walk away from years of hard‑earned learnings and momentum that SA has already built.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[Premium brands are rewriting the rules of sports sponsorship]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/premium-brands-are-rewriting-thehttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/premium-brands-are-rewriting-theWed, 01 Apr 2026 21:00:50 GMT

Thank you to everyone who came along to last week’s Happy Hour Sports Industry Networking event – we hope you had as much as fun as we did?!

It was awesome to see another solid turnout from across Melbourne’s sports industry, all coming together for a relaxed and social afternoon at the Royal Saxon.

📸- click above image tile to view event photos

In partnership with MEE Agency, we’d like to send a BIG thank you to all those who joined us, along with our amazing event partners, who help make this event possible! 🙌

LION - For supplying us with a selection of drinks from Hahn SuperDry, Kirin Ichiban, Kirin Hyoketsu and to celebrate the Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach – Stone & Wood Pacific Ale.

Sport Design Australia - A top-tier sports creative agency built to fill the gaps of modern sporting teams. The crew are bringing Victory Lap to Brisbane this July. It's Australia's new Sports Marketing & Creative summit, bringing together marketers, creative and strategists from across the world of sport. Speakers already include Dan Gorringe, Jacob Gaynor from Tassie Devils, Abigail Field from LA Lakers, Kerry McKenzie from NZ Rugby plus many more. No safe panels, generic insights or suits & ties. Join an inspired community that shares in the creativity of sport.

Tradable Bits - a leading provider of cutting-edge fan engagement, data analytics, and marketing solutions to the global sports, music, and entertainment industries, working with APAC industry sports leaders as well as national or state governing bodies in football, basketball, netball, soccer, hockey and rugby. Tradable Bits currently improves data acquisition, data analysis and data activation for 20+ Leagues and more than 50 Men’s and Women’s professional sports teams across AFL, NRL, NBL and Netball leagues, using proprietary technology & AI to help improve marketing & membership, generate revenue and foster brand loyalty.

See you at the next one!

Cheers 🍻

For those who came along, we’d love to hear what you think!

Leave a comment

Rugby Australia and Harvey Norman joined forces with the shared aim to grow grassroots rugby across the country - as part of the deal, Harvey Norman became the new Naming rights partner of Rugby Australia’s Get into Rugby program and the pair is aiming to double the number of participants by 2029

Surfing Australia and Breaka Flavoured Milk extended their partnership for a further 2 years which will see the Queensland milk brand return as the presenting partner of the Australian Interschools Surf Championships

Hawthorn FC unveiled JAGGAD as its new AFLW apparel partner which will deliver the Club’s on-field apparel, as well as an extensive off-field range, including a unique JAGGAD x HFC lifestyle range available to members and fans

Port Adelaide FC announced that Health Partners became its Official Health Insurance Partner - the health insurer will feature prominently across the Club’s game day experience and digital platforms

Sydney Swans welcomed Dreame Technology as a Premier Partner - the global technology company will be visible at the SCG on game days

Richmond Football Club secured a partnership extension with Milwaukee Tool which will continue as Richmond’s Official Power Tool Partner and Official Trade & List Management Partner

GWS GIANTS welcomed Wyatts Lawyers as an Official Partner for the 2026 season

Gold Coast Titans announced a 3-year partnership with Total Tools Burleigh Waters, appointing the brand as the club’s Official Tool Retailer through to the 2028 season

Melbourne Mavericks secured HCF as their Official Health Insurance Partner for the next two seasons, marking a significant commercial addition for the club

North Queensland Toyota Cowboys announced a new partnership with Mother Energy for the 2026 and 2027 NRL seasons, which will bring an exciting new dimension to the Cowboys’ game day experience and digital platforms

Perth Bears inked a new 3-year deal with Xpress Freight Management - the nation-wide transport and logistics specialists will feature on the Perth Bears jersey

Cronulla Sharks unveiled Carpark King and Gold Management Building & Facilities as its NRLW back-of-shorts sponsors

Dolphins welcomed Kindred Property as the club’s Official Real Estate Partner

Hoops Capital (Sydney Kings and Flames) announced a partnership extension with RWS Global, the leader in live production across sport and entertainment, to further their game day experiences

Queensland Rugby Union and Gullivers extended their partnership, and will be working together to deliver a supporter tour to Italy in November to follow the Queensland Reds when they play an Italy XV and Benetton Rugby in Treviso

Tennis Victoria announced a new partnership with Aurora Spa & Bathhouse which became its new Official Wellbeing Partner

Venues NSW welcomed HomeWorld Group as an Official Partner of Accor Stadium and CommBank Stadium

Marvel Stadium launched ‘The Pulse by Coca-Cola’ - The high-energy, social-first party zone took place during the match between Collingwood and the GWS GIANTS with Melbourne DJ duo Orkestrated delivering high-energy sets at half-time and full-time

NBA and Basketball Magic, an Australian sports management company focused on grassroots basketball development, announced that the first NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifiers will be held in May, in Melbourne - more here

AFL announced that Laura Kane will lead the NAB AFLW competition under a strengthened structure as it approaches its eleventh season - Emma Moore will lead the Growth stream as General Manager of AFLW Growth, while Trish Squires will lead the Operations stream as Head of AFLW Operations

AFL unveiled that Kylie Minogue will headline the Telstra Pre-Game Entertainment at the 2026 Toyota AFL Grand Final, and confirmed the 2:30pm start time for both the 2026 and 2027 Grand Finals

Banter (specialist engagement marketing & brand experience agency) launched a new, bespoke ticketing and hospitality management platform called Bantix which has been designed specifically for how marketing teams run events, partnerships and campaigns

World Surf League, Ethan Ewing and Dane Henry connected with the Geelong Cats to promote the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach event

Fitstop (Functional fitness brand,) launched a new competitive fitness event called ‘Global Games’ which is set to take place across Singapore, Los Angeles, and Brisbane in 2026

Fifa says it has sold out of global sponsorship packages for the Fifa World Cup 2026 and that its set to deliver the highest partnership revenue ever for a standalone sports event

Guest Writer: Keeva Stratton

Today we’re welcoming Keeva Stratton, Founder & Director at Quip Brands, as this week’s guest writer!

Keeva is a strategist and consultant specialising in brand and cultural intelligence across sport and consumer sectors. Through her consultancy, Quip Brands, she works with brands and sports organisations to design partnerships that prioritise relevance, authenticity and long‑term value.

Profile image

Today Keeva outlines why premium brands are rewriting the rules of sports sponsorship and why the future belongs to sports partnerships that are expressive, human and values‑led.

Enjoy the read!

Premium brands are rewriting the rules of sports sponsorship

For the past few years an interesting pattern has emerged that is reshaping how brands engage new audiences. Having seemingly run out of traditional growth levers, sport has become their most powerful cultural shortcut, especially when engaging female and high net worth fans. But, as premium consumption softens in a post‑pandemic economy, sponsorship itself has had to evolve to ensure its resonance.

Today, it is no longer about logos, naming rights, or surface‑level exposure. Instead…

Premium brands are embedding themselves into the moments, emotions, and experiences fans care about most.

They’ve recognised the extraordinary cultural capital of sports fandom—and that luxury brands (especially in the fashion, beauty and lifestyle categories) and sport, both exert an intangible, deeply emotional pull that perfectly complements one another.

Related: Beauty’s growing presence in sports

Global economic markets have pivoted since COVID. Wellness, travel, unique experiences and premium products are now front and centre, fuelled by a collective desire to live more intentionally. Yet recent reporting on LVMH’s 2024–2025 financial performance suggests…

Many luxury houses are approaching a growth plateau

To maintain momentum, they’re moving beyond traditional fashion and retail lanes—diving into sport, wellness and experience‑driven sectors to stay culturally relevant and unlock new audiences.

For sports organisations, this shift represents both an opportunity and a responsibility.

Sport as the new playground for luxury

From American Express’s Glamour on the Grid at the recent Australian F1 Grand Prix, to 21 days of festival-like entertainment at this year’s Australian Open, or the increasing popularity of high-end sports designed for luxury audiences, such as SailGP, sport isn’t just benefitting from this shift—it’s being reshaped by it. Forget old‑school sponsorship models built on signage, endorsements or category ownership, premium brands are now building holistic attributes-based ecosystems within sport, embedding themselves into culture and empowering athletes as authentic ambassadors and amplifiers of brand values.

For some, this evolution has been met with concerns that influencer culture is taking over the true essence of the sport itself. But, the popularity of influencers offers a window into, and reflection of, the needs and desires of various sub cultures within society. They are, after all, only influential because they set an aspiration many seek.

This evolution matters because sport partnerships have always carried risk, that of fans fiercely protecting their sporting experience. Brands are welcomed when they enable (for example, supporting grassroots or feeder leagues) or enhance the experience (food, beverage, sun protection or wellbeing moments), but when they overreach, they’re quickly rejected.

What we are seeing currently is that the most successful premium partnerships understand this balance, and are able to curate enriching moments that serve to make sporting experiences more versatile and engaging in different ways. They know their audience, and they are creating moments inside sports that speak deeply to their needs.

How LVMH reimagined sports sponsorship

The Paris Olympic Games marked a defining moment for this new model. LVMH didn’t simply sponsor the event—it curated an immersive brand world around it. As observed by cultural commentators including featured prominently in medal ceremonies, Team France wore Berluti, Chaumet crafted the medals themselves, and Dior dressed global performers at the opening ceremony.

This wasn’t sponsorship in the traditional sense, it was the Olympics viewed through an LVMH lens

With a reported investment of approximately USD $160 million, as detailed by CNBC, LVMH demonstrated that luxury brands are betting heavily on sport fandom and global cultural exposure as their next growth engine.

Crucially, each brand played to its heritage

Vuitton encasing trophies, Chaumet marking life’s pinnacle moments, Berluti defining national style.

It’s a trend that is accelerating.

And, the LVMH group is far from the only luxury group recognising sport’s pull

Since testing the waters with its popular collaboration with Adidas in 2022, Gucci has partnered with sports stars, including tennis player Aryna Sablenka, who came second at this year’s Australian Open, along with last year’s winner Jannik Sinner, who carries this prestige—quite literally—in the form of a Gucci duffle bag.

Gucci has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to cultural capital, with fans of the brand understanding its ability to intersect beautifully with key cultural moments and figures. Sinner’s ‘Gucci is a Feeling’ campaign adds to a rich heritage of exceptional cultural collaborations (both paid and inspired), from Jackie Kennedy Onassis (whose name is the reference for the Jackie bag), to Grace Kelly wearing their scarves and even Liz Taylor making hobo chic. That a sports figure should find himself in this legacy would have, not long ago, been thought impossible.

But, with even the AFL now featuring in fashion and the players themselves now taking the runway, it’s a clear signal that these worlds aren’t just colliding—they’re redefining each other’s currency.

Image: AFL.com.au

Luxury, wellness and the evolving sports audience

Premium brands have also recognised a convergence: high‑net‑worth consumers, premium experiences, wellness and performance culture increasingly overlap. Wellness today extends beyond fitness—it encompasses longevity, travel, recovery and high‑performance living, aligning naturally with sport‑minded, affluent audiences.

This convergence is particularly powerful (yet largely untapped) in women’s sport

When Caitlin Clark wore Prada to the WNBA Draft, it dismantled the outdated idea that sport and fashion cannot coexist for female athletes. Both industries have fought for cultural legitimacy, and their intersection is finally being recognised.

As women’s sport continues to rise, many traditionally feminine categories remain underrepresented in sponsorship

But that’s changing rapidly, including notable examples like MECCA’s partnership with the Australian Open, Sephora being named the Foundation Partner of the WNBL, and the “Official Partner” and “Official Beauty Retail Partner” of F1 Academy. This closing gap represents one of the most underutilised opportunities in the Australian sports landscape, and the brands that leap early will surely win over time.

You don’t need to be a premium brand to compete

In fact, in Australia, positioning too exclusively can be a disadvantage.

It’s a myth that only premium brands can succeed in this evolving sponsorship landscape. The real advantage lies in cultural insight—identifying moments, values and behaviours that genuinely align with your audience. Premium status has cachet, but so do authenticity, relevance and trust.

Nike demonstrated this at the Australian Open when Naomi Osaka’s centre‑court entrance became a global fashion moment. Nike didn’t over‑engineer the activation; it allowed Osaka’s powerful, independent personal brand to speak for itself. This is modern brand alignment in action. And to extend the moment, in January Vogue featured the story behind the look, giving fashion-lovers and sports fans a deeper insight into its design story. This confluence of brand, sports star, and traditional fashion press marks a powerful shift towards intersectional strategies.

It’s even shaping products. If premium brands are writing the new rules on sports sponsorship, I’ve little doubt they studied one of the masters of brand productisation—Kim Kardashian. I do an annual lecture on how the Kardashians unlocked traditional media as the mechanism by which to launch their largely digital and social empire, and the new Nike Skims Collection is yet another lesson in a master class of reading the zeitgeist and productising, collaborating and dominating it.

Above: NikeSKIMS launches in Australia with an activation in Sydney Harbour

Attaching to an accessible brand like Nike is a smart way to capture mass appeal. Australian leagues and clubs should take note. Our sporting culture purports to be deeply inclusive, spanning class, gender and background. Partnerships that skew too heavily toward exclusivity risk alienating core fans—and undermining the very emotional equity sponsorship seeks to leverage.

Lessons for local brands and leagues

For Australian brands and rights‑holders, the lesson is clear: success in sponsorship today isn’t about budget size, it’s about cultural intelligence. Women’s sport remains the most overlooked opportunity, offering an abundance of cultural capital that our old system measures are ill equipped to capture.

Sports fandom is emotional and deeply sociocultural. Brands are either embraced as genuine supporters or dismissed as outsiders. The deciding factor is authentic alignment between brand values, athlete expression and fan experience. Essentially, make a great thing better, and it’s a win, win.

Consumer brands now operate in an emotive space shaped by aspiration, visibility and influence. Live sport is responding through premium experiences—from spritz gardens (such as the Aperol Terazza at the AO) to pop‑ups (like the Red Bull Fan Zone at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix) and hospitality zones (such as The Victorian Racing Carnival’s ever evolving offering at The Birdcage)—but these must complement and enhance, not compete with, the core fan experience.

The most effective partnerships build ecosystems rather than campaigns. They give athletes room to be genuine co‑creators, not billboards. When brands relinquish some control, cultural impact follows.

What Australian sports brands can learn next

Australian sport must move beyond tired category ownerships like “the proud insurer of [club name]”.

The future belongs to partnerships that are expressive, human and values‑led

The gap between sport and fashion has closed. From Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open appearances to NBA tunnel walks, athletes are now cultural platforms in their own right. Yet Australian leagues remain relatively conservative, prioritising risk management over expression.

As social media elevates athletes into influential storytellers, fans increasingly crave authenticity. Finding the balance between sensible governance and creative freedom will define the next era of Australian sports partnerships.

Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan, for example, has pushed for more casual game‑day attire. For clubs, this requires relinquishing some image control; for brands, it opens new avenues for relevance. If compromise can be found, Australia’s per‑capita sponsorship potential is unmatched.

Clubs are starting to respond - last weekend, Melbourne Demons players ditched their uniform’s for some more stylish looks.

A new sponsorship era

Australia is already health‑conscious, sport‑obsessed and culturally engaged. LVMH’s Olympic strategy offers a blueprint—not to copy luxury, but to apply the same discipline: authenticity, brand essence and values alignment, and cultural fluency.

For Australian sport, the opportunity is abundantly clear. Those bold enough to prioritise culture over control—who can think deeply about how different elements of their own brand’s story could be enhanced and told through partnerships, and who are willing to leverage athlete personalities rather than restrict them—will define what sponsorship becomes next.

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

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]]><![CDATA[A new major grassroots & talent pathway partnership opportunity has emerged in Australia]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/a-new-major-grassroots-and-talenthttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/a-new-major-grassroots-and-talentTue, 31 Mar 2026 21:01:21 GMTToday’s newsletter is presented by the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifiers

A new opportunity for brands to back elite youth basketball talent and connect with Australia’s pathway to the NBA

The NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifier will bring together Australia’s top high school basketball talent at the State Basketball Centre in Melbourne from 8–10 May 2026, with 16 elite boys’ and girls’ teams competing for a place at the NBA Rising Stars Invitational in Singapore.

Brought to you by NBA Basketball School Australia and promoted by Basketball Magic Pty Ltd, the event marks a major step forward for elite and grassroots youth basketball in Australia. With broadcast and live streaming, NBA digital amplification, and direct connection to a basketball ecosystem spanning players, families, schools and a wider community of more than 1.3 million registered participants nationally, the event offers brands a rare opportunity to align with one of sport’s most powerful cultural platforms.

A limited number of partnership opportunities are now available across various sponsorship tiers.

Register your interest now to learn more

A new major grassroots partnership opportunity has emerged in Australia

Sport has become one of the most powerful platforms in modern marketing, not just because of its scale, but because of its ability to connect.

Many of Australia’s biggest companies have grassroots-themed sports partnerships

From junior participation programs and community club initiatives to full talent-pathway sponsorships, brands such as Telstra, Woolworths, Coles, NAB, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, Bunnings, McDonald’s and Toyota are all investing heavily in the grassroots level of sport.

Why? Because grassroots sport offers something few channels can: direct, sustained access to families, young participants, volunteers and local communities. It’s not just reach, it’s proximity and credibility. Brands aren’t just seen, they’re experienced.

That’s what makes grassroots sports such a powerful lever for brand and reputation building. It enables organisations to demonstrate genuine, tangible support at a community level, something that resonates far more deeply than traditional advertising.

Related: Why brands invest in sports from grassroots to the elite level

A new major new grassroots & talent pathway sports partnership opportunity has emerged in Australia

As the world’s sports marketplace becomes more fragmented, globalised and competitive, disruption of the traditional sports landscape is taking place.

Australian sports organisations such as the Australian Open and the NRL are exporting themselves, and America’s biggest leagues such as the NHL and NFL are planting flags here.

Related: How international forces are shaping sport in Australia

The common theme among the above sports expansion plans? Grassroots engagement and talent development pathways have underpinned their international growth strategies.

Introducing the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifiers

As part of this new trend, a new major opportunity for brands to connect with grassroots basketball and elite talent pathways simultaneously is the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australia Qualifiers – a high-school basketball tournament that will determine the boys’ and girls’ teams that will represent Australia in the second annual NBA Rising Stars Invitational in Singapore this June – connected to the NBA Basketball School network.

The event is quickly positioning itself as a major youth development platform in the region, bringing together top boys’ and girls’ teams from across the Asia-Pacific.

For Australian brands, it represents a rare opportunity to align with the NBA at the grassroots level while engaging the next generation of basketball talent, fans and families.

Why does the NBA Rising Stars Invitational present as a unique and attractive property for brands?

1. Basketball is experiencing unprecedented growth in Australia

Key stakeholders across the sport, including the NBA, NBL, WNBL, national and state bodies, and community leagues, are all playing key roles in driving this momentum.

AusPlay, an annual national survey conducted by the Australian Sports Commission shows that:

  • 1.3+ million Australians are actively playing basketball

  • Basketball is the 2nd most popular team sport in Australia, and the most popular team sport (alongside soccer) for 15 to 24-year-olds

  • The Hungry Jack’s NBL26 regular season delivered record results across attendance, broadcast and digital - more here

2. NBA brand power

The NBA’s boasts a robust portfolio of digital assets including NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass - and has cultivated one of the largest social media communities in the world, with more than 2.5 billion likes and followers globally across all leagues, team and player platforms

As one of the biggest League’s in the world, it boasts:

  • 2.5+ billion social media followers global

  • 214 countries and territories reached

  • 1.5+ billion video views annually on NBA digital

  • 440+ million fans across Asia-Pacific

The NBA’s partnership proposition for brands:

Brand Association: It’s one of the world’s most culturally influential sports leagues

Cultural Currency: NBA transcends sport into music, fashion, lifestyle, and entertainment

Asia-Pacific Gateway: The NBA Rising Stars Invitational connects Australian brands to the NBA’s fastest-growing region

Content Engine: Access NBA’s world-class storytelling and content production

3. NBA strength in Australia

Australia is one of the NBA’s most passionate markets, with strong engagement across key areas.

Australian NBA Talent: Australia is the third most-represented country outside the U.S. with a record-tying 13 players from Australia on opening-night rosters for the 2025-26 NBA season.

NBA League Pass: Outside of the US, Australia is the NBA’s largest market for subscribers on NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service.

Merchandise: Australians are among the world’s biggest buyers of official NBA merchandise, turning apparel into a walking advertisement for the league.

Related: NBA apparel doubles as advertising in Australia

The NBA is experiencing unprecedented momentum in Australia as it continues to build its presence in this market. Last October, the New Orleans Pelicans played two preseason games against NBL teams in Melbourne, which marked the first NBA games in Australia.

It has also just announced that NBA House, one of the league’s signature fan events, will debut in Australia at The Timber Yard in Melbourne from Thursday, 14 May to Sunday, 17 May. This immersive basketball experience will feature more than 6,000 square metres of interactive basketball and pop culture experiences for fans of all ages.

4. Youth Participation – sport is more important than ever

For youth participants, the benefits of playing sport are significant.

Sport helps build physical health, confidence, friendships and life skills. It creates social connections, supports mental wellbeing and strengthens community identity.

In an increasingly digital and disconnected world, grassroots sport remains one of the few places where communities regularly come together.

Grassroots sport remains one of the most powerful platforms in sponsorship

The continued investment from brands across participation programs, community initiatives and elite talent pathways highlights just how valuable grassroots sport remains in Australia.

For companies, it provides something increasingly difficult to achieve through traditional marketing channels - genuine community connection.

Want to know more about the NBA Rising Stars Invitational Australian Qualifiers?

A limited number of partnership opportunities are now available across various sponsorship tiers.

Register your interest now to learn more

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

Subscribe now

]]><![CDATA[Why brands invest in sports from grassroots to the elite level]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/why-brands-invest-in-sports-fromhttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/why-brands-invest-in-sports-fromWed, 25 Mar 2026 21:00:08 GMTLast chance to purchase your tickets!

We have some exciting news!

We’d like to welcome TWO new event partners:

Lion - We’re excited to welcome Hahn. As part of the partnership, Lion will be shouting a selection of drinks including Hahn SuperDry, Kirin Ichiban, Kirin Hyoketsu and to celebrate the upcoming Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach – Stone & Wood Pacific Ale. If you’re coming along, it definitely pays to get there early. Good people, great conversations, and now… a very solid drinks lineup!

Tradable Bits - a leading provider of cutting-edge fan engagement, data analytics, and marketing solutions to the global sports, music, and entertainment industries, working with APAC industry sports leaders as well as national or state governing bodies in football, basketball, netball, soccer, hockey and rugby. Tradable Bits currently improves data acquisition, data analysis and data activation for 20+ Leagues and more than 50 Men’s and Women’s professional sports teams across AFL, NRL, NBL and Netball leagues, using proprietary technology & AI to help improve marketing & membership, generate revenue and foster brand loyalty.

Have you purchased your tickets yet?

Event details:

A big thank you also to our existing partners who are helping to make this event possible:

Sport Design Australia - A top-tier sports creative agency built to fill the gaps of modern sporting teams. They’re experts in brand, design, content and creative support for sport, trusted by top local & global sports organisations such as the NFL, Paramount+, Cricket Victoria, NZ Rugby and more. They focus on work that builds brand, engages fans and increases revenue, with a keen eye for top quality work. Check out their Instagram here. Looking for creative support? Reach out to Ryan.

Royal Saxon Hotel - Our venue partner and the perfect setting for a fun afternoon with the sports industry.

We’re looking forward to connecting with everyone coming along – here’s a sample of who’s coming so far:

MKTG Sports & Entertainment, Rinnai Australia, Visit Victoria, MEE Agency, Freelance, Bursty , North Melbourne FC, Australian Football League, Lion, Twenty First Group, Cricket Australia, Entry Place, Studio Messa, FT Events, Two Circles, Wicket, Australian Sports Foundation, Medibank, Westpac, Sport Design Australia, Vic Health, Australian Sports Technology Network, lululemon, Tennis Australia, Deakin University, Essendon FC, Newscorp, Australian Cricket Association, Richmond FC, National Basketball League, EDFL, FAANZO, Gemba, Golf Australia, TGI Sport/Wildcard, Melbourne City FC, PLYMKR, Melbourne Park, KOJO, iReel, SportsGrad ...and we’re expecting MANY more!

Come help make this our biggest event yet!

Cheers 🍻 🥂

🤝 Happy Hour is delivered in partnership with MEE Agency.

Australian Commonwealth Games Team welcomed AAMI as a Proud Partner ahead of Glasgow 2026 - the national insurer will leverage its partnership using their award-winning Athletes in the Making campaign, where small mishaps at home have no impact on young people chasing their dreams of representing Australia

Surfing Australia and Ford Australia entered into a new partnership which will see the automotive brand support Surfing Australia’s entire national events calendar - Ford Australia also became the Official Major Partner of the Surfing Australia High Performance Centre

Sydney Swans announced a 3-year partnership with V Energy - the partnership will centre around the brand’s Activate brand platform, featuring across Sydney’s content, social channels, and match day activations

West Coast Eagles welcomed WA‑based organisation Grounded Construction Group as an Official Partner of the Club’s AFL and AFLW programs

North Melbourne FC inked a new deal with Red Hill Estate which will see the acclaimed Mornington Peninsula winery’s wines served across the Club’s major AFL and AFLW events

Adelaide Crows secured a 2-year partnership extension with Health Partners, the largest South Australian-based not-for-profit health fund - Max Michalanney has been appointed player ambassador

WA Football unveiled ATCO as the Naming Rights partner of the Western Australian Football League Women’s (WAFLW) competition ahead of the new season this month - The partnership represents one of the most significant commercial agreements in the history of women’s State League football in WA

nib Newcastle Knights announced a landmark new partnership with leading fashion and lifestyle platform THE ICONIC, ahead of the 2026 NRLW season - The partnership will see THE ICONIC feature on the team’s playing kit, while also designing the squad’s off-field uniforms - more here

logo, company name

Sydney Roosters and Coinstash extended their partnership for the 2026 NRL season - The Cryptocurrency brand will once again carry prominent brand exposure across the Club's official NRL Media Polo,with the Coinstash logo featured on both sleeves

Sydney Roosters secured a partnership with SBS Fence & Toilet Hire, marking a 9th consecutive year of collaboration

Melbourne Mavericks welcomed High Sierra as a partner, which will support Mavs athletes and travelling staff with dependable, high‑performance bags and accessories for training, match days and interstate travel

World Surf League and Boost Mobile renewed their partnership for 2026, which will see the telecommunications brand integrated across all four major WSL events in the country, including CT stops in VIC, WA, and QLD, as well as the Challenger Series event in Newcastle, NSW

Melbourne Vixens and Australia’s largest not for profit health fund HCF extended their Premier Partnership for 3-years which will see the organisations work together to strengthen the wellbeing of Victorian netballers across all levels of the game

Netball World Cup Sydney 2027 appointed Sports Event Merchandising (SEM) as its Official Licensing Partner which will see SEM design and develop the Official NWC2027 merchandise range

Champion Data announced its partnering with Supercars to deliver a fully integrated broadcast graphics package across the Supercars Championship, bringing data-driven storytelling to full throttle in 2026

AFL launched ‘Next Door hosted by Hard Rated’ - a live site located next door to the Adelaide Oval during Gather Round, offering a mix of live entertainment, footy on the big screen and music across the week, including ARIA Award-winning DMA’S as the headline entertainment

AFL also launched ‘Run 4 Your Club’ alongside Dylan Buckley - a mass participation running and walking event that will see supporters from every AFL club compete for off-field bragging rights in a 4km kilometres club-versus-club battle during the 2026 Gather Round

Australian Steelers secured a new partnership with Australian hydration soda startup Posca Hydrate - this is the first partnership its secured since running its cut-through ‘Officially Unsponsored’ campaign

Australian Athletics and Little Athletics Australia signed final contracts to complete the process of national unification

lululemon unveiled its 2026 Run collection, fronted globally by Australian athlete and model Montana Farrah Seaton

Nike launched its first-ever country-led TikTok channel ‘@nikeaustralia’ - the country-led move is a global first for the brand

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ final between Australia and Japan was witnessed by 74,397 fans at Stadium Australia, the highest ever turnout for the tournament - total tournament attendance hit a record breaking 350,046

Football Australia, alongside Football NSW and Northern NSW Football called for a $343m long-term infrastructure investment to support the continued growth of women’s football in NSW, following the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026

NRL opened Expressions of Interest for its 2026 Magic Round tech showcase - an initiative that it hosts in partnership with Advance Queensland

FIFA announced a partnership with YouTube ahead of the 2026 World Cup to change how the tournament reaches a digital-first audience - rights-holding broadcasters will be able to stream game action live on the video platform

Why brands invest in sports from grassroots to the elite level

Many of Australia’s biggest companies have grassroots-themed sports partnerships

From junior participation programs and community club initiatives to full talent-pathway sponsorships, brands are investing heavily in the grassroots level of sport.

Why? Because grassroots sport remains one of the most powerful connection points between brands and consumers. It offers direct access to families, young participants, fans and volunteers while also allowing companies to demonstrate tangible support for local communities.

Across Australia, thousands of brands are involved in community sport in some form, whether through participation programs, local club sponsorships or broader community initiatives.

At the national level, some of the country’s biggest company’s have built major brand platforms around sports participation and talent development.

High-profile sports participation program partnerships

Many of Australia’s biggest brands have high-profile Naming Rights Partnerships with junior participation programs.

Examples include:

  • NAB AFL Auskick

  • Coles MiniRoos (Football Australia)

  • Coles Little Athletics Australia

  • Coles Healthy Kicks (AFL)

  • Woolworths NetSetGo (Netball Australia)

  • Ford Aussie Hoops (Basketball Australia)

Other notable grassroots-themed sponsorships include:

  • Medibank presents parkrun

  • DoorDash NRL Touch Football

These programs reach hundreds of thousands of participants every year and provide brands with meaningful touchpoints at the earliest stages of the sporting journey.

One of the most enduring examples is NAB AFL Auskick, which recently launched its 2026 season with NAB celebrating 20 years as naming rights partner of Australia’s largest and most recognised junior participation program.

20 years of partnership with NAB AFL Auskick

The longevity of partnerships like this demonstrates how participation programs can deliver both community impact and long-term brand value.

Sponsorship across the entire talent pathway

While junior participation programs are important entry points, many of sports’ largest partnerships now extend across the entire athlete development pathway, from grassroots to elite competition.

These integrated partnerships allow brands to support athletes from their first experience in sport through to the professional stage.

For example:

  • In 2022, NAB renewed its contract as the Naming Rights Partner of the NAB AFL Women’s competition and NAB AFL Auskick, along with its major partnership with AFL Men’s as part of a 6-year deal

  • In 2025, Commonwealth Bank became the largest supporter of soccer in Australia’s history thanks to a new 6-year deal with Football Australia, which is seeing the bank sponsoring the game at all levels and abilities

  • In 2025, Westpac signed a major deal with Cricket Australia that includes support for local clubs and communities, support for women, support for inclusion cricket teams and tournaments, support for First Nations Talent. It also has made a significant investment into participation and development pathways (especially women’s) via its partnerships with the NRL, NRLW, NSW Rugby League and QLD Rugby

  • Ford’s partnership with Basketball Australia includes support across all under-age national championship events and ensuring coverage across the entire development pathway, in addition to Australia’s elite Olympic and Paralympic teams

  • Foot Locker has key basketball partnerships across all levels of basketball – from local courts to the national stage. These include, Australian Boomers, NBL, WNBL & NBL1, Summer Jam, Australian Junior Championships, Schools Championships, U18s Club Championships

Related: Foot Locker has been getting active in Australia and basketball has been part of the plan

New grassroots-themed partnership continue to emerge

So far in 2026:

Football Australia announced a multi-year partnership with Isuzu UTE Australia, encompassing the entire national team pathway, including the CommBank Socceroos, CommBank Matildas, the men’s and women’s youth squads (U17s, U20s and U23s) as well as the CommBank Pararoos and CommBank ParaMatildas

Netball Victoria just welcomed Roll’d as a new partner in a 3-year agreement that will see the Australian fast, fresh Vietnamese food brand come on board as an Official Partner of the State Titles, Association Championships and School Championships

Queensland Rugby Union announced a new 3-year partnership with wealth management firm Morgans, aimed at supporting the state’s rugby pathways

Melbourne Victory welcomed back Zaparas Lawyers which rejoined the Club - the Associate Partnership will have a particular focus on Melbourne Victory’s Academy

AirTouch entered into a new partnership with the Western Sydney Wanderers FC Girls Academy

Credit Union SA extended its partnership with Port Adelaide across the club’s AFL and AFLW programs - it will also continue its support of the club’s not-for-profit arm, Power Community Limited, and continue as the naming-rights partner of the club’s Community Footy Raffle

McDonald’s became an Official Partner of Netball Queensland and the Queensland Firebirds as part of a multi-year deal which will have a strong community focus on delivering great experiences from the grassroots to the elite stage

The list goes on…

While some brands focus on sponsorship of participation programs, others activate their partnerships through community campaigns and initiatives

These initiatives often celebrate volunteers, support local clubs, or provide direct funding to grassroots organisations.

Some recent & notable examples include:

Budget Direct just launched the ‘Footy Charity Championship’ competition that leverages its sponsorships of the Dolphins, Melbourne Storm and South Sydney Rabbitohs - The initiative will see Budget Direct inject a total of $205,000 into vital community charities

Dulux just renewed its partnership with North Melbourne FC which will see it work with the community arm (The Huddle), and deliver support initiatives such as ‘Colour Your Club’, which helps refresh and reinvigorate local football and netball clubs

Vegemite recently unveiled a new partnership with Australian sprint sensation, Gout Gout- the announcement took place in Gout’s hometown community of Ipswich, and on the same oval where he first ran

Bunnings leverages its AFL partnership through its ‘Legend of the Tongs’ initiative - a nationwide search to find, recognise, and reward the local community legends who fire up the BBQ every weekend, serving up snags in bread to raise much-needed funds for their clubs

Toyota has helped clubs raise over $6 million since 2008 through its Good for Footy program - Over 500 local clubs from every state and territory have benefitted

Telstra supports local AFL footy clubs nationally. Launched in 2024 with an $8 million investment over 4 years, Telstra Footy Grants gives junior and senior AFL clubs the opportunity to apply for funding of up to $20,000 for direct support where they need it most. It also has partnerships with the NRL and NRLW, which champions rugby league from grassroots to the elite game.

Etc.

The top brands powering community sport in Australia are…

  1. RSL

  2. Ray White

  3. McDonald’s

  4. Mortgage Choice

  5. Toyota

  6. Bendigo Bank

Related: The top brands powering community sport in Australia

Why brands sponsor grassroots sport

There are several strategic reasons why companies invest in grassroots sport.

For brands:

Transfer of brand value: Aligning with a major sports team, league or athlete, or a sport that people play and are passionate about can create a transfer of brand equity.

Reputation: Many companies position themselves as community supporters as part of their marketing communications and external affairs to help build and reinforce a positive reputation, and drive brand preference and consideration.

Positioning: Sports sponsorships can help position a brand in a particular way within the minds of consumers e.g. NIB x Newcastle Knights partnership reinforces NIB as a Newcastle centric brand

Direct consumer engagement: Grassroots sport provides direct access to participants, families and volunteers, offering opportunities for product sampling & sales, activations and the delivery of brand messaging.

ESG: Many of Australia’s biggest brands position sports partnerships as “supporting the community” on their websites

Long-term brand advocacy: Engaging participants early can create lifelong brand associations

New grassroots properties are emerging

As the global sports marketplace becomes more fragmented, globalised and competitive, disruption of the traditional sports landscape is taking place.

Related: Sports landscape is shifting

Australian sports are exporting themselves:

  • The Australian Open is building its global brand

  • The NRL has global plans

America’s biggest leagues such as the NHL and NFL are planting flags here.

The common theme among the above sports expansion plans? Grassroots engagement and talent development pathways have underpinned their international growth strategies.

A new major new grassroots & talent pathway partnership opportunity is set to emerge in Australia

Stay tuned…

Not a subscriber yet? Discover specialised sports marketing insights, tailored for sports industry professionals within Australia and across the globe. If you work in sports for an agency, brand or rights-holder then this is for you.

Subscribe now

]]><![CDATA[Why sport has an analogue advantage over artificial intelligence]]>https://www.noticesports.com.au/p/why-sport-has-an-analogue-advantagehttps://www.noticesports.com.au/p/why-sport-has-an-analogue-advantageWed, 18 Mar 2026 21:01:55 GMT1 week to go - Happy Hour Sports Industry Networking event!

We’re one week away from our first Happy Hour Sports Industry Networking event for 2026 in Melbourne, in partnership with MEE Agency, and it’s shaping up to be another BIG one! Don’s miss out!

What to expect

An afternoon/evening of post-work casual drinks in a fun, informal and welcoming setting.

Who should come?

If you work in or around sport, you’ll fit right in!

The invite is open to those from agencies, rights-holders, brands, athletes, media, suppliers, recruitment, government, startups, education, or anyone else that has a passion for the industry and would like to connect.

For information on past events and who attends, visit here

Why come along?

Because the industry runs on relationships, and this is the easiest, most relaxed way to build them. No panels, no formalities. Just good people, and good conversations.

Have you purchased your tickets yet?

Event details:

  • Date: Thursday 26 March

  • Time: 3:00pm - 6.30pm

  • Venue: Royal Saxon, Richmond

  • Tickets: $27

Purchase tickets here

Thanks to our amazing event partners 🤝

Sport Design Australia - A top-tier sports creative agency built to fill the gaps of modern sporting teams. They’re experts in brand, design, content and creative support for sport, trusted by top local & global sports organisations such as the NFL, Paramount+, Cricket Victoria, NZ Rugby and more. They focus on work that builds brand, engages fans and increases revenue, with a keen eye for top quality work. Check out their Instagram here. Looking for creative support? Reach out to Ryan.

Royal Saxon Hotel - Our venue partner and the perfect setting for a fun afternoon with the sports industry.

See you there?! 🍻 🥂

AFL unveiled a landmark 5-year partnership with EnergyAustralia, with the leading energy retailer joining as the Official Energy Partner of the AFL, AFLW and Marvel Stadium

AFL announced cyber security organisation CyberCX will become the Official Cyber Security Partner of the AFL and AFLW - as part of the deal, it will also become Naming Partner of the AFL Review Centre (ARC) for the next 2 years

AFL entered into a new 5-year licensing agreement with Gello Beans and Gello Snakes - the confectionery brand will feature the AFL logo on their packaging and AFL-licensed Gello products will be distributed through Chemist Warehouse and other prominent pharmacies, such as Amcal and Discount Drug Stores

Sydney Swans secured a new 3-year partnership with Virgin Australia - The partnership will tap into AFL fan travel, with more than half a million supporters travelling to watch their teams in 2025, and double-digit growth expected in the coming years

Sydney Swans and realestate.com.au extended their partnership until at least the end of the 2029 AFL and AFLW seasons - The new agreement will see realestate.com.au retain prime real estate on the back of the Swans guernsey and it’s branding across LED signage at the SCG

Adelaide Crows welcomed V Energy as the Club’s Official Energy Drink Partner for the next 3 years - members and fans will see V Energy feature across the Club’s digital channels, activations and at home games

Brisbane Lions inked a new deal with Keri Juice which will be visible on the Club’s game day and training shorts this season - Keri Juice products will also be stocked around the Gabba and at Brighton Homes Arena for AFLW fixtures

Essendon FC announced a new partnership with MOVA which joined the Club as its Official Home Cleaning Appliance, Outdoor Lawnmowing and Personal Care Products Partner for 2026

Essendon FC welcomed Ring as its Official Home Security Partner in 2026

North Melbourne FC announced a new partnership with Latrobe Health Services which became an Official Partner of The Huddle and the Official Health Insurance Partner of the Club

Port Adelaide FC welcomed Mayfield Childcare as a Principal Partner across its AFL and AFLW programs, which secured the Naming Rights to the popular ‘Kids Zone’ on game day

Helloworld Travel signed a 5-year agreement to become the Naming Rights Partner for Penrith’s new 25,000-seat venue currently under construction in western Sydney

Artists impression of Helloworld Stadium. Image: Supplied

Venues NSW inked a new 3-year deal with Totality (formerly known as Saxo Australia) which became the Official Online Trading Partner of Allianz Stadium - the move forms part of a move to kick-start the multi-asset investment broker’s launch in the Australian market

Netball Australia and Suncorp Super Netball League renewed their partnership with not-for-profit health fund HCF through to the end of 2027

Gold Coast Titans announced the 2nd year of its partnership with the Aged & Disability Expo Australia which will see Titans players attend the event in May, giving attendees the chance to meet players in person

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and ShoeGrab extended their partnership for the 2026 NRL season (for a sixth season)

Penrith Panthers and Zenn Ability renewed their partnership for the 2026 season (entering the fourth year of the relationship)

Sydney FC announced a new partnership with Sports Direct which will see the leading global retailer engage directly with Sydney FC’s passionate fanbase through a range of in-stadium, digital and experience based activations

Basketball Australia unveiled Gold Coast founded company Dritimes as a partner of Australia’s national teams - Boomers and Opals

Basketball Queensland confirmed the extension of its partnership with CarCoop which is continuing as the Official Naming Rights Partner of the Queensland State League and Queensland State League Youth competitions through to 2028

Sydney Kings teamed up with Snap Fitness for the Hungry Jacks NBL Finals Series, giving the Australian fitness provider a strong feature at Sydney Kings home games, across LED and court signage, plus ownership of the 3-point moments in-game

Brisbane Bullets announced that WNBA global basketball icon and entrepreneur Angel Reese has invested in Brisbane’s effort to bring a WNBL franchise to the city by joining the bid for the league’s 10th license - the news follows Reese’s recent visit to Australia with Reebok to unveil her signature shoe and announce the brand’s Official Footwear Partnership with the WNBL for the 2027 season

After more than 40 years in Moorabbin, PUMA Oceania moved its headquarters to Cremorne – right in the heart of Melbourne’s sporting precinct

Sports Direct Australia opened a brand new store in Sydney Chatswood Chase, this follows the leading global retailer’s first store opening in Melbourne late last year

Stan Sport welcomed Arsenal legend Theo Walcott to Australia who joined The Premier League Trophy Tour which is undertaking a 10-day tour across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane - The launch was marked by an official press conference at Sydney’s Toronga Zoo

GWS GIANTS CEO, Dave Matthews reconfirmed the club’s interest in hosting a match for premiership points in the United States on SEN’s ‘Crunch Time’

VFL secured new broadcast deals, which will see at least 53 Smithy’s VFL matches broadcast across Kayo Sports, ABC, Seven Network and SEN throughout the 2026 season

World Surf League and Rip Curl pro teamed up with ‘Schoonerscorer’ to promote the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach 2026

Hawthorn FC players Will Day, James Sicily, Emily Bates and Eliza West were among those to greet Queen Mary and King Frederik of Denmark on their royal visit to the MCG

Nike announced the return of its ‘After Dark Tour’ which is returning in 2026 to Sydney - the global tour ‘built for Women, Powered by Nike’ is see a series of unforgettable nighttime running experiences which take place across 7 x major cities: Shanghai, Sydney, Mexico City, London, Los Angeles, Manila, and Mumbai

Nike Melbourne Marathon Festival announced that Eliud Kipchoge is coming to Melbourne to race alongside tens of thousands of runners in October

Seattle Seahawks announced the ‘Seahawks Australia Tour, presented by The Pass’ - an event on the Gold Coast giving fans an opportunity to see the Lombardi Trophy

NBA announced that NBA House, an immersive basketball experience and fan event, will debut in Australia at The Timber Yard in Melbourne this May - Operated by Seeker Agency, it will feature 6,000+ square meters of interactive basketball and pop culture experiences for fans of all ages

McLaren, known for its Formula 1 and supercar engineering, announced it’s launching a new venture called McLaren Golf, a standalone golf equipment business which aims to leverage its elite motorsport and supercar engineering to deliver a new benchmark for golf equipment

Guest Writer: Tom Meredith

Today we’re welcoming Tom Meredith, Director & Principal Consultant at PLYMKR, as this week’s guest writer!

Tom is a freelance sport marketing and fandom consultant who supports agencies, brands and governing bodies in unlocking growth by connecting with fans in more meaningful and memorable ways.

Guided by a deep passion for sport, and his beloved Swansea City Football Club, Tom has carved a 15-year career in the sport marketing industry, at agencies in London and Melbourne - IMG, Synergy Sponsorship, Bastion Collective, TLA Worldwide and TGI Sport Wildcard.

Today he explores why sport holds a powerful ‘analogue advantage’ in an increasingly AI-generated world.

Enjoy the read!

Why sport has an analogue advantage over artificial intelligence

Right now, if we’re honest, we’re all a bit…uneasy. Aren’t we?

It feels like the marketing industry has been handed a magic wand. Type a sentence into a box and an image appears. Ask a question and a strategy forms. Feed in a prompt and an entire creative ecosystem is conjured seemingly out of thin air.

For anyone, like me, who has spent a career wrestling with blank pages, tight client deadlines and complex creative challenges, it’s difficult not to think - AI is amazing and yet truly terrifying all at the same time.

How are we supposed to compete with magic?!

Is the creative craft as we know it dead? And should we all just pack up now and start a new career selling Pokémon cards?

Not just yet guys, stick with me…

It’s OK to feel anxious about what’s next, we all are. But I believe there’s a real recalibration happening.

When machines can generate endless content, what becomes valuable?

For those of us working in sport and entertainment, the answer might be surprisingly simple: We compete with magic by remembering that sport has always been magic.

Not the algorithmic kind, the human kind.

The beautiful irrationality of fandom.

The kind that sees you hugging complete strangers because in that moment you’re feeling exactly the same thing.

Tribal, emotional and unscripted.

Sport, it’s magic too.

Artificial intelligence can simulate almost anything, but it can’t manufacture genuine human connection or tangible experiences

  • The sights, sounds and smells of a packed stadium

  • The feeling of pulling your favourite player’s trading card

  • The tension of a record-breaking moment

These are powerful analogue experiences; physical, emotional and shared. And in a world becoming ever more automated and synthetic, they’re becoming increasingly valuable.

The future of our careers shouldn’t be about competing with AI’s magic. It should be about harnessing the magic sport already has and creating the conditions for fandom to thrive by capitalising on our analogue advantage.

The Pillars of our Analogue Advantage

1. Shared Moments

Modern media is increasingly solitary - designed to keep you scrolling. You only need to look at rising loneliness rates (one in three Australians feel lonely today) to see the impact on mental and physical health. Sport remains one of the last cultural arenas where millions experience the same emotional moment simultaneously, and the ability to understand a moment in time as an opportunity to connect emotionally to the masses has the power to fuel fandom and engagement with brands on a deeper level.

Just look at the celebrations marking South Sydney’s Alex Johnson breaking the NRL try-scoring record at Allianz Stadium, described as ‘pure humanity’ by ABC News as thousands of fans stormed the pitch in a spontaneous, joyful expression of togetherness. A shared moment that will be remembered forever. And gold for all brands involved with South Sydney.

From a brand perspective, Gatorade’s ‘Run The Track’ experience at the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix stood out. They understood the significance of track access during Grand Prix weekend and gave 2,400 fans the chance to run the circuit together - a once-in-a-lifetime shared experience that authentically put the product in the hands of fans at the right moment.

2. Tangible Nostalgia

Sport is built on nostalgia. Fandom is passed down through generations, and the great victories, moments and players live long in the memory, they are wrapped in emotion and identity. Sporting nostalgia has a unique ability to transport you back in time and make you feel exactly what you felt in that moment. The value of this is rising fast.

Take trading cards and collectibles. This industry is experiencing its biggest ever boom; astronomical sale prices, record participation and mainstream cultural relevance:

  • Logan Paul recently sold his PSA10 Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card for a world record $16.49m

  • The ‘Holy Grail’ T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is believed to be worth $30–50m

  • And its big business here too - PAX Aus collectibles convention drew 85,000 people this year

  • Australia’s collectibles market is forecast to hit USD $20b+ by 2033

Image :T206 Honus Wagner in the highest grade in world - PSA6

In this hobby, fans can physically hold something that transports them to a time, place or moment in their life. That’s where the value lives.

Contrast this with the collapse of the NFT market, where 90%+ of total value has been wiped out. A completely digital product with no nostalgic relevance, devoid of meaning, authenticity or emotional connection. Back in 2021, Justin Bieber paid $1.3m for a digital image of a monkey. Today it’s worth almost nothing. Of course it crashed.

3. Real Voices

As AI floods every platform with generated content, the voices that feel genuinely human are becoming increasingly valuable. I’m personally more conscious than ever of content that feels manufactured, or that carries an undercurrent of agenda. It turns me off straight away, and I’m not alone.

Trust in traditional media is eroding. Audiences are sceptical of polished, agenda-driven commentary and they’re voting with their attention. What’s filling the void is fascinating.

The Grade Cricketer podcast is a perfect example. What started as a few grade cricketers taking the mickey out of club cricket culture has grown into one of Australia’s most listened-to sports podcasts, landing mainstream media and sponsorship deals with a genuine cultural footprint. They didn’t get there by sounding like traditional cricket journalists. They got there by sounding exactly like themselves.

Sky Sports’ ‘The Overlap Fan Debate’ series in the UK tells a similar story - real supporters from every Premier League club, passionate, partisan and unscripted, debating the big topics with each other. The format generated compelling long and short-form content that actually sparked conversation, and many of those fans have since become established creators in their own right.

Authenticity isn’t just a brand value anymore. It’s a competitive advantage in sport marketing. There is room for more real voices, so get out there and share your opinion!

4. Live Atmosphere & Experiential

The atmosphere of live sport can’t be captured through digital or artificial mediums and that gives our industry enormous enduring value. It’s sensory: the noise when the players run out, the smell of hot pies, the energy of a critical moment. This is what stays with you forever as a fan.

And appetite for live sport is seemingly unwavering. In 2026 alone we’ve seen the Australian Open welcome its largest ever attendance (1.4m), the Melbourne Grand Prix break its own record (484,000) and the Ashes set a new attendance high (860,000) across just 18 days of cricket. Live is as powerful as ever.

These events are becoming more than sport, they’re cultural festivals. The Australian Open is now a three-week celebration built around tennis; a blended ecosystem of sport, culture, business and entertainment where Melbourne and the world choose to spend their summer. Its focus on innovation, world-class experiential and authentic brand partnerships makes it better every year.

If you work in events, be excited. Live experience is only going to become more valuable as the world gets more digital.

Summary

None of this is an argument against adopting AI, far from it. AI will revolutionise the way we work, and we’re already seeing great examples of AI-enabled fan engagement through personalised content, real-time data, stadium entertainment and accessibility.

The future of sports marketing won’t be about choosing between AI and human experience. It will belong to those who combine both, using technology to enhance the magic of the real world, not replace it.

The most successful sports, brands and professionals in the AI era will be those who use technology to amplify analogue experiences; deepening nostalgia, extending shared moments, promoting real voices and enhancing atmosphere.

Technology alone will not differentiate our work. Emotion will, as it always has done.

So, stay true to your craft and believe in your role in this industry - because sport is still one of the most powerful, and most human, magical forces in culture.

And don’t read too many AI related LinkedIn posts or Instagram reels, they’ll just scare you!

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