How brands are leveraging AO26 (part 1)
The Australian Open’s scale and reach explain exactly why brands continue to invest heavily in sponsorship and activation around the tournament
Melbourne Storm secured a new partnership with Australian video game developer Big Ant Studios (the developers behind the Rugby League 26 video game) for the next 4 seasons
Brisbane Bullets announced Motor Scout as the club’s Major Jersey Partner for HoopsFest, whose branding was featured on the front of the Bullets’ playing jersey throughout HoopsFest
South East Melbourne Phoenix welcomed an expanded partnership with Wilson Security for the remainder of the NBL26 season - the brand will occupy the lower back position on both the home and away playing jersey
Adelaide United and Cara announced a 3-year agreement which saw the trusted organisation in the disability sector become the Exclusive Disability Charity Partner for both the Adelaide United Men’s and Women’s teams until 2028
Newcastle Jets announced a partnership with Alpha Elite Gear which will provide both A-League Men’s and Women’s training accessories and equipment
Melbourne City FC extended its partnership with Advara HeartCare for a further year, which will see the leading cardiology provider play an integral role in supporting the health and wellbeing of Melbourne City players and staff
Newcastle Knights and The GPT Group/Charlestown Square announced an Official Partnership for 2026
Brisbane Racing Club and Ladbrokes entered into a strengthened partnership -Under the expanded multi-year agreement, Ladbrokes will become the major sponsor of the next four Stradbroke Racedays, while also continuing as a major partner of Brisbane Racing Club’s Stradbroke Season through to 2029
Brisbane Racing Club and Ticketmaster announced a new multi-year partnership, bringing world-class racing and ticketing platforms together to create a seamless end-to-end customer journey
NBL and WNBL delivered a standout 2nd edition of Hoopsfest Perth, partnering with the WA Government, Tourism WA, Venues West, Basketball WA and the City of Perth to smash attendance records (25% YoY increase), sell-out crowds at RAC Arena, a vibrant Fan Festival, and the return of Sneakerland
Cricket Australia announced that Australian indie rockers The Jungle Giants will will headline entertainment at the KFC BBL|15 Final
SailGP confirmed the renewal of its broadcast offering for Australian viewers, announcing renewed partnerships with Foxtel Group and SBS for the 2026 season
The City of Adelaide Tour Village was launched at the Santos Tour Down Under which includes a team zone, bike expo, family activities, bars, recovery zone, DJ’s, music and entertainment
As part of its expansion into Australia, global sports, music, and entertainment company, Wasserman, launched a new headquarters in Sydney which will bring together its brands, talent representation, and live events capabilities in one integrated hub
Football Australia appointed ex-Stan boss Martin Kugeler as its new Chief Executive Officer, following an 8-month-long global search
NSW Government released designs for the $40m upgrade of Sydney’s historic Leichhardt Oval which is aimed at delivering modern facilities for the NRL’s Wests Tigers, as well as junior community, and club competitions across multiple codes
How brands are leveraging AO26 (part 1)
*Today’s newsletter is part one of a two-part series that showcases how brands are leveraging the Australian Open - Enjoy the read!
The Australian Open’s scale and reach explains exactly why brands continue to invest heavily in sponsorship and activation around the tournament
In 2025, the Australian Open (AO) welcomed a record-breaking 1.22 million attendees, reinforcing its status as one of the most attended major sports events in the country.
The momentum has carried into 2026. Opening Week alone attracted more than 217,000 fans (80% YoY increase) highlighting the tournament’s growing ability to draw audiences earlier and for longer.
Beyond the gates of Melbourne Park, the broadcast footprint is equally compelling - Last year, Nine’s ecosystem reached 88% of Australians, including 13.1 million viewers across Total TV.
Nine’s broader sport media platform also includes:
A sport audience across print and digital of over 4.7 million
An audio portfolio that reaches 1.9 million listeners every month across talk radio and podcasts
Source: Nine for Brands
Digitally, the Australian Open commands a global audience at scale through its official social channels:
Instagram - 3.7 million
Facebook - 3.5 million
TikTok - 2.8 million
YouTube - 2.9 million
Beyond official channels, millions of fans, brands, influencers, athletes and celebrities amplify their AO experiences and brand moments organically, engaging with AO-themed brand activations at Melbourne Park and across the city.
Put simply, the AO can be seen everywhere, both online and offline.
The Australian Open is one of the most significant events on the Australian sports calendar and a commercial powerhouse
Each January, Melbourne becomes an extension of the tournament. AO-themed activity takes over the city via:
Pop-up events
Integrated campaigns
Experiential activations
Product launches
PR stunts
For brands, these expanded footprints and off-court experiences provide multiple touch points to engage audiences.
Building an association with the AO is a proven way to drive brand awareness and elevate brand perception. As a result, brands from many categories are investing millions of dollars into campaigns that leverage official AO rights, athlete ambassador partnerships and broader tennis associations.
The global popularity of the Australian Open makes it attractive to major global brands
This is evident by some of the brands that feature most prominently on the broadcast around the court:
The AO has a 5-year, $107 million sponsorship with Kia until 2028
The AO’s “Luzhou Laojiao Guojiao 1573” sponsorship is among its most lucrative. Though the brand and product (it’s a strong liquor) is unfamiliar to many Australians, it’s the world’s most consumed spirit, largely due to Chinese consumption. The AO sponsorship targets the Asian market and aims to elevate its premium image.
It’s been estimated that the “Melbourne” sign on the court is worth $1 billion in advertising value (Craig Tiley admits no sponsor is likely to pay this amount though)
The tournament’s rising popularity is also evident through the high demand official partnerships, and the long list of new and renewed partnerships that Tennis Australia has secured in the lead up to the tournament.
AO new and renewed official partnerships
New Partnerships: Nexo, Bupa, Altos Tequila, YoPRO, a2 Milk, DiDi, Lipton Ice Tea, realestate.com.au, De Cecco
Renewed Partnerships: Chemist Warehouse, ANZ, Chubb, Jacob’s Creek, MECCA
Nine’s AO26 broadcast partners & sponsors
Nine has also just unveiled a long list of blue-chip partners and sponsors for its Australian Open 2026 broadcast.
Brands that’ve signed-on include: Qantas, Amazon Prime, Uber Eats, Chemist Warehouse, ANZ, Bupa, Chubb Insurance, Peters Ice Cream, Google, Haier, Journey Beyond, Kia, L’Oreal and Visit Victoria.
Tennis-themed brand activations and trends worth noticing…
*Note: Not all of the following brands are official partners of the Australian Open.
Floating courts are proving to be popular during this summer of tennis…
Le Club Lacoste
Partnering with Afloat Melbourne, Lacoste launched ‘Le Club Lacoste’ - a floating, sun-soaked tennis-charged oasis on the Yarra that includes:
A bookable floating tennis court
Big screens to watch the AO live
Bespoke food & drink
DJs
Ambassador appearances
A pop-up retail store
Important to note, Lacoste isn’t an official AO apparel partner. Yet some of the biggest names in the game such as Novak Djokovic, Daniil Medvedev, Grigor Dimitrov and Eva Lys all wear the brand - all of which showed up for its unveiling and A VIP launch party in the lead up to the start of AO26. Le Club Lacoste is a strategic move that allows the brand to authentically insert itself into the AO conversation without relying on official tournament rights.
Upstream…
Crown Racquet Club, served by Grey Goose
Crown has partnered with Racquet Club and Grey Goose to launch two state-of-the-art panoramic padel courts on the Yarra River, next to Melbourne’s iconic Riverwalk promenade.
In addition to the 2 x courts, it features:
DJ booth
Beverage offering anchored by Grey Goose
A food menu curated with Marmont and Bistro Guillaume
Coffee Truck
Expansive outdoor setting
Tennis player-owned brands are leveraging the Australian Open
1. Dash Diamonds
In the lead up to AO26, Croatian tennis star Donna Vekic launched DASH, a luxury jewellery brand positioned as “diamonds that play.”
Coinciding with the launch, it also opened an official on-site store at the tournament and launched an AO x DASH collection that includes 3 x tennis bracelet designs:
The Royal Blue: $2,500
Midnight in Melbourne: $2,500
Court Royale: $4,500
Reinforcing scarcity and exclusivity:
The range is being marketed as “worn by champions”
Only 150 pieces in total have been produced
Assuming 50 of each of the above bracelets are all sold throughout the tournament, the total revenue generated via this collaboration alone would be: $475,000.
Vekic has been busy promoting her new AO x DASH line of bracelets:
Social media: A dedicated DASH Instagram account has been launched, with audience growth being driven through Vekic’s own profile (317k followers) and collaborator posts
Broadcast exposure (earned): DASH received a prominent on-air mention during Vekić’s interview on Nine’s Australian Open 1 Point Slam coverage
Peer endorsement: Fellow players are backing the brand, with Maria Sakkari spotted wearing the ‘Court Royale’ bracelet around Melbourne
Vekic is not only a star tennis player but an established entrepreneur. In 2021, she also founded DNNA, a lifestyle brand focused on candles and home fragrances.
2. waterdrop®
Since its launch in 2016, tennis has played a central role in waterdrop’s global growth strategy.
The brand has built strong credibility within the sport by partnering with, and securing investment from, a roster of elite, globally ranked players. These include Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz, Elina Svitolina, Sebastian Korda, Andrey Rublev, Hubert Hurkacz, and Cameron Norrie, many of whom act as both brand ambassadors and investors.
In 2024, The Australian Open (Tennis Australia) announced a multi-year partnership with waterdrop, and once again, it’s supplying reusable stainless-steel bottles to players, their teams, and Australian Open staff, reinforcing its sustainability credentials.
Waterdrop also has a strong on-site presence, offering:
Personalised reusable bottles for fans
Samples of its water cubes
Water bottle refill stations
Experiential moments, including meet & greets with its ambassadors
3. On
In 2019, Roger Federer invested $50m in Swiss performance On for a 3% stake in the company - this stake is now worth nearly $500m as the company’s market cap sits at ~$15b.
Although On isn’t an official partner of the AO (New Balance and Ralph Lauren have these rights), the brand maintains a strong on-court presence through its sponsorship of elite players, such as Iga Swiatek, Ben Shelton and Joao Fonseca, all of whom wear On apparel.
Off-court, On has also leaned into experiential marketing - Iga Świątek recently appeared at an On pop-up activation on a Melbourne rooftop.
The rise of signature cocktail at sporting events continues
In October, Altos Tequila became the Official Tequila of the AO, and to leverage this partnership it’s created a bespoke serve for the tournament - the ‘Match Point Paloma’
The drink is being poured from the brand’s Casa Altos bar on Grand Slam Oval at Melbourne Park and served in a reusable cup inspired by the architecture of Altos’ brand home in Jalisco, Mexico (blending product, place and storytelling).
This isn’t the first drink crafted especially for the AO
In 2024, Tennis Australia announced a new partnership with Grey Goose which became the Official Vodka Partner of the Australian Open. As part of the activation, Grey Goose launched the Lemon Ace cocktail for AO25.
The results:
100,000+ Lemon Ace’s were sold in its inaugural year
At AO26, it has returned as both a freshly mixed cocktail and a ready-to-drink option, now available from the revamped Courtside Bar
Related: Why and how signature cocktails are showing up in Australian Sports
Athletes, musicians, celebrities and influencers have been used extensively to generate earned media
To celebrate the summer of tennis, Grey Goose unveiled its Courtside Bar with an exclusive invite-only party that included attendees such as Nadia Bartel, Josh Daicos & Annalise Dalins, Dylan Alcott, Clint Stanaway and a DJ set from Flight Facilities.
Altos unveiled a 2.5-metre tribute to its campaign Ambassador, Thanasi Kokkinakis
Delta Goodrem fronted the media at Piper Heidsieck’s Champagne Bar.
FISHER made a surprise appearance at Red Bull BassLine.
YoPro brought together the Melbourne Demons with its ‘Global Chief Progress Officer’, Carlos Alcaraz.
As Australia’s sports calendar becomes more crowded and increasingly innovative, brands aren’t pulling back, they’re leaning in.
Today’s newsletter is part one of a two-part series that showcases how brands are leveraging the Australian Open - stay tuned for part two next week!
2XU - National Retail Manager
A-Leagues - Consumer Growth Executive
adidas - Director, Brand Activation
AFL - Data Insights Lead
Amer Sports - National Account Manager
Australian Grand Prix Corporation - Senior Membership Manager
Athletikan - Co-Founder
Basketball Victoria - Digital Product Manager
Bastion - Managing Director - Experience
Bastion - Senior Strategy Manager
BlueBet - Senior Digital Marketing Specialist
Brand Collective - Marketing Coordinator - Reebok & Superdry
Champion Data - Commercial Manager
ClassPass - Field Account Executive - Brisbane
Cricket Victoria - Head Of Marketing And Communications
Cricket Victoria - Partnerships Specialist
Cronulla Sharks - Head of Brand & Creative
Easygo - Senior Product Designer - Sportsbook
Entain Australia & New Zealand - Event Specialist
Fanatics - VP and GM
Foot Locker - Director, Product Strategy
Foot Locker - Senior Manager, Loyalty Program
Football Australia - Competitions Media Manager
Front Runner - Senior Performance Marketing Manager | DTC Growth
Gold Coast SUNS - Digital Content Producer
Hawthorn FC - Corporate Development Executive
Hawthorn FC - Digital Sales & Integration Lead
Hawthorn FC - Senior Events Manager
HBF - Senior Event Manager
IMG - Associate Talent Manager
M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment - PR & Comms Lead - Maximum Term Contract (12 months)
Melbourne Park - Event Manager - Rod Laver Arena
Netball NSW - Social Media Manager - NSW Swifts
Netball Victoria - Community Growth Lead
Netball Victoria - Media and PR Specialist
Netball Queensland - General Manager - Nissan Arena
Netball Queensland - Senior Partnerships Coordinator
News Corp Australia - Sports Reporter
News Corp Australia - Digital Product Manager Sport
Nike - Lead, Account Marketing Sporting Goods/Sport Specialty Pacific
Nike - Lead, Integrated Media
Nike - Senior Professional, Stores & Partner Marketing Pacific - Jordan APLA
Nine - Sport Reporter
Octagon - Senior Analyst
Paramount - Sports Reporter
Picklebet - Affiliate Marketing Executive
Picklebet - Brand & Campaign Manager
Pixellot - Regional Commercial Partnerships Manager
Sea to Summit - Senior Marketing Manager
Seeker Agency - Senior Event Producer
St Kilda FC - Marketing Coordinator
STH Group - Sales Manager (RWC Experiences 2027)
Sunshine Coast Lightning - Media and Marketing Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - General Manager - TEAMS (VIC)
Sports Entertainment Network - Strategy & Solutions Manager (Sydney or Melbourne)
Sportsbet - Senior Strategy Manager
Tabcorp - Partnerships Manager
Tabcorp - Rewards Program Manager
Table Tennis Australia - Digital Content and Marketing Lead
Tennis Australia - Merchandise & Licensing Manager
TGI Sport - Design Lead
Touch Football Australia - Digital Services Coordinator
Touch Football Australia - General Manager - Operations
Touch Football Australia - Growth Manager - Victoria
Two Circles - Consultant
Two Circles - Sponsorship Sales Lead
Under Armour - Key Account Manager
Victoria Racing Club - Precinct Operations Coordinator
Wasserman - Account Director
Western Bulldogs - Head of Consumer
Wilson - Territory Manager
World Rugby - Digital Marketing Specialist
World Rugby - Fan Communications Specialist
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An interesting read!
This is absolutly incredible sports marketing analysis! The Grey Goose Lemon Ace stat (100k+ sold) really shows the power of signature cocktails at major events. I worked on a similar activation in college for a regional tournament, and we saw that themed beverages drove way more engagement than we expected. Your breakdown of how brands like Lacoste bypass official partnerships to stay relevant is super insightfull—that floating court concept is genius!