Katy Perry’s AFL GF performance signals the rise of mixed reality, The NRL and Red Bull went big on NRL GF eve
Today’s lineup:
Katy Perry’s AFL Grand Final performance is another signal that the use of mixed reality in Australian sports presentation is on the rise
The NRL and Red Bull went big on the eve of the Grand Final
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The Australian Open announced a multi-year partnership with Waterdrop, which many of the world’s top tennis players have invested in, including Novak Djokovic, Elina Svitolina, Taylor Fritz, Andrey Rublev, Hubert Hurkacz, Sebastian Korda and Cameron Norrie
TCL and Victoria Racing Club renewed their longstanding partnership for 3 more years, extending their collaboration to 22 years
The Brisbane Bullets welcomed Tyrepower as the Official Tyre Retail Partner
The NBL announced a partnership with AAMI as the Official General Insurance Partner for 2 more years
Sydney Kings renewed their partnership with Pringles for a 2nd season, which will see the return of the in-game, fully-catered luxury “Pringles Crunch Couch” activation, which will be awarded to fans who show off their best ‘pop off’ celebration
LVMH struck a 10-year deal with Formula 1, covering its Louis Vuitton, Moet Hennessy and TAG Heuer brands and replacing long-time sponsor Rolex
The Victorian Government revealed that it plans to make a formal bid to host the NRL Grand Final in 2025 at the MCG
Perth’s HBF Arena and HBF Stadium are due to return to generic names from 1 January 2025 after an unsuccessful pursuit to secure a new naming rights partner
Central Coast Stadium, the home of the A-League Grand Final champions the Central Coast Mariners is also commencing its search for new naming rights partner
The Queensland Government extended its Supercars agreement until 2027, a move that’s expected to inject ~$100m into the state economy each year
The 2024 NRL Grand Final attracted an average audience across total TV of 3.4m on Nine - In comparison, the AFL hit a record-breaking total TV national average audience of 4m on Seven
Tennis Australia unveiled an exciting music lineup for the 2025 AO LIVE festival at the Australian Open which features globally renowned artists including Benson Boone, Kaytranada, Kesha and Armand Van Helden
Eddie McGuire’s sports production company, JAM TV, and global media services and facilities provider, EMG/Gravity Media, were appointed as the new production partners of the A-Leagues
Cricket Australia launched a new “You Need To See It” brand platform via agency, Special, which focusses on celebrating international cricket in the upcoming season
To get fans revved up for the 2025 racing season, the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix unveiled its new “Expect Nothing Less” positioning, via agency Bullfrog
Live-streaming company BarTV Sports announced that it has given back over $1m to local grassroots sporting competitions through their innovative subscription model
Authentic Brands Group (owner of brands such as Quiksilver and Reebok) acquired iconic sportswear brand, Champion for US $1.2bn
Katy Perry’s AFL Grand Final performance is another signal that the use of mixed reality in Australian sports presentation is on the rise
A consortium including Champion Data, Mushroom Events, Silent Partners Studio, Vizrt, NEP Group and Seven Network, joined forces with Katy Perry to help deliver a groundbreaking transformation to the Telstra pre-match entertainment at the 2024 AFL Grand Final.
Daylight often presents significant limitations (e.g. limits the impact of lighting & special effects) to the in-stadium entertainment spectacle, but by using cutting-edge “Virtual Camera” and Augmented Reality technology to deliver dynamic, automated graphic scenes, Katy Perry’s electrifying performance was elevated to new heights.
Even with the disadvantage of daylight, Katy Perry's AFL Grand Final performance appears to have resonated with sports fans with ~74% of voters from Notice's current poll choosing it as the "better" show compared to The Kid Laroi's twilight performance at Sunday's NRL Grand Final.
Could this technology have played a role in influencing this result?
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time that mixed reality has shown up in Australian sports
It appeared at Optus Stadium in 2022 when KOJO teamed up with the West Coast Eagles to deliver a larger than life, photo-real 3D model of the club’s iconic mascot (Auzzie, the Wedge Tail Eagle) flying around the stadium.
Since then, KOJO has also activated mixed reality during the AFL’s Gather Round and Indigenous Round (shown on Seven's TV Broadcast) and during the ICC T20 World Cup.
This technology isn’t entirely new though. It was also activated back in 2015 at the AFC Asian Cup by Twenty3 Sport + Entertainment and Spinifex Group.
Internationally, The Famous Group has become well-known for mixed reality executions, and are behind some of the viral moments in US sports which includes in-stadium/arena activations in partnership with the Carolina Panthers, Chipotle Mexican Grill (below), Paramount Pictures (to promote transformers) and Gillette.
Mixed reality appears set to continue revolutionising how fans experience live sports
While the technology is still in its early stages, and barriers exists to accessing it (e.g. cost & specialist resources), there's an appetite from sports to experiment with technology to create more immersive experiences.
The increased use of mixed reality is likely to continue as the technology improves, the barriers to access lower and as fans continue to demand more interactive and engaging experiences.
The NRL and Red Bull went big on the eve of the Grand Final
To announce their new partnership as the official energy drink partner of the NRL and NRLW from 2025, Red Bull took Zac Lomax for an extreme aerobatic ride - The footage has been covered across the Nine network and news of the announcement is currently spreading online.
To further celebrate the new partnership, Red Bull activated an awe-inspiring "Red Bull Gives You Wiiings" aerobatic display over Bondi Beach. The stunt coincided with the NRL’s Grand Final Week Beach Touch Football event, giving fans (and general spectators) on the sand an entertaining show.
This new collaboration presents as a significant brand-building opportunity for both the NRL and Red Bull
Red Bull’s global presence, combined with its strong association with energy, extreme sports, and entertainment, aligns perfectly with the NRL's brand, which champions courage, fearlessness, and athleticism.
This new partnership has the potential to unlock a host of exciting cross-promotional opportunities to drive awareness, creating a natural transfer of brand-equity between the two, and enhancing the perception of both brands.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time Bondi Beach has been a backdrop for sky-high marketing in recent weeks
Red Bull's stunt comes shortly after Nike mysteriously flew an aerial ad over Sydney’s eastern beaches with the message “MEET ME AT THE SUNSET” as part of its global brand rebuilding efforts.
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