Premium brands are rewriting the rules of sports sponsorship
Premium brands are embedding themselves into the moments, emotions, and experiences fans care about most
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!
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 is 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 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.
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.
TAG Heuer’s return as Formula 1’s Official Timekeeper and Moët & Chandon reclaiming the F1 podium signal a bold generational shift within luxury sponsorship.
Locally, we’ve seen Louis Vuitton’s sponsorship on full display at the 2026 Australian F1 Grand Prix (including more stunning Trophy Trunks and plenty of podium Moët).
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.
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.
adidas - Manager, Field Key Accounts
adidas - Manager, Store Development - Pacific (12 Month Contract)
Australian Grand Prix Corporation - Commercial Partnerships Manager
Basketball Victoria - Media & Communications Specialist
Bastion - Strategy Manager
Bowls Australia - Commercial & Licensing Executive
Bowls Australia - Commercial Partnerships Manager
Brand Collective - Marketing Coordinator - Champion & Reebok
Brand Collective - Marketing Specialist - Reebok
Brisbane Lions - Content Operations Manager
Brisbane Lions - Video Lead
Brisbane Racing Club - Digital Marketing Manager
Bursty - Account Manager
Collingwood FC - Community Programs and Partnerships Manager
Courtside Melbourne - Head of Retail
Courtside Melbourne - Social Media Coordinator
Cricket Australia - Digital Partnerships Lead
Edith Cowan University - Lecturer/Senior Lecturer - Sport Business
Entain Australia & New Zealand - Account Manager
Essendon FC - Functions & Marketing Manager
EssilorLuxottica - Brand Partnerships & Activation Manager
Fanatics - Head of Operations (AUS/NZ)
Foot Locker - Digital Merchandising/ Ecommerce Coordinator
Fremantle Dockers - Media & PR Coordinator
Gold Coast SUNS - Events Coordinator
Grill’d - Partnerships Manager
St Kilda FC - Head of Corporate Communications
INTERSPORT - Marketing Manager
JD Sports - Paid Media Manager
JD Sports - Senior Affiliates Manager
Live Nation - Marketing Associate - Rugby World Cup (Fixed Term)
LSKD - E-Commerce Manager
LSKD - Head of Marketing
Melbourne FC - Event Manager
Melbourne Park - Client Relationship Manager – Live Events
Melbourne Park - Event Leader - CENTREPIECE
Melbourne Park - Senior Event Manager - Australian Open
Melbourne Racing Club - Design Manager
Mizuno - Brand Manager
Mizuno - Digital Marketing Specialist
Netball NSW - Consumer Business Manager - Maternity Leave Cover
Nike - Director of Stores, Pacific
Peloton - Sales Manager, Consumer
Pixellot - Regional Commercial Partnerships Manager
PUMA - Area Manager - Multi State
PUMA - Key Account Manager - COBRA
PUMA - Senior Key Account Manager - Strategic Accounts Style
Queensland Touch Football - Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Rip Curl - General Manager, Retail
Sportsbet - Paid Search & Performance Specialist (SEM) - 12 month FTC
Sportsbet - TikTok Content Director
Sports Direct - eCommerce Specialist
Sports Entertainment Network - AFL Record Supervisor
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager - Tasmania
Sports Entertainment Network - Fan Engagement Officer
Sports Entertainment Network - Head of Commercial
Sports Entertainment Network - Strategy & Solutions Manager
Stan. - Sport Marketing Executive
Supercars - Digital Executive
Tabcorp - Communications Advisor
Tabcorp - Communications Executive
Tabcorp - General Manager Commercial - Wagering
Tabcorp - Video Content Producer
TGI Sport - Account Director (Communications)
TGI Sport - Head of Communications
Victoria Racing Club - Corporate Sales Coordinator
Victoria Racing Club - Customer Relationship Management Analyst
Volleyball Victoria - Events and Marketing Coordinator
Western Bulldogs - Business Development Manager
Western Bulldogs - Events Manager
Western Bulldogs - Senior Consumer Sales Manager
WPP Media - Sports & Entertainment Partnerships Manager
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