The most valuable sports partnerships are built outside the live window
Live sport creates the moment, but what happens around it is where partnerships really deliver. Why surrounding media, timing and cultural relevance matter more than ever.
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
Hawthorn FC unveiled a new collaboration with global financial technology company Revolut which joined the Club as a Gold Partner - The business will be integrated into the Club’s internal financial infrastructure, and the brand will feature in player content, marketing, digital campaigns, and match day signage
Hawthorn FC strengthened its partnership with the City of Launceston - As part of the extended collaboration, the City of Launceston’s logo will feature on the sleeves of Hawthorn’s coaches' polos, as well as across match-day LED signage, the Club’s media walls and within player changerooms
Melbourne FC secured a new 3-year Co-Principal Partnership with AI-native fintech platform DriversDepot - the partnership will also support the Casey Demons VFL and VFLW teams
St Kilda FC announced AUCyber as its newest Platinum Partner, which will feature on the AFL and VFL playing shorts
St Kilda FC and Original Mattress & Furniture signed a 3-year agreement through to the end of the 2028 season
Sydney Swans announced it’s teaming up with MUFG Pension & Market Services thanks to a partnership extending across Sydney’s AFL and AFLW programs -MUFG branding to be visible on the AFLW coaches’ apparel, in the changerooms on AFLW game days, and at the SCG via LED displays
Western Bulldogs welcomed Nostra Homes as a Platinum Partner of the Club - its branding will feature across Bulldogs AFL and AFLW matchdays, on key membership collateral, and across digital assets and content
Australian Steelers wheelchair rugby team (currently ranked no 2 in the world) launched a new campaign, in partnership with Ogilvy, called ‘Officially Unsponsored’ - The team’s green and gold uniform has been replaced with an all white kit representing a blank canvas (devoid of sponsorship) and a new QR code logo has been added, directing potential sponsors to a ‘SponsorSHOP’
Perth Bears secured a new partnership with Atlas Building, which signed on to become the Club’s sponsor for its bottom back of jersey
South Sydney Rabbitohs announced a new 2-year partnership with Australian property developer, Deicorp, which will be integrated across the Rabbitohs’ commercial and community platforms
North Queensland Toyota Cowboys welcomed Ingenia Holiday Parks as a Gold Partner - it will become the presenting partner of the Club’s ‘Laurie Spina Shield’ junior rugby league carnival
Australian Grand Prix Corporation and RMIT agreed to a new 3-year partnership to bring more students into the world of STEM via the motorsports industry
MECCA MAX announced its return to the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix 2026, marking its 3rd consecutive year as a partner of the event - the brand is set to expand its signature 'Beauty Pit Stop' at the track to meet the accelerating demand from the motorsport community
Melbourne Vixens and Netball Victoria announced a new multi-year partnership with Jellis Craig, whose branding will feature on Melbourne Vixens on-court apparel, with the Major Partner logo positioned on the bottom back right of the Vixens’ dress
Netball Queensland / Queensland Firebirds and the University of Queensland renewed its Premier Partnership with for a further 3 years, extending a collaboration that will reach 13 years by the conclusion of the new term in 2028
nib appointed Mary Fowler as its ‘Chief Health & Wellbeing Officer’ who will work with nib to promote health literacy, inspire Australians to prioritise their health, and contribute to initiatives that champion diversity, equity and inclusion
Supercars announced a 2-year renewal of it’s partnership with Thrifty Australia, which will continue to enhance the fan experience, and offer fans access to 15% off select car rentals
Sydney FC secured a renewal of its partnership with SIP Energy, which builds on SIP Energy’s installation of solar panels at Sky Park, Sydney FC’s state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Macquarie Park
Western Sydney Wanderers FC announced a new 2-year partnership with HELI, which joined the club as the Official Senior Partner and Official Forklift Partner
After a soft launch last year, Adam Gilchrist was featured on 7NEWS promoting his new tequila, El Arquero (spanish for ‘the keeper’)
AFL and AFLW stars Isaac Quaynor, Cody Weightman, Changkuoth Jiath, Mon Conti, Sophie McKay and Matilda Scholz featured on the Melbourne Fashion Festival catwalk
St George Illawarra transformed the 4-storey country bar Ole Red Las Vegas into a home base for its fans in the lead up to the NRL’s season opener
SA Government confirmed the Australian MotoGP will move to South Australia from 2027 - this year’s race will be the last one to be held at Philip Island
NSW Government launched a new campaign (featuring Junior Matilda Annabelle Croll, Olympian skateboarder Chloe Covell, NSW Swifts Netballer Grace Nweke and NRLW captain Tiana Penitani-Gray) to support a world record attempt for the most simultaneous selfies, taking place on International Women’s Day
To celebrate one week to go until the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026™ kicks off, a 500-drone spectacular took place in Sydney’s Darling Harbour
Super Bowl champion and Seattle Seahawks punter Michael Dickson returned home to celebrate his championship success, and one of his first stops was dropping by The Sporting Globe x 4 Pines - King Street Wharf to satisfy that long-awaited chicken parma craving
AFL and Telstra announced a 2-year partnership with Champion Data to trial cutting-edge Optical Tracking Technology at Marvel Stadium
The NRL HOGS National Tour, presented by Westpac and led by Brad Fittler, kicked off in Penrith - it will travel through regional NSW, QLD, and VIC to celebrate rugby league in local communities, and promote junior participation
Future Golf, Australia’s largest and fastest-growing golf membership platform, and Golf Australia announced the expansion of a 3-year strategic partnership, aimed at driving participation and accessibility across the sport
World Surf League announced Seven Network will continue as its official free-to-air broadcaster - The Challenger Series and Championship Tour events will be broadcast live and free on 7plus thanks to the new agreement
Guest Writer: Louise Hands Dunn
Today we’re welcoming Louise Hands Dunn, Partnerships Manager at News Corp Australia, as this week’s guest writer!
Based in Melbourne, Louise has spent more than 14 years working across rights holders, brands and national media, including IMG, Melbourne Renegades, Sports Entertainment Network, shaping and commercialising partnerships in sport and major events. In today’s article, she explores why the commercial value of sport is increasingly defined by what happens around the moment, not just during it.
Enjoy the read!
The most valuable sports partnerships are built outside the live window
Live sport creates the moment, but what happens around it is where partnerships really deliver. Why surrounding media, timing and cultural relevance matter more than ever.
The broadcast is the spark, not the strategy
Live sport still delivers something few platforms can: scale, emotion and cultural relevance. Increasingly, the commercial return for brands, whether official partners or not, is shaped by more than the broadcast itself.
Visibility does not equal value
Too many partnerships still stop at logo visibility and seconds on screen. In practice, that’s rarely where the real commercial impact comes from. The upside lies in how moments are supported, amplified and extended through media before, during and after key days.
Broadcast delivers scale. It creates the spike. But spikes fade quickly. The brands extracting long-term value are the ones who build weight around that spike through PR presence, high-impact placements, social extensions and consistent messaging in the days when attention is at its highest.
In a crowded, fragmented media environment, a single match, no matter how big, usually can’t carry a campaign on its own. What cuts through is consistency around the moment: the headlines on the morning of the game, high-impact placements that frame the narrative, and repeated presence in the days when audiences are most engaged.
The strongest sports-led campaigns focus less on being always on, and more on being unavoidable on the days that matter
That can mean planned narrative-building before the first serve. Naomi Osaka’s Australian Open entrance was amplified by Nike through custom kit storytelling and coordinated social distribution, generating conversation before the match itself even began. It’s not just exposure during play. It becomes cultural framing ahead of the live action. When brand, athlete and occasion align in real time, the impact travels far beyond the court.
Related: How brands are leveraging AO26 (part 2)
Opening rounds, finals, rivalry matches and major announcements are moments when sport naturally dominates the public conversation. AFL Finals are a clear example, where engagement across media environments spikes dramatically in the 48 hours surrounding matches and Grand Final Week. Within this window, homepage takeovers intensify, editorial integrations expand and social creative becomes more reactive as the narrative unfolds. The broadcast delivers scale, but the surrounding media builds momentum. It’s not about being always on. It’s about being dominant when it counts.
Above: AAMI is building an iconic pre-game AFL Grand Final tradition
What some refer to as the “12-Hour Window” after major sporting moments is often where the real value lies. Emotional energy is high, attention is concentrated and brands that move quickly in that window tend to have a greater impact.
Related: The 12-hour window every sports marketer should know
Supporting the live moment with surrounding media turns passive exposure into something more meaningful. It’s the difference between being briefly seen and actually remembered. This is where even the most sophisticated sporting environments still leave room for growth.
Above: To celebrate the trio of Brisbane Premiership wins last year, XXX launched two limited-edition XXXX can designs
Events like the Australian Open set a global benchmark. The event is commercially sophisticated, culturally relevant and supported by an ecosystem designed to help brands show up well. Many official partners lead the way, building integrated campaigns that extend far beyond the courts.
But even in these best-in-class environments, value is still often left on the table.
Owning assets is not the same as owning impact
Brands secure powerful assets, media rights, lock-up logos, talent access and content opportunities, yet don’t always fully leverage them outside the live window. The moments happen, but they aren’t always supported in a way that maximises impact across the broader media landscape. Importantly, you do not have to be an official partner to benefit from the moment. Brands that understand fandom can build creative and media presence around the cultural energy of a major event without infringing on rights.
When Australian player Maddison Inglis joked during the tournament that she would buy Smeg appliances with her prize money, Smeg quickly leaned in and delivered. It was timely participation in a moment that had already captured national attention.
During the Australian Open, Melbourne effectively becomes a tennis themed city. For example, Lacoste created a branded floating tennis court during the tournament, leveraging player appearances and content capture, ensuring the moment went beyond the court and into social feeds and PR coverage. Done well, this approach taps into the same attention spike, but through relevance rather than ownership.
There’s also a shared responsibility at play. Once a deal is signed, activation is often left largely to the brand. But without deep audience insight or operational alignment, even well-intentioned ideas can underdeliver.
The strongest partnerships are co-engineered
Rights holders who guide how and where a brand shows up, grounded in real fan behaviour and what is realistically deliverable, protect both sides from wasted opportunity.
Major sporting events generate cultural energy that extends well beyond the broadcast and beyond formal sponsorships. Brands that understand fandom, and respect the boundaries, can theme campaigns, creative and messaging around the event itself, tapping into the mood, the rituals and the conversation as it unfolds. It’s not about hijacking the moment. It’s about contributing to the conversation in a way that feels timely and culturally aware.
Above: Nike OOH, in close proximity to the Nike Melbourne Marathon
For official partners, assets like lock-up logos and talent access add depth and credibility. But the underlying principle is the same for everyone: sport works best when it’s treated as a moment in culture, not just a media buy.
Having worked across rights holders, brands and media, I have seen partnerships quietly underdeliver. It is rarely a lack of ambition. More often, it is the absence of a deliberate plan for what happens beyond the live window.
The brands getting the most value from sport treat it as a launchpad rather than an endpoint. They start with the live moment, but build campaigns designed to travel, reinforcing their message across media when audiences are most receptive.
Because sport on its own is a moment.
Support it with deliberate media weight and cultural alignment, and that moment becomes sustained consideration.
And that is where partnerships start to compound, not just perform.
2XU - Head of Wholesale - ANZ
Adelaide Crows - Head of Commercial Growth
AFL - Project Manager
Amer Sports - Sports & Community Marketing Manager (Wilson)
Australian Sports Commission - Communications and Social Media Coordinator
Athletikan - Co-Founder
Bastion - Senior Client Manager
Bastion - Strategic Partnerships Director
Bastion - Strategy Manager
Bursty - Project Manager
Brand Collective - Sales Manager - Reebok & Champion
Brisbane Bullets - Corporate Partnerships Manager
Brisbane Bullets - Corporate Hospitality Manager
Carlton FC - Commercial Business Connector
Carlton FC - Retail Team Lead
Collingwood FC - Campaign Coordinator
Collingwood FC - Club Integration Manager
Collingwood FC - Partnerships Digital Lead
Cricket Victoria - Commercial Partnerships Manager
Cricket Victoria - Media & Communications Manager
Delaware North Australia - Manager Event Planning, MCG
Easygo - Senior Product Designer - Sportsbook
Easygo - Sponsorship Executive
Fanatics - Head of Operations (AUS/NZ)
Football Victoria - Executive Manager – Operations and Membership
Foxtel - Producer - Fox Sports
Gemba - Account Director
Hostplus - Partnerships & Events Specialist
IRONMAN, Oceania - Live Content & Production Manager
JD Sports Australia & New Zealand - Project Manager
KOJO - Digital Account Executive
LSKD - Head of Marketing
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles - Digital Content Producer
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers - Sponsorship and Campaigns Lead
Melbourne Park - Partnerships and Premium Experiences Executive
MKTG Sports + Entertainment Australia - Senior Brand & Communications Strategist
Netball Australia - Senior Content Manager (12-Month Parental Leave Cover)
New Balance - Digital Marketing Coordinator
NRL - Group Revenue Manager
NBL - Senior PR Lead
Netball NSW - Consumer Business Manager
Nike - Director of Stores, Pacific
Nike - Lead, Account Marketing Sporting Goods/Sport Specialty Pacific
Nike - Lead, Integrated Media
Nike - Senior Professional, Stores & Partner Marketing Pacific - Jordan APLA
North Melbourne FC - Senior Events Manager
Octagon - Senior Analyst
Picklebet - CRM Campaign Lead
Pixellot - Regional Commercial Partnerships Manager
Perth Racing - Business Development Manager
PUMA - Key Account Manager - COBRA
South Sydney Rabbitohs - Partnerships Manager
Sportsbet - Insights Analyst
Sportsbet - Social Content Creative Director
Sports Entertainment Network - Campaign Implementation Manager - Maternity Leave Contract
Sports Entertainment Network - Campaign Implementation Manager - Maternity Leave Contract
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Commercial Manager - Ballpark
Sports Entertainment Network - Head of Commercial
Sports Entertainment Network - Head of Operations - Ballpark
Sports Entertainment Network - Events & Administration Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Incentive Travel & Events Director - Ballpark
Sports Entertainment Network - Partnerships Coordinator
Sports Entertainment Network - Partnership Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Senior Partnership Manager
Sports Entertainment Network - Strategy & Solutions Manager
Surfing NSW - Digital Lead
St Kilda FC - Commercial Partnerships Manager (10 Month Contract)
St Kilda FC - Graphic Designer
Swimming NSW - Chief Executive Officer
Sydney Swans - Fan Growth Lead
Tabcorp - Communications Advisor
Tennis Australia - New Business Development Lead
TGI Sport - Event Manager (Fixed Term or Contractor)
TGI Sport - Senior Retail Manager
THE ICONIC - Assistant Planner - Sports
Total Sport + Entertainment - Videographer (Mid-Senior)
Touch Football Australia - Digital Services Coordinator
Touch Football Australia - Growth Manager - Tasmania
Toyota Material Handling Australia - Sponsorship and Events Manager
Vitaco Group - Communications and Partnerships Manager - Musashi
Western Australian Institute of Sport - Partnerships Manager
World Rugby - Head of Fan Experience (Men’s RWC 27)
World Rugby - Senior Image & Look Manager (Men’s RWC 27)
WPP Media - Brand Partnerships Manager
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