Why and how signature cocktails are showing up in Australian Sports

This new trend that's drawn inspiration from global major sports events

Nov 05, 2025

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Hawthorn FC announced a 5-year partnership with Under Armour which will serve as the Club’s Official High-Performance Apparel and Footwear Partner - The Under Armour logo will feature prominently on the neckline of the AFL guernsey

Western Force announced New Balance as its new official apparel partner on a long-term deal through until 2028 - the partnership will see New Balance, in collaboration with Belgravia Apparel, supply the Force’s playing, training and travel wear

North Melbourne welcomed Australian sports manufacturer Kookaburra Sport as its new Official Apparel Partner for its AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW teams as part of a new multi-year agreement

AFLW clubs are set to be able to choose their own apparel supplier from next year as the 10-season, competition-wide deal with supplier Cotton On comes to an end

Melbourne FC welcomed Harcourts as its new Official Real Estate Partner which signed on until at least 2027

South Sydney Rabbitohs secured a new 3-year partnership with Budget Direct - the partnership will encompass fan engagement initiatives, interactive activations, logo placement on team apparel and signage, and support of grassroots and community programs

Parramatta Eels launched the ‘Eels Institute’ in partnership with TAFE Queensland which will offer a Dual Diploma program that blends nationally recognised qualifications with immersive, real-world experience at the James Hardie Centre of Excellence

Adelaide Strikers and SA-born Simba Car Hire announced a new Major Partnership (covers Men’s & Women’s teams) that will see the national vehicle rental company provide transportation solutions for players and staff throughout the season and its branding feature on the sleeve of the Men’s playing tops

McGuigan Wines launched a new limited-edition Cricket Australia label to celebrate the first year of its multi-year partnership

Wests Tigers announced Canterbury of New Zealand as its new Official Performance Apparel Partner, with the premium sportswear brand to supply its NRL, NRLW and Pathways programs from 2026

Brisbane Heat signed on Frank Health Insurance as its official Health Insurance Partner - The digitally led partnership will deliver fan engagement that goes beyond the boundary and builds connections with Heat fans and members

Football Australia entered into a new partnership with Fanatics which will operate its official online store from its Melbourne headquarters and leverage its global platform and local infrastructure to provide merchandise for supporters both at home and abroad

Sydney FC secured a new partnership with Trip.com which will give Sydney FC Members access to exclusive travel discounts and special offers

Decathlon Australia teamed up with SportsBox to launch the nation’s first solar-powered smart lockers providing free sports equipment on demand and breaking down cost barriers to participation (new research from Decathlon revealed 73% of Aussies see cost as a hurdle to playing sport and exercising)

Surfing Victoria and VicHealth announced they’re expanding the UNCLOUD campaign – a peer-to-peer platform that empowers young Victorians to say no to nicotine and vaping

NSW Swifts welcomed home appliance producer Sunbeam as its new Official Membership Partner for 2026

Rebel and HYROX announced a new partnership which will see Rebel become the exclusive sporting retailer of the Puma x HYROX apparel and footwear range - Rebel will also host activations at HYROX events nationwide

Hawthorn FC reaffirmed its reputation as the competition’s social media kings, topping this year’s AFL TikTok ladder, ahead of Collingwood, Fremantle and Essendon

Gorden Tallis and Matt Johns along with their wives, Gemma Elder and Trish Johns were unveiled among a host of new Gold Coast Titans owners, under the Frizelle family

@mattyjohnsaus

A post shared by Matthew Johns on Instagram: "Can’t Wait For 2026."

Brisbane Heat announced that the The Presets will play pre-game and half-time sets at its New Year’s Bash event at the Gabba on 2 January against the Melbourne Stars

Victoria Racing Club is hosting a number of epic builds in the Bird Cage from brands such as Lexus, Crown, TAB, G.H Mumm, Don Julio and Kirin Ichiban at the Melbourne Cup Carnival

@heraldsun

A post shared by Trusted news for Victoria on Instagram: "From Lexus to Crown, G.H. Mumm to Kirin Ichiban — take a first look inside the most exclusive scene of the Spring Racing Carnival.

#SpringRacingCarnival #Birdcage2025 #MelbourneCup"

Football Australia launched a new $99 premium membership program called FA+ giving Socceroos fans priority access to tickets for next year’s World Cup, plus enhanced benefits and priority access to exclusive football experiences

Cricket Australia, in partnership with NRMA Insurance launched the NRMA Insurance Ashes Trophy Tour - Steve Waugh delivered the trophy to the SCG via helicopter to kick things off

@ourscg

A post shared by Sydney Cricket Ground on Instagram: "Good morning from the SCG ☀️

#Ashes"

SA Government launched “The Power of Her “ initiative which will see codes cross promote a jam-packed series of elite women’s competition running from October through to March 2026, encouraging members and fans to attend a key fixture from another team’s season

Plans for the world’s first Snowtunnel Park, featuring a patented rotating snow tunnel that provides an “endless mountain” experience with real powder snow was unveiled - The first venue is planned to open in 2027 and sites in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are being considered as potential locations

Penrith Panthers unveiled fresh renders of Penrith Stadium showing vast grandstands with steeper inclines for better sightlines, enhanced landscapes and amenity upgrades including more accessible seating and food and beverage outlets

Victoria Bitter wrote a cheeky letter to England on behalf of Australia and ahead of the upcoming 2025-26 Ashes series which has shown up in English newspapers - see here

Seattle Seahawks (via TGI Sport) hosted a networking breakfast and watch party at the Hickens Hotel in Melbourne’s CBD - Ben Graham, Earl Thomas, and Blitz (Seahawks mascot) were in attendance

It was announced that the Nike Melbourne Marathon will return on Sunday 11th October, 2026

FIFA and DAZN announced they’re joining forces to relaunch the global football platform, FIFA+ in 2026 - it will be free for fans around the world, with a premium offer also available

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Hear from influential leaders including Ryan Holloway, Rob Woodhouse, Sterling Mortlock, Adam Boyle, Brent Richardson, Jimmy Chan, Anthony Lawrence, Isaak Dury, Sarah Styles, Renae Domaschenz, and Tony Hood – sharing insights on growth, capital, and transformation. And much more in the full program.

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Why and how signature cocktails are showing up in Australian sports

Beer, wine and spirits are synonymous with sport in Australia and across the world.

Many of the Australia’s biggest sports have major partnerships with drinks brands. For example, Australia’s two biggest football codes both have high-profile partnerships with blue-chip beer brands:

AFL - Carlton Draught
NRL - Victoria Bitter

Many of the teams from their respective league’s also have alcohol partnerships. These are leveraged in a variety of ways:

Media: e.g. in-stadium, broadcast, apparel, social media, PR, etc.
Product distribution: via pourage rights across stadiums and events
New products/product customisation: often launched to mark a key milestone or achievement – e.g. XXXX recently launched two limited-edition can designs to celebrate the trio of Brisbane Premiership wins - Brisbane Lions, Brisbane Broncos NRL + NRLW

A new drinks segment is recognising the untapped potential of sport partnerships, signalling the start of a growing trend in Australia.

Signature cocktails are a new way that spirits brands are leveraging partnerships with major sports events

At this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, Don Julio (Diageo) launched an exclusive ‘Don Julio Golden Gallop’ cocktail as part of its partnership with Victoria Racing Club.

In 2024, Tennis Australia announced a new partnership with Grey Goose which became the Official Vodka Partner of the Australian Open. To activate this partnership, Grey Goose launched its new ‘Lemon Ace’ cocktail for AO25.

After it’s inaugural year, Tennis Australia just announced the return of the Grey Goose Lemon Ace cocktail for AO26, which will be served as a freshly mixed cocktail or as a ready-to-drink beverage from the revamped Courtside Bar.

This new signature cocktail-trend has drawn inspiration from global major sports events

There are multiple major sports events from across the globe that have their own official, or unofficial cocktail.

Some of the more notable ones and their core ingredients include:

US Open - Honey Deuce (Grey Goose)
Roland Garros – Ace Royal (Champagne)
Wimbledon – Pimms Cup (Pimms)
Kentucky Derby - Mint Julep (Kentucky Bourbon)
Masters – The Azalea (Vodka/Gin)

What’s giving rise to this trend?

Sport is no longer just about what happens in the arena, it’s also about everything surrounding it.

The “festivalisation” of sports is accelerating, blending live sport with things like music, food, culture, fashion and brand activations that offer richer, more immersive experiences designed to attract the next generation of fans and deliver commercial returns.

Younger audiences, particularly Gen Z, are drawn to these experiences - A recent report from MKTG Sports + Entertainment found that social status is a major sports attendance driver among Gen Z, and that this cohort attend live events to elevate their social status.

Signature cocktails can help Gen Z do just that. These drinks are not just refreshments, they’re visually distinctive and designed for social sharing. They often act as a souvenir and serve as social currency, and a signifier of access and attendance (sometimes exclusive) at sports events.

Related: The festivalisation of sports

For sports, signature cocktails can help elevate the fan experience and draw new fans to events. Gen Z expect brands to provide them the opportunity to create new stories that can immortalise their event experience on social media so experiences are no longer a ‘nice to have’ in a sponsorship plan to target Gen Z – they’re essential.

Sports that own “festival” experiences appear to be particularly appealing to drinks brands/sponsors as they provide key opportunities for product distribution on a mass scale. The following major sports events and their respective partnership portolfio’s are prime examples:

Australian Open – Grey Goose, Bookvale Union, Canadian Club, Aperol, Asahi Super Dry (festival atmosphere), Luzhou Laojiao
Victoria Racing Club – Kirin Ichiban, DeBortoli, Don Julio, G.H. Mumm

The ROI - why brands want to create their signature cocktail for sports

There are multiple brand and commercial benefits to successfully creating a signature drink that aligns to a major sports event.

Building a strong connection between an event and its signature drink takes investment and a long-term commitment, but when executed well, it can drive both high-volume sales and premium pricing, creating lasting value for the brand and the event alike.

125,000+ Mint Julep’s are enjoyed by fans over the 2-day period of Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs Racetrack. (required 10,000 bottles of Kentucky bourbon, 2,250 pounds of freshly harvested mint and 475,000 pounds of ice)
300,000+ Pimm’s Cups are served across Wimbledon each year
100,000+ Lemon Ace’s were sold in its inaugural year at the the 2025 Australian Open
738,459 Honey Deuce’s were sold at this years US Open for $23 per drink, totaling $17m in sales (+$5m from 2024)

According to Fern Barrett, Tennis Australia’s head of product growth and innovation, The Australian Open’s Lemon Ace is “…a deliberate play to replicate the Honey Deuce’s success, building a new ritual from scratch for a tournament that prides itself on being modern and fan-friendly.

Using signature drinks for brand building via major sports events

Signature drinks are made for content – they’re visually distinctive, colourful, photogenic and instantly shareable.

Their visual appeal makes them a powerful driver of organic and earned media:

Celebrities, social media influencers and fans post themselves having a drink on social media - this and can help turn a simple sponsorship into a cultural moment
Media routinely covers “what to drink” at major sports events, and around the city’s that host them

Ownership of the moment

When a brand/drink owns a “ritual” (e.g. the drink you must have at the event), it cements itself in the fans’ memory (creating mental availability) and builds its association with the sport.

Brand positioning

For established brands, aligning to particular major sports event can help with brand positioning – e.g. a drink that become synonymous with the AO may also build an association with summer. For challenger brands, a high-profile sports sponsorship (leveraged with a signature drink) can deliver instant legitimacy.

Impactful sponsorship activation
Instead of just a logo placement, the drink activates the sponsorship by putting it in the hands of fans, offering them something tangible.

The playbook on how to establish a signature cocktail drink in association with a major sports event

1. Make it credible and craft a recipe that fans actually want to drink

A successful signature cocktail has to taste as good as it looks. This isn’t a gimmick, it’s about creating a drink that enhances the fan experience. Partnering with a respected mixologist or spirits brand brings credibility and craftsmanship to the table - Don Julio’s Golden Gallop has been crafted by award-winning bartender James Irvine

2. Make it visually distinctive

A great signature cocktail should be unmistakable. Its look (the colour, garnish, and glassware), should be designed for the camera as much as the palate. The Kentucky Derby’s Mint Julep is traditionally served in a beautiful silver or pewter cup - The idea is once you add all the ingredients, the drink is stirred rapidly and the crushed ice causes the cup to frost on the outside.

Front Office Sports: Inside the 120,000-Cup Mint Julep Frenzy of Kentucky Derby Weekend

3. Build awareness

Creating a signature drink is as much about storytelling as it is about mixology. Pre-event promotion should build intrigue and ritual. Honey Deuce became synonymous with the US Open through activations like the Last Serve Bar pop-up at Grand Central Station in New York City, which took place prior to the US Open. Grey Goose ambassador, and French tennis player Frances Tiafoe made an appearance alongside his girlfriend Ayan Broomfield, tennis WAG and influencer Morgan Riddle, comedian Hannah Berner, and other notable guests.

4. Get the right people drinking it and amplify it via PR and social media

Nothing builds desirability like the right people being seen with the drink. Invite celebrities, athletes, commentators, and influencers to drink it (often via formal ambassador partnerships) and leverage these moments through Paid & earned media, and official event channels.

Collingwood FC player Isaac Quaynor has partnered with Don Julio to promote its Golden Gallop Cocktail

isaacquaynor

A post shared by @isaacquaynor

A quick search of #greygooselemonace reveals the suite of celebrities and influencers that promoted themselves drinking Grey Goose Lemon Ace’s during this year’s Australian Open.

Some of the world’s biggest stars have treated themselves to a Honey deuce - Serena Williams posted her first taste test of the drink to TikTok last year, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have been spotted drinking them courtside (via the Daily Mail) and so have social media influencers such as Morgan Riddle and Brittany Willaims.

@serena Honey dew #usopen #fyp #foryourpage #serenawilliams

Tiktok failed to load.

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5. Ensure an efficient operation and seamless buying experience

Major sports events attract hundreds of thousands of fans, and once drinks hit a certain level of popularity, massive demand can cause operational challenges. For example - The US Open attracts 1,000,000+ fans through the gates and one Honey Deuce is sold every 1.5 seconds during the tournament- this has led to notoriously long lines and wait times. To ensure supply can efficiently meet demand, brands may need to consider selling pre-mixed versions or figure out a way to increase distribution (add new bars, increase staffing)… a good problem to have.

6. Extend beyond the arena and event

To fully leverage the popularity and ritual of a major sports moment, brands should think beyond the venue and the event to maximise sales and revenue. Extend the experience geographically, by creating activations and partnerships outside the arena, and temporally, by running campaigns in the lead-up and aftermath. Grey Goose has extended beyond the US open via “Honey Deuce season” - a popular promotional period for the drink around the U.S. Open which is activated in multiple ways:

“Last Serve Bar” in Grand Central Terminal offering Honey Deuce samples in the lead up to the tournament
Partnerships with top NYC bars which offer their own versions of the cocktail
A delivery service in partnership with Door Dash enabling fans to order Honey Deuce Kits to their door

7. Take a long term approach

Building a ritual from scratch is much like launching a new brand. It’s about creating awareness, establishing equity, and earning loyalty over time. True adoption doesn’t happen after a single event, it requires consistency, investment, and patience. The most successful signature cocktails, from the Pimm’s Cup to the Honey Deuce, became iconic because they’ve been nurtured and repeated year after year.

Signature cocktails with a long-standing tie to sports:

Pimm’s Cup – Wimbledon (since 1971)
Mint Julep – Kentucky Derby (since the 1930s)

Signature cocktails with a modern tie to sport:

Honey Duece - US Open (since 2007)
Lemon Ace - Australian Open - (since 2025)
Golden Gallup - Melbourne Cup Carnival (since 2025)

Where are the current opportunities in Australia to launch new signature cocktails?

Signature cocktails are particularly popular among horse racing and tennis around the world. But what opportunities are there for other sports and spirits brands to introduce something similar?

Highly popular Australian major sports events that offer festival-like experiences appear to offer potential for these types of new partnerships - Examples include:

SailGP - Australian Sail Grand Prix
LIV Golf Adelaide
AFL & NRL Grand Final’s
AFL Gather Round
NRL Magic Round
NRL State of Origin
Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix
Bathurst 1000
Boxing Day Test

Which sport or brand do you think should launch a new signature cocktail? Are there any other notable examples that we’ve missed?