The October long weekend delivered two unlikely champions in the footy finals, with the Western Bulldogs and Cronulla Sharks ending their respective premiership droughts, so what does this mean for their sponsors?
Matt Connell, managing director of sport and entertainment at MKTG, said the underdog stories of this year’s AFL and NRL grand finals will not only provide a massive boost for their current sponsors, but also open a lot more doors with other brands who want to bask in their limelight.
“The AFL combined average [TV] rating was close to 4.1 million, peaking at 5.16 million – an audience that the sponsors of the Western Bulldogs have simply not seen throughout the history of the club,” he told B&T.
“On top of the immediate windfall that these clubs will receive from the likes of merchandise sales, the wins will give them great momentum in attracting strong brands to explore future partnership opportunities.”
Connell noted that Aussies love an underdog story, and equally many brands enjoy being associated with that success.
“However, from a sponsorship point-of-view, the Holy Grail is being able to identify these underdog stories and opportunities before they eventuate,” he said.
“No easy feat to predict, and like Mission Foods with the Bulldogs, you may need to invest for the long-term before you see the return on sponsorship investment to this scale.”
