Home » Spotlight On Sponsors: Brand Loyalty Keeps Hawthorn FC On Track During Rocky Times

8 February, 2024

Spotlight On Sponsors: Brand Loyalty Keeps Hawthorn FC On Track During Rocky Times

Hawthorn Football Club has had a rocky few years, from reports of systemic racism inside the clubs walls to a five year run at the bottom half of the table it’s been anything but easy to be a Hawks fan.

Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we unpack all the major sponsorship news from each NRL and AFL team in the lead-up to the new season.

Despite all the chaos unfolding inside the club however, the community surrounding the team has remained strong, with major sponsors continuing on for multi-year deals and huge partnerships keeping fans connected with their club, even at the darkest of times.

B&T has you covered on all the major sponsorship news from the Hawks below!

Nissan

Nissan has been a proud sponsor of Hawthorn since 2018, and in 2022, the automotive brand resigned for a further five years, securing their partnership across AFL, VFL and VFLW programs until the end of the 2026 season.

The sponsorship sees Nissan branding appear on the team’s playing shorts and coaches’ apparel. The recognisable logo also appears on the club’s media backdrop and game day change room signage, amongst a range of other entitlements.

“Nissan and our Dealers are extremely excited to continue to partner with the team at Hawthorn Football Club. With a number of plans in the works, the ongoing sponsorship enables Nissan to continue to engage with AFL and Hawks fans nationally, inspired by the passion and excitement for football,” said Nissan Australia managing director Adam Paterson in 2022. “As a brand, we are committed to putting our customers – past, present and future – at the forefront of everything we do. This is a very like-minded approach at the family club that is Hawthorn, whose fans and members always come first”.

Ryman Healthcare

An unexpected partnership, but a productive one nonetheless, sees Hawthorne partner with retirement village provider Ryman Healthcare. First signing in 2023, the multi-year deal saw the aged care provider become the club’s Premier Partner across both Hawthorn’s AFL and AFLW programs.

The partnership, which sees Ryman’s branding feature across both AFL and AFLW changeroom signage, media banners and men’s training footballs, is deep-rooted in community values.

Ryman Australia CEO Cameron Holland (left) and Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves (right)

“Like Hawthorn, Ryman Healthcare has an incredibly strong reach within Melbourne’s south-east and prides itself on developing genuine connections within local communities,” said Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves last year. “Hawthorn couldn’t be happier to be joining forces with such progressive and caring retirement village providers in Ryman Healthcare, and we hope members and fans can benefit from this partnership”.

KFC

KFC first signed on with Hawthorn back in 2021, and their partnership has remained strong ever since. KFC has been the club’s membership partner since first signing, activating their brand both on and off the field across member initiatives and match days. The partnership also includes key brand integration across the players and coaches.

“Both Hawthorn and KFC share a rich history of success which spans several decades, and we couldn’t be prouder to team up with the family favourite brand ahead of the 2021 season,” said Hawthorn CEO Justin Reeves in 2021. “Signing a multi-year deal with KFC is another significant and positive milestone for the club, and we warmly welcome KFC to the Hawks family,” said Reeves.