Winter sport is officially back in Australia with the AFL and the NRL both completing their opening rounds of the competition over the weekend. In a shock to the unified egg chasing fans, both the defending premiers the Brisbane Lions and the Brisbane Broncos suffered defeats.
In the AFL The Western Bulldogs kicked seven fourth-quarter goals to overcome a late 26 point deficit, pulling off a stunning five-point win over the defending champs. For its NRL counterpart, the Broncos were completely outclassed by an ambitious and professional Panthers side, who was out for revenge. The Broncos didn’t even cross the line, and in the end was humiliated in front of a home crowd 26 to zip.
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In the US yesterday, Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo etched himself into the NBA record books, scoring the second most points in an NBA game in history. In the Heat’s 21 point victory over the Washington Wizards Adebayo went absolutely ballistic, scoring a mammoth 83 points.
Fans had mixed emotions of the scoring record due to the fact that the centre scored 36 free throws on his way to pass Kobe Bryant’s previous record of 81 points.
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Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
Circling back to Aussie shores West Coast Eagles has new creative and media agencies, realestate.com.au and Sydney Swans celebrated 10 years with a three year extension, as the principal partner Youi has brought back its fan zone on Brisbane Lions game days, Airtasker has returned to the F1 circuit for the second consecutive year via the Racing Bulls, Grove Juice has poured itself into Coles Little Athletics Australia and HCLTech has entered the hockey field.
West Coast Eagles x Carat & Hypnosis
Carat and Hypnosis have been appointed as agency of records for the West Coast Eagles. The agency’s first major assignment is the launch of the club’s new brand platform, ‘All The Way West’ which went live last Friday with a high-impact activation across broadcast, out of home, press and digital channels.
‘All The Way West’ captures the spirit that runs through every Eagle’s heart, on the field, in the stands, and everywhere in between. “West’ is not simply a place on the map. It represents an identity and a mindset. It reflects the pride, loyalty and resilience that define the West Coast Eagles community, and the lengths people go for the club and for each other.
At the centre of the campaign are the members and fans who embody that spirit. The people who do not just show up but stand up. The ones who drive hours to attend games, and those watching and cheering from towns across Western Australia, across the country and around the world.
Rather than looking back nostalgically, the campaign focuses on the living culture of the club today. It celebrates the everyday acts of commitment that connect the team and its supporters, wherever they are.
Creative across the campaign captures these moments of connection and pride, highlighting the powerful bond between the team and the people who stand behind it.
The appointment sees Carat take on media planning and buying across the Eagles’ brand campaign along with membership, matchday attendance drives, community programmes and commercial partnerships. The work spans traditional and digital channels, with a brief that extends beyond pure acquisition to encompass fan engagement and brand positioning in an increasingly competitive Perth sporting landscape.
The ‘All The Way West’ launch was anchored by a partnership with Triple M, with Xavier Ellis and Katie Lamb broadcasting a special breakfast outside broadcast from Mineral Resources Park, the club’s headquarters, in front of 150 fan guests.
Eagles’ talent then headed to the Triple M studios to take over the airwaves, with the likes of Jake Waterman and Harley Reid on the mics and decks, creating a closer connection for fans through authentic storytelling. The day culminated in an on-air giveaway to experience flying with the West Coast Eagles team, with a VIP charter experience.
OOH activity rolled out across Perth, putting the new brand platform into the city’s streetscape.
“We were looking for partners who understood that our mission isn’t just about filling seats, it’s about celebrating the people who make this club what it is, strengthening our connection with our members, fans, partners and community and inspiring the next generation of supporters” said Sara Pagano, executive general manager of brand, marketing and digital growth at the West Coast Eagles.
“As a club with a proud 40‑year history and an already incredibly strong brand, ‘All The Way West’ gives us a way to honour what it truly means to be part of the West Coast Eagles. Hypnosis and Carat clearly demonstrated they understood our brand’s vision and objectives, and we are incredibly excited to be on this journey with them.”
Michelle Testa and Charles Dangibeaud, both client partners at Carat, will co-lead the strategic direction of briefs, working directly with the Eagles’ marketing team.
“The Eagles have one of the most engaged supporter bases in the country, but they also have serious commercial objectives and operate in a market where media investment needs to deliver,” said Testa. “We’ll need to balance brand-building with performance, navigate the seasonality of the AFL calendar, and find ways to cut through in an increasingly crowded Perth sports market. It’s the kind of challenge we’re set up to handle.”
“What excited us about this brief is the ambition behind it. All The Way West isn’t a campaign – it’s a platform the club will build on for years. Our job is to make sure the media strategy matches that ambition, starting with a launch that gave Perth something to talk about,” concluded Dangibeaud.
Sydney Swans x realestate.com.au
realestate.com.au, has renewed its major partnership with the Sydney Swans for a further three years, across both the AFL and AFLW.
The new agreement will see realestate.com.au continue as a major partner of the Sydney Swans, retaining its premium branding on the back of the club’s guernsey and across high-impact LED signage, ensuring strong visibility at the ground and in broadcast.
The partnership will expand to a whole-of-club arrangement in 2027, with realestate.com.au extending its support to the Sydney Swans AFLW program as major partner. The expansion aims to deepen the brand’s connection with footy fans and audiences across both the men’s and women’s competitions.
REA Group general manager audience and marketing, Sarah Myers, said this season marks the brand’s 10th year as a sponsor and the new long-term agreement celebrates the strength and success of the partnership.
“We’re incredibly proud to be marking this 10-year milestone with a new long-term commitment. Over the past decade, our partnership with the Swans has been a powerful platform, helping us build brand love and trust with property-obsessed Sydneysiders,” she said.
“Combining two of Australia’s favourite pastimes—property and sport—continues to be a winning play and is a key part of our broader marketing mix. We’re helping more Australians than ever before in their property journey with a record number choosing the realestate.com.au app in January.”
“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with realestate.com.au and we’re incredibly grateful for the support they’ve shown our club over the past decade,” concluded Sydney Swans CEO, Matthew Pavlich.
“realestate.com.au has become a familiar and much-loved part of our iconic red and white guernsey and we’re excited that will extend to our AFLW team from 2027. On behalf of everyone at the club, I’d like to thank the team at REA Group and I look forward to many more years to come with realestate.com.au by our side.”
Brisbane Lions x Youi
Brisbane Lions fans have a new way to experience the action at the Gabba this season, with Youi unveiling the Youi Fan House – a dedicated in-stadium fan space positioned right behind the eastern goalposts.
The Youi Fan House will be open for all Lions home games transforming the Gabba’s iconic verandah into a space with the best seats in the house, ‘behind-the-goals’ views, club memorabilia, and an unbeatable game-day atmosphere.
As the official partner of footy fans and principal partner of the Brisbane Lions, Youi created the Fan House as a place where all footy fans can gather and share the atmosphere of live AFL together.
Youi Chief Marketing Officer, Angela Greenwood said fans build the foundation of footy, and for a team built on this belief, the Youi Fan House sets the scene for a thrilling season of Brisbane Lions home games, allowing fans to support their team toward a third consecutive premiership.
“The Youi Fan House reflects our commitment to the fans who make footy what it is,” Greenwood said. “It’s not just about backing a team—it’s about belonging to the game. Our ambition was to create something truly unparalleled—a fan experience at the Gabba that stands alongside the very best in game-day experiences in sport. From the location right behind the goals to the memorabilia, every detail has been designed to bring fans closer to the game.
“The Youi Fan House celebrates the passion of the Brisbane Lions and its supporters, while also welcoming any footy fan who wants to soak up the atmosphere at the Gabba. As the Brisbane Lions’ principal partner, we’re proud to invest in something that genuinely gives back to the community that makes this club and this sport so special—the fans.”
With momentum well and truly built after a standout 2025 season, the Brisbane Lions’ identity is defined by its passionate and loyal fan base.
Sam Graham, Brisbane Lions CEO said the Youi Fan House reflects the heart and dedication of the partnership between the Lions and Youi.
“Success isn’t made overnight; it’s built through years of unwavering belief from our players, our fans and our partners. We are grateful for Youi’s commitment to fans and its investment in the Youi Fan House allows fans of the Lions, and lovers of the game to enjoy one of the best views at the Gabba like never before,” he said.
“We’re excited to see the Youi Fan House come to live. Our players love the noise, energy and atmosphere of fans being so close to the field and we’re looking forward to seeing the Youi Fan House at capacity throughout the 2026 season.”
Racing Bulls x Airtasker
Local services marketplace Airtasker is back at the track for a second year with the Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula 1 team (VCARB). Airtasker sees success in using global sport sponsorship as a deliberate market-infiltration strategy, with the world of motorsport racing creating a powerful platform.
The partnership with VCARB focuses on the mechanics, engineers and the full team who make race day happen. This is much like taskers in the Airtasker community, who work behind the scenes of customers’ lives every day to get things done.
VCARB also utilises Airtasker’s platform for support on different tasks in the lead-up to race weekends, including the timely task of packing Paddock Club guests’ items in the UK, and also a recent (and once-in-a-lifetime) task which was to relocate an important item around Melbourne, showcasing a true partnership between the brands.
Airtasker has also spotlighted the VCARB team behind the scenes through its media-for-equity partnership with oOh!media. The campaign extends the voices of mechanics, engineers, and crew across billboards citywide, offering a rare insight into the world beyond the garage doors.
For Airtasker founder and CEO Tim Fung, the company’s partnership with VCARB was grounded in global ambition.
“We’re not buying awareness. We’re buying acceleration,” said Fung. “If you’re building a global brand from Australia, you need global stages. Our partnership with VCARB gives us a platform that signals credibility in the UK and US faster than traditional marketing channels.”
As a marketplace built on trust, Airtasker sees brand recognition in new markets as a lever that reduces customer acquisition friction and strengthens its position with both customers and taskers.
“In marketplaces, trust compounds,” Fung added. “When you enter a new country, compressing the time it takes to build that trust can materially impact growth.”
Australian scale-ups are now thinking internationally earlier, and investing in premium global platforms as part of their expansion blueprint rather than as a late-stage marketing luxury.
Global sports platforms are being viewed not as a replacement for traditional marketing, but as one potential lever within a broader expansion strategy—particularly when entering markets where brand familiarity and credibility take time to establish.
As competition intensifies in offshore markets, structured sponsorship investment is emerging as a strategic shortcut to credibility and commercial access.
Little Athletics x Grove Juice
Grove Juice has poured itself into Coles Little Athletics Australia as a major sponsor.
As part of the partnership Grove Juice will be a major sponsor of the 2026 Coles Australian Little Athletics Championships (ALAC) and the 2026 Coles Little Athletics Australia Hall of Fame Ceremony.
On the other spike, Grove Juice will keep athletes, spectators and officials refreshed with fresh Grove Juice throughout ALAC and at the Hall of Fame Ceremony.
As a team-based championship event for under 12 and under 13 athletes, ALAC places strong emphasis on team spirit and camaraderie. Grove Juice will enhance the team experience by providing Grove Juice bean bags within the team areas, giving athletes a comfortable space to relax between events while cheering on their State and Territory teammates.
It will also proudly support the Grove Juice Volunteer of the Year Award, which will be presented at the Hall of Fame Ceremony. Each nominee will receive a Grove Juice Gift Pack in recognition of their dedication and contribution. The winner of the Grove Juice Volunteer of the Year Award will receive a $2,000 cash voucher in recognition of their outstanding service to Little Athletics.
To celebrate the inaugural year of this new award, the winner’s Little Athletics Centre will also receive a season supply of Grove Juice, helping to power Little Athletes throughout the season.
CEO of Coles Little Athletics Australia Myles Foreman said he was delighted to welcome Grove Juice as a major partner.
“We are excited to be partnering with Grove Juice for our premier national events in 2026. ALAC is a celebration of teamwork, sportsmanship and community, and Grove Juice’s commitment to keeping our athletes refreshed and supporting our incredible volunteers aligns perfectly with our values,” he said.
“Our volunteers are the backbone of Little Athletics across Australia, and we are thrilled that Grove Juice is helping us recognise and reward their contribution in such a meaningful way.”
“Grove Juice is proudly grown and made in Australia, so supporting young Australians in grassroots sport feels like a natural fit for us. Coles Little Athletics is where confidence, teamwork and resilience begin, and we’re thrilled to play a small role in helping athletes, families and volunteers enjoy such a special national event,” concluded Liz Brookes, head of marketing at Grove Juice.
“We are especially proud to support the Grove Juice Volunteer of the Year Award. Volunteers are the heartbeat of community sport, and recognising their dedication aligns strongly with our own commitment to the communities and growers who support us every day.”
Hockey Victoria x HCLTech
HCLTech, a leading global technology company, has entered the Melbourne Cobra Franchise via Hockey Victoria.
The Melbourne Cobras is the eighth franchise to join Australia’s premier domestic hockey competition. As part of Hockey Victoria’s vision to build a globally connected and inclusive franchise, the Melbourne Cobras will bring together Indian international players alongside leading local talent, strengthening the future of the sport in the region while celebrating the diversity of the community.
As part of the partnership, HCLTech will design and develop a digital fan engagement platform for Hockey Victoria and the Melbourne Cobras. Going beyond traditional sponsorship, HCLTech will apply its global experience in building large-scale digital platforms for sports organizations to enhance fan engagement across digital channels.
The platform will feature live match insights, interactive content and personalization, helping fans across Australia and India connect more closely with the team and the sport.
“We are proud to partner with Hockey Victoria to launch the Melbourne Cobras,” said Sonia Eland, executive vice president and country manager, Australia and New Zealand, HCLTech. “We have helped leading sports organizations around the world build strong, scalable fan platforms and we are excited to bring that experience here to create a more connected fan experience and help grow hockey across Australia and India.”
“The launch of the Melbourne Cobras represents a defining moment for Hockey Victoria and for the future of our sport,” concluded Andrew Skillern, chief executive officer of Hockey Victoria.
“From the outset, our vision was to build a team that reflects the diversity of our community while showcasing world-class hockey talent on an international stage. Partnering with HCLTech enables us to offer a truly innovative and inclusive experience for fans.”
