The summer of sports is heating up, and the Australian Open partnerships are coming in hot.
Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
Let’s dive in!
Grey Goose x AO
Grey Goose has announced its inaugural partnership with the Australian Open, where it is set to bring an unforgettable blend of style, sophistication and joy as the tournament’s official vodka partner in 2025 and beyond.
Kicking off next month, this multi-year alliance promises to enhance the fan experience with an all-new summer cocktail honouring the iconic Grand Slam, along with two exclusive courtside hospitality offerings at the much-loved event, which has become a highlight of Australia’s cultural and sporting calendar.
In time for the Open, Grey Goose will debut the Grey Goose Lemon Ace, which has been named a signature serve of the Australian Open 2025. A vodka-infused cocktail created exclusively for tennis fans, the citrus-forward creation combines a perfectly balanced blend of Grey Goose original vodka, passionfruit syrup and sparkling lemonade, served over ice and garnished with a lemon ball and fresh mint. Capturing the zest of the Australian summer, the Grey Goose Lemon Ace showcases Grey Goose’s renowned artistry in crafting visually stunning and fresh-tasting cocktails.
The partnership and introduction of the Grey Goose Lemon Ace builds on Grey Goose’s celebrated global tennis legacy, following its longstanding collaboration with the US Open, where the Honey Deuce™ US Open Signature Cocktail has become a worldwide sensation. Seen in the hands of multiple A-List celebrities at this year’s tournament, the raspberry-accented signature US Open cocktail has amplified Grey Goose’s presence in the global tennis landscape. Grey Goose now aims to replicate this success at the Australian Open with the Grey Goose Lemon Ace, positioning it as the must-have cocktail of the summer.
Further elevating Melbourne Park’s courtside hospitality, Grey Goose will offer fans memorable and stylish ways to embrace the AO with two exclusive, one-of-a-kind experiences designed to complement the tournament’s electric atmosphere.
The Grey Goose Rooftop at the Courtside Bar–an innovative concept introduced last year with sweeping views over Court 6–will be transformed into a Grey Goose haven, where fans can enjoy the action with a freshly mixed Grey Goose Lemon Ace, exclusive to the first-floor bar for ground pass holders. While there, guests can order from a curated cocktail menu, with the bar’s chic ambience setting the mood from day to night.
Meanwhile, Grey Goose will take centre stage at the balcony bar within Club 1905, the new AO Reserve hospitality space named in honour of the Australian Open’s foundation year. Offering unparalleled luxury, Grey Goose will present a drinks menu featuring Classic Grey Goose Martinis and signature serves of its new prestige vodka, Grey Goose Altius.
Elsewhere, fans can enjoy Grey Goose Lemon Ace at a range of hospitality venues across the Melbourne Park precinct.
“We are thrilled to bring Grey Goose to the Australian Open, a world-class event that celebrates talent, passion and unforgettable moments. This exciting partnership allows us to enhance the off-court experience, offering fans the chance to enjoy the signature craftsmanship and luxury of Grey Goose in an atmosphere of unmatched excitement and celebration. We cannot wait to share the Grey Goose Lemon Ace with fans both locally and globally who follow this incredible tournament,” said Grey Goose, Bacardi-Martini Australia managing director Luiz Schmidt.
Emirates x AO
The Australian Open and Emirates Airlines have renewed their highly successful global partnership. Emirates will remain the Official Airline of the Australian Open until 2029, with this year marking a decade of the longstanding partnership.
In 2025, the partnership will extend outside of the Australian Open and make a meaningful impact in local communities in need. Emirates and the Australian Tennis Foundation have teamed up on an initiative funded by the airline’s ‘Force for Good’ program. Emirates is investing $2.25 million over five years to inspire brighter futures for disadvantaged children and young people through tennis.
The program will be rolled out across five key Australian cities, targeting children and young people from vulnerable backgrounds who may otherwise not have the opportunity to engage with the sport.
Using tennis as a powerful tool to promote both physical and mental wellbeing, the partnership aims to foster a sense of belonging for disadvantaged youth.
Over the next five years, the initiative will deliver free tennis programs in these cities, offering a structured and supportive environment where young participants can develop not only their sporting skills but also essential life skills such as resilience, teamwork and social connection. Through this collaboration, Emirates and the ATF aim to break down barriers, providing these young people with the resources and opportunities they need to thrive.
“Our five-year renewal with Tennis Australia on top of an existing decade-long partnership is another demonstration of Emirates’ longstanding commitment to Australia, in line with almost three decades of service since our inaugural flight to Melbourne,” Emirates’ Divisional vice president Australasia, Barry Brown said.
“We’re proud to work with Tennis Australia to connect incredible players to fans both globally and on the ground in Australia. The Australian Open is an event that sits at the cornerstone of Australia’s sporting calendar, and we are excited to provide fans with unique experiences for the next edition and in the years ahead.”
The AO Ballpark presented by Emirates will again offer an immersive tennis experience, featuring fun tennis activities for kids and families. With activities for children as young as two, the AO Ballpark premieres on Kids Tennis Day, Saturday 11 January, and is open throughout the tournament.
The AO Ballpark will be themed as an airport and includes a variety of interactive games and activities, including the Emirates Explorers and Little Traveller zones.
New Balance x Melbourne Vixens
New Balance will become the Official Apparel Supplier of the Melbourne Vixens netball team in 2025, producing the team’s playing and training kit for the next three years.
The sports apparel brand will also feature in the Vixens’ merchandise offering, intersecting sport and culture with high-quality products for fans.
New Balance’s products meet the rigorous standards of elite athletes, and exceed industry benchmarks in their approach to quality and standards of social responsibility and sustainability.
The Melbourne Vixens playing dress – which will be revealed in 2025 – will feature a custom shape and design resulting from extensive collaboration between New Balance and the Vixens’ playing group.
New Balance’s mission to elevate athletes and aid them in their high performance pursuits is praised by Melbourne Vixens’ goaler, Lily Graham who, after her Suncorp Super Netball debut in 2024, is set to join the next generation of household names.
As the face of the new partnership between New Balance and the Melbourne Vixens, the 19-year-old is proud to work with a brand strongly aligned with the values of the team, particularly in supporting the development of athletes.
“As an athlete, I look for the perfect balance between training kit and streetwear which is why I have been so drawn to New Balance as a brand,” said Melbourne Vixens athlete Lily Graham. “Their investment in athletes is also something really appealing about New Balance, particularly as I begin my elite athlete journey”.
“We’re proud to welcome New Balance to the Vixens family and look forward to the coming years of the partnership that will see the Vixens brand elevated on court and through fan engagement and community initiatives,” said Netball Victoria CEO, Andrea Pearman.
“The Vixens are highly competitive and have a proud history of success in the world’s best netball league, and it seems only fitting that we partner with a global brand in New Balance to elevate our brand.”
The 2025 Melbourne Vixens dress will be revealed early next year, with the merchandise offering for fans available to be available across the season.
Pepper Money x Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers have announced Australian non-bank lender, Pepper Money, as the club’s major partner for the next three seasons.
Pepper Money have been official Premier Partners since 2023, and in 2025 the new multi-million-dollar deal will see Pepper Money proudly worn on the front of both the NRL and NRLW team jerseys.
In an exclusive sponsorship launch attended by club legends, Benji Marshall, Brett Kimmorley, Kezie Apps, and Apisai Koroisau, new players Royce Hunt and Jack Bird, corporate partners, fans, and government representatives, the club unveiled their new-look NRL playing jersey for the 2025 season.
The partnership will also maintain Pepper Money’s prominent presence across multiple assets, including:
- Branding on head coaches Benji Marshall and Brett Kimmorley’s apparel and the coaches box, continuing its support across both male and female leagues as it has for the past two seasons.
- Key inclusion on media backdrops and game-day signage at all home games.
“Wests Tigers are proud to partner with a leading brand like Pepper Money, showcasing our commitment to excellence in sports partnerships,” said Wests Tigers chief commercial officer, Peter Lang.
“This partnership not only represents the largest sponsorship deal in the club’s 25-year history, but it also introduces a new approach to sports partnerships. By integrating branding assets with digital assets, we aim to enhance storytelling for our partners.
The sponsorship deal will officially commence at the start of the 2025 season, with a series of events and activations planned throughout the partnership. Fans can look forward to enhanced game-day experiences, competitions, impactful community initiatives and exclusive content, bringing fans closer to the action than ever before.
LCI Melbourne x CommBank Matildas & Subway Socceroos
LCI Melbourne has joined forces with Football Australia to bridge the worlds of creativity and sport, paving the way for new opportunities in education and design for Australia’s next generation of creatives.
In a collaborative endeavour, LCI Melbourne will provide the Australian football community with bespoke creative design webinars and learning opportunities. Select LCI students will also gain hands-on industry work experience in Football Australia’s award-winning Digital Content and Marketing Teams.
Art and design has long influenced sporting culture, from the design of stadiums to the artistry of playing kits and the partnership comes at a pivotal time for diversity and inclusion across both industries, with Football Australia’s Women’s Senior National Team, the CommBank Matildas, having recently experienced unprecedented success at last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, which was described by some as a macro moment in culture. 64 per cent of Australians watched the CommBank Matildas in the FIFA Women’s World Cup semi-final – the highest viewership since the Sydney 2000 Olympics, with the CommBank Matildas’ kit outselling the 2019 edition, 13 to one.
LCI Melbourne’s incorporation into the Football Australia partner family represents an important advancement in consolidating the links between accessible higher education and the highest participation in team-based community sports in the nation. Offering bachelor-level qualifications that are different by design, LCI Melbourne’s association with a sport and organisation that embodies diversity and inclusion means the two organisations are able to foster a space where community, innovation, and inclusion thrive.
Dean of LCI Melbourne, Dr. Stephen Wigley, said the partnership’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and fostering new opportunities for young creatives, as well as setting the stage for ongoing collaboration.
“As part of this incredible partnership, LCI students will be offered various internship roles with Football Australia related to their studies, and from 2026, we will be offering four places in our Bachelor of Design Arts and Bachelor of Entrepreneurship to the Football Australia community, each year,” he said.
“The Subway Socceroos have long been a champion of Australian multiculturalism, and the CommBank Matildas have spearheaded a movement seeing professional sportswomen celebrated on par with their male counterparts. Both have made a mark in creating an Australia that is more equal and more inclusive, enabling Australians to see themselves reflected in their sporting heroes.
“For all these reasons and more, LCI Melbourne is very proud to be the official creative higher education partner of the Subway Socceroos, CommBank Matildas, and all Australian youth national football teams.”
Adidas x NSW Rugby League
The NSW Rugby League (NSWRL) has unveiled a five-year partnership with Adidas. This collaboration will see the Westpac NSW Blues align with some of the biggest names in sports, such as Real Madrid and Manchester United, which also use the brand as their apparel partner.
As the official apparel and footwear partner, Adidas will provide the playing and training kits for both the men’s and women’s Westpac NSW Origin teams from 2025 through to 2029.
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“We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with adidas, a brand synonymous with innovation, courage and excellence in sports, which aligns with our organisation’s values,” said NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden.
“It is a really exciting chapter, and we look forward to a successful journey ahead with Adidas by our side, providing our players and fans with the best gear and support to achieve their goals.
“This adds to our group of commercial partners, each of whom are industry leaders in their respective fields”.
General Manager of adidas Pacific Steve Castledine said: “We are proud and excited to announce the partnership between adidas and NSW Rugby League.
“NSWRL is an iconic Australian brand, and at adidas, we are committed to bringing innovative performance product to both athletes and fans. We look forward to a successful future together.”
