Spotlight On Sponsors: North Melbourne Push For Change While Sponsors Remain Steady

The North Melbourne Kangaroos are just as sick of being at the bottom of the ladder as fans are. After winning just 12 of their past 84 games and finishing within the bottom two four years in a row, the club is ready to make massive changes.

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.

While the team itself is pushing toward significant changes in the 2024 season, the same cannot be said regarding the team’s sponsorship, with most significant partners continuing into the 2024 season.

B&T has the latest on all the sponsorship news out of the North Melbourne Kangaroos below!

Mazda

In 2024, Mazda will enter the 26th year of partnering with the Kangaroos, having signed with the club in 1999 and seeing them through their successful premiership campaign that very year. Mazda will continue to be the team’s sole partner in both the AFL and AFLW programs, renewing its commitment in 2022 to supporting the growth of the women’s game.

Melbourne credits their substantial membership numbers and financial standing to support from the automotive company that appears on both the front and back of their 2024 player jerseys.

“Almost 25 years ago, Mazda and North Melbourne Football Club forged an alliance that has since become one of the longest-enduring in Australian sporting history, and with good reason – North Melbourne represents a rich and vibrant heritage, exceptional professionalism and determination and unwavering community dedication,” managing director of Mazda Australia, Vinesh Bhindi said when the contract was renewed.

Spirit Of Tasmania

At the end of the 2022 season, Spirit of Tasmania announced that they would be extending their partnership with the Kangaroos for a further three years. The transport company first signed with the club back in 2012, and their logo appears on the back of the 2024 player jerseys.

Spirit of Tasmania is also a proud supporter of the women’s side, having been on board since their inaugural 2019 season and signing again last year for a further three years.

Off the back of the partnership, the Kangaroos AFL side will play four of their home games in Tasmania this year, and the AFLW side will play another two, one in Hobart and one in Launceston. “Tassie is our home away from home, our Tasmanian supporters have been unwavering in their support and what better way for our Victorian-based supporters to travel across Bass Strait than on the Spirit of Tasmania,” said North Melbourne General Manager (acting chief executive officer at the time), Chris Simmonds when the deal was resigned.

McDonald’s

McDonald’s joined the North Melbourne family back in 2017 and, at the start of last year, signed on for an additional three years as the club’s exclusive QSR (quick service restaurant) and coffee partner supporting the Kangaroos AFL and AFLW teams.

“For the past 50 years, McDonald’s has been committed to giving back and supporting the communities we operate in,” said McDonald’s Australia market director Kelly Nardella last year. “We are proud to extend our partnership with North Melbourne, helping the club continue to have a positive impact on people and communities across Victoria and Tasmania”.