Melbourne Demons have locked in a brand-new beer partner and have celebrated by cracking open a can of the brand new “The Mouth of Melbourne” brewed specially in honour of the partnership. Meanwhile, Shaw & Partners has taken over from Kellogg’s as the naming rights sponsor for the Surf Live Saving Iron Series, strengthening their existing relationship with major surfing events.
Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
So, without further ado, here are the biggest sponsorship stories coming out of the sporting world over the last week.
BREWMANITY x Melbourne Demons
Craft beer brand BREWMANITY, founded by former Demons David Neitz, Paul Hopgood and John Ahern, is set to become the official Beer Partner of the Melbourne Football Club.
Founded in 2015, Brewmanity, a merging of brewing with humanity, is a craft beer company with a purpose: good beer, good times, and good deeds. These good deeds include raising over $1 million for FightMND, the charity founded by former Demons coach Neale Daniher in his battle over ‘the Beast’ that is Motor Neurone Disease. Brewmanity has also expanded its footprint, opening a rooftop bar in South Melbourne in March with a St Patrick’s Day event that raised funds for the Jim Stynes Foundation.
As the club’s official Beer Partner, Brewmanity has signed a contract until the end of 2024 and will release a bespoke brew dedicated to the Dees. ‘The Mouth of Melbourne’ is a new beer for the Melbourne faithful, which will only be available online or served at Melbourne Football Club functions.
“David Neitz, Paul Hopgood and John Ahern are favourite sons of the club, and we are proud to partner with an organisation that strongly supports causes close to our heart,” said Chris Kearon, Melbourne’s chief commercial officer. “Brewmanity and Melbourne have a mutual desire for excellence and a commitment to making Demon fans feel proud to belong”.
Shaw & Partners x Surf Live Saving Iron Series
Taking the reins from Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain, Shaw and Partners has entered a 3-year partnership with Surf Life Saving Australia as the official Naming Rights Partner for their elite event: the Iron Series. The event will now be known as the Shaw and Partners Iron Series.
Over the past eight years, Shaw and Partners have proudly backed major surf sports events, including the Summer of Surf series and the Coolangatta Gold. In an announcement, Shaw and Partners said they were very proud of their association with Surf Life Saving.
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“This event is about more than just competing in the water; it embodies the core values of Surf Life Saving. Many of our athletes dedicate their time as volunteers, exemplifying the spirit of this great sport. We at Shaw and Partners are proud to support these remarkable individuals and the broader Surf Life Saving community across Australia”.
“Partnering with Surf Life Saving Australia for their iconic Iron Series, which has been a cornerstone of Australian sports for over 40 years, is a true privilege for us at Shaw and Partners Financial Services. We are excited and humbled to be involved in this journey,” said Shaw and Partners CEO Earl Evans.
“Our commitment is to continue growing and developing the Iron Series, much like we approach all our endeavours. The athletes who compete are among the toughest and fittest on the planet, and the sport has seen a remarkable reinvigoration over the past 3-4 years, with its popularity soaring. This partnership marks the next step in that exciting evolution. We’re thrilled to be the Naming Rights Partner of the Shaw and Partners Iron Series and look forward to contributing to its continued success”.
BTC Markets x Tori West
With the Paris Olympics just under a month away, cryptocurrency exchange BTC Markets has announced the sponsorship of Australian heptathlete Tori West. The company will support her on her “Path to Paris” as she aims to represent Australia in the 2024 Olympic Games.
Tori competes in the heptathlon, which consists of seven track and field events over two days: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m. Currently ranked #1 in Oceania, she boasts the 8th-best heptathlon performance globally this year. To qualify for the Olympics, Tori must be among the top 24 in the world by June 30th, and she is currently ranked #24. To boost her ranking, she is competing in Germany at the last major competition before the cutoff on June 22nd.
Outside of athletics, Tori is also a builder in the web3.0 space and is incredibly passionate about helping athletes tokenise their sports and health data. As an athlete walking the walk herself, she understands the challenges of making a living in an Olympic sport. Tori believes blockchain technology can open a new economy of value for sports data and health, creating real earning opportunities for athletes. In 2022 and 2023, she received a developer grant from Ripple and has had the opportunity to talk and share about this internationally.
“BTC Markets is dedicated to supporting homegrown talents. Our partnership with Tori is a testament to her commitment to athletic excellence, which aligns with our values of delivering the best to our clients. Tori’s dedication and achievements are truly inspiring, and we are proud to support her and excited to see what the future holds,” said BTC Markets CEO Caroline Bowler.
