It’s been a tumultuous time inside Tiger Town, so you’d be forgiven for overlooking major sponsorship news among all the other talk.
Introducing 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.
Fans of the Wests Tigers will tell you it’s been a rough couple of years. 2 wooden spoons, a whole load of controversy inside the club’s walls and the feat of somehow managing to finish lower last year than they did the year before (despite coming last), thanks to the introduction of the Dolphins last year.
In 2024, the Tigers are on the road to redemption, and with a legend of the team, Benji Marshall, joining as head coach, some rock-solid signings and a reworked board, it’s really starting to look up for the boys from Western Sydney (or the Leichardt Faithful depending on which side of the divided club you sit on). So, what does this all mean for sponsorship? What changes are coming into play, and what can we expect for the year ahead?
We unpack all the Tigers sponsorship news below:
Brydens Lawyers:
The official word is that Brydens will continue to sponsor the club into the 2024 season. However, there are some big question marks here. The most crucial, of course, is that the former Wests Tigers Chair, Lee Hagipantelis, who was notably ousted from his role in dramatic fashion late last year, is the principal of the law firm.
Brydens reportedly pays an estimated $1 million to appear in prime position on the front of the Wests Tigers Jerseys. Including investment as the naming rights sponsor of the head coach, it is estimated that Brydens investment in the club sits around $10 million since coming on board as a major sponsor in 2016.
While Brydens is secured for this year, their commitment will draw to a close at the end of 2024 and with Hagipantelis openly unsettled by how his relationship with the club ended, it is hard to imagine a meeting between the lawyer and the club on the future of sponsorship ending well for those in Tiger town.
“I feel there has been gross disrespect shown to the Wests Tigers and to myself personally by my fellow directors,” Hagipantelis said at the time of his removal. “We were never paid the respect of being involved or consulted as to the review”.
B&T contacted Brydens Lawyers on the sponsorship, but they did not respond to correspondence.
ELMO
No, not Big Bird’s fuzzy red friend! ELMO Software is the trusted provider of HR technology solutions to 3,000+ organisations and two million end users across Australia, New Zealand and the UK. ELMO’s media account sits with Speed.
On the surface, ELMO’s commitment to the Tigers remains rock solid, with the team resigning back in 2022 and the software company endorsing a number of new signings and other announcements on the team website.
“Significantly, this is a partnership where we are seeing real outcomes for our players and staff, so we can ensure we are the employer of choice when it comes to the recruitment and retention of talented people,” said former Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe last year.
Despite ELMO still being listed as one of the club’s premier partners and no major news on changes to the sponsorship, the ELMO logo does not appear on the back of the 2024 jerseys as it did during the 2022 season.
B&T approached ELMO for comment, but they declined to comment on the partnership.
PlayUp
PlayUp has been a proud sponsor of the Wests Tigers since 2022, when they joined as a premier partner until the end of the 2025 season. Back in 2022, the “responsible online betting service” appeared on the teams playing shorts in the 2022 season and has appeared on jerseys since 2023. This year, the PlayUp logo has been given prime real estate on the back of the team’s jerseys.
“PlayUp and Wests Tigers have bright futures being up-and-coming players against their respective competition, so this partnership is a perfect match,” said Paul Jeronimo, PlayUp Australia CEO, back in 2022.
“At PlayUp, we love NRL and are excited to be the Wests Tigers exclusive wagering partner for at least the next four seasons”.
Other Premier Sponsors
- Zurich Financial Services Australia
- Steeden
- Organica
- VB
- FAB Logistics
- Pepper Money
Platinum Partners
- Hertz
- SureVision
- ISRI
- Wests Campbelltown
- Ticketek
- Pama Constructions
- McDonald’s
Gold Partners
- Binet Homes
- Holman Barnes Group
- Liverpool Catholic Club
- Sharp Extensive IT Solutions
- Sports Entertainment Network
- Wests Ashfield
Watch this space for a breakdown of the sponsorship from each NRL team in the lead-up to the 2024 season launch early next month.
Image credit: Team training photos pulled from Wests Tigers website.
