Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
It’s been a big week in sport, so let’s dive in!
Unilever x Rugby World Cup
Unilever has been announced as an official supporter and the official body care supplier of the Rugby World Cup, with a partnership spanning the 2025 and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cups and the men’s 2027 tournament. The deal will see Unilever’s personal care brands – Dove, Dove Men+Care, Rexona and Axe – launch integrated campaigns during the competitions.
The agreement follows a recent principal partnership extension with Asahi Super Dry and builds on Unilever’s growing global sponsorship portfolio, which includes Uefa Women’s Euro 2025 and the ICC. In rugby, Dove Men+Care is also backing the British and Irish Lions’ 2025 tour of Australia.
“Our partnership with Unilever arrives at a transformative moment for rugby, particularly as the women’s game reaches unprecedented heights,” said Michel Poussau, World Rugby chief revenue officer. “Unilever’s commitment to both men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups will be instrumental in helping us deliver world-class events that inspire players and fans alike.”
Fabian Garcia, personal care president at Unilever, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with World Rugby, particularly at a time when women’s rugby is on a sharp upwards trajectory.
“Our long-term investment in sport goes beyond sponsorship – it’s about making a lasting impact, bringing our brands closer to passionate fans and deepening our connection with consumers globally. We look forward to activating our power brands to enhance the fan experience, boost visibility, break barriers, and inspire the next generation of athletes.”
The partnership kicks off with this summer’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, which has already surpassed 275,000 ticket sales.
Ray White x AFL
Ray White, has kicked off the most significant sports sponsorship deal ever in its 123 year history. For the 2025 AFL season, there will be a Ray White presence in five states across the country, with each Ray White state office involved in the prolific Australian Football League (AFL) sponsorship strategy.
In 2025 and beyond, Ray White will sponsor five different AFL teams across four states: reigning premiers, the Brisbane Lions, reigning minor premiers, the Sydney Swans, 2023 premiers, the Collingwood Magpies, the Port Adelaide Power and the Adelaide Crows. Ray White Western Australia will also support Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles with LED signage across all games.
The sponsorship coordination comes as Ray White unveiled its new brand platform: “we bring the whole team”.
The new brand platform was inspired by Ray White’s significant investment into customer relationship technology platform, NurtureCloud. With NurtureCloud, Ray White customers benefit from the combined insights and interactions of its 12,000+ members throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Todd Alexander, head of marketing for the Ray White Group, said the AFL partnerships provided huge opportunities across the group to engage with a huge audience. “AFL is the most watched sport in Australia, and Ray White’s visibility across five states is symbolic of its reach with millions of vendors, buyers, tenants, landlords and open home attendees,” Alexander said.
“Sporting clubs in particular AFL clubs are renowned for cultivating some of the best high performing cultures in the country.
“Ray White is built on a foundation of leadership, ambition and high performance and there’s an alliance before us where we can engage, share and learn from the best.
“Preparing for a season of AFL is no different to preparing for a year in real estate, it takes everyone in the team understanding their role and playing it to the best of their ability. Understanding how some of the best football clubs in the country operate in this space, create a vision, achieve buy-in from all aspects of the business and executive, and this can translate into real estate.
“Ultimately, if through these partnerships our business leaders can evolve and be better, then we’ll have better businesses in our network.
“Commercially, the AFL can give us direct access to a new audience to engage with on a different level outside of the sales process,” Alexander concluded.
KFC x Cricket Australia
Cricket Australia’s (CA’s) long-standing partnership with KFC will continue after the relationship with the global restaurant chain was extended for at least another three years.
The renewal ensures one of the most iconic partnerships in Australian Sport will remain prominent throughout the cricket season with KFC continuing as naming rights partner for the BBL while KFC will enhance its role across Australian Cricket as a Platinum Partner of CA.
Throughout all 14 BBL seasons, the KFC brand has aligned perfectly with the exciting and innovative league. Summers and KFC are synonymous with the BBL’s fun, family-friendly atmosphere and creating more brilliant fan experiences will be a key aspect of the partnership.
Nielsen Sports research has shown the CA-KFC partnership is consistently a sports industry-leader in sponsorship awareness, reflecting the legacy the partnership has established in more than twenty years and headlined by the much-loved KFC Buckethead promotion.
KFC will continue to be a significant supporter of the BBL’s next growth phase as the league continues to build on the record crowds, viewing audiences and digital engagement for BBL matches over recent seasons.
At the same time, KFC will renew support for the Weber WBBL and amplify its involvement with international cricket through the Australian Women’s and Men’s teams.
The partnership will also highlight KFC’s social good initiatives including the KFC Youth Foundation which supports youth mental health and wellbeing through its charity partners, The Black Dog Institute and Reach Out.
Snowy River Caravans x Supercars
Supercars has announced a new strategic partnership with Snowy River Caravans, naming the brand as the official naming rights partner for the upcoming Snowy River Caravans Tasmania Super440. The deal marks a significant investment by Snowy River Caravans in motorsport, deepening its connection with the passionate Supercars fanbase.
“The Tasmania Super440 is a fantastic event that showcases the best of Supercars in one of the most picturesque locations on our calendar, and we’re delighted to welcome Snowy River Caravans as the event’s naming rights partner,” said Jamie Black, Supercars general manager of commercial.
“We’re excited to announce our expansion into event sponsorship as the naming rights sponsor of Tasmania’s prestigious Snowy River Caravans Tasmania Super440. This partnership solidifies our commitment to the Supercars category,” said Andrew Crank, CEO of Snowy River Caravans.
“We’ve long been supporters of the Supercars, particularly through our brand ambassador James Courtney and our partnership with the Blanchard Racing Team (BRT). Becoming the naming rights sponsor of the Tasmania Super440 event is a natural next step for Snowy River Caravans, aligning perfectly with our brand and the community we serve.”
The announcement also coincides with the opening of a new Snowy River Caravans dealership in Launceston, supporting the brand’s expansion strategy in Tasmania.
The Snowy River Caravans Tasmania Super440 will take place at Symmons Plains Raceway from 9–11 May, promising an action-packed weekend for motorsport fans.
Lexus Australia x VRC & Melbourne Cup
The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Lexus Australia have announced a three-year partnership extension that will see the luxury automative brand continue as the club’s Principal Partner including naming rights to Australia’s most iconic race, the Melbourne Cup, until 2027.
The new deal will take the association between the VRC and Lexus Australia to a remarkable 25 years, marking a significant milestone in the longstanding partnership.
Lexus strengthened their association with the VRC in 2018 when they were announced as Principal Partner, securing naming rights to the Melbourne Cup race, Melbourne Cup Day, and the VRC’s annual landmark community event, the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour.
The new partnership extension also sees Lexus maintain naming rights to several golden ticket races which will provide the winner direct entry into the $8.5 million Lexus Melbourne Cup, the world’s richest handicap race.
Golden ticket races include the Lexus Roy Higgins on TAB Australian Cup Day at Flemington tomorrow, the Lexus Andrew Ramsden on Andrew Ramsden Race Day, the Lexus Archer Stakes on Crown Makybe Diva Stakes Day and the Lexus Bart Cummings on TAB Turnbull Stakes Day, where the winners go straight into the Lexus Melbourne Cup.
The VRC chief executive officer Kylie Rogers said the extension was a strong endorsement of the enduring appeal of the Lexus Melbourne Cup and the relationship between the VRC and Lexus Australia.
“The VRC is proud to extend our partnership with Lexus Australia to a new milestone of 25 years,” Rogers said.
“We thank Lexus for their continued support. The relationship we have fostered over more than two decades has seen Lexus contribute to exceptional Melbourne Cup Carnival experiences since 2003 and support important fundraising initiatives such as our Pin & Win program, which raised a record amount in 2024.
“Lexus remains synonymous with Australia’s most iconic national sporting event, the Lexus Melbourne Cup. It is the People’s Cup and has been part of the Australian psyche for 164 years, which we see reflected in the fact 11.5 million adult Australians engaged with the day right across the country last year.
“The build up to the 165th Lexus Melbourne Cup has already started, with applications to host this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour now open and the first horse set to secure their spot in the race that stops a nation tomorrow via the Lexus Roy Higgins at Flemington.”
Chief executive of Lexus Australia John Pappas said Lexus is privileged to be just the fourth sponsor in the race’s prestigious 164-year history. “The Lexus Melbourne Cup is more than a famous horse race, it is a celebration of what it means to be Australian,” Pappas said.
“It is an occasion for people and communities to come together and create their own amazing experiences, in the same way Lexus enjoys creating amazing experiences for customers.”
Qantas x Cricket Australia
Qantas has signed a new three-year agreement with Cricket Australia. The expanded partnership will see the national carrier become the Overseas Tour Partner of the Australian men’s and women’s teams and continue its role as the Official Airline Partner.
Australian cricketers Alyssa Healy, Nathan Lyon, Georgia Voll and Sam Konstas helped launch the partnership on Monday 31 March.
Having been Cricket Australia’s Official Airline Partner for more than a decade, the new agreement will see Qantas cement its support of women’s cricket, which has seen a surge in popularity and participation in recent years, inspired by the success of the national team.
For the first time, the Qantas brand will now feature on all the women’s team shirts and training gear for overseas matches in addition to the men’s team from 1 July 2025.
The announcement came as Cricket Australia released its 2025-26 international schedule showcasing the 11 Australian cities – and Qantas destinations – where cricket will be played this summer, including every state and territory capital city as well as tourist hot spots like the Gold Coast, Cairns and Mackay.
Qantas’ close partnership with Cricket Australia began in 2011. Australia’s world champion teams will continue to fly Qantas until at least 2028 as the premium airline supports Australian Cricket’s complex transport requirements to numerous destinations domestically and around the world each year.
“I’m delighted our partnership with Qantas will continue for another three years and that both our men’s and women’s teams will showcase the airline’s iconic logo during international matches played overseas. Qantas is not just a great supporter of Australian Cricket; it is a significant part of our cricket operations providing fantastic service for our teams, staff and fans as they travel to destinations across Australia and the world,” Ed Sanders, Cricket Australia chief commercial officer said.
TCS x Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris in France
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, has been named the Official AI & Technology Partner of the Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris.
This three-year partnership will leverage TCS’ expertise in artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital innovation to enhance the race experience, making it more personalised, interactive, and accessible for runners and spectators alike.
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The Schneider Electric Marathon de Paris is the latest addition to a deep portfolio of global running events sponsored by TCS, including five World Marathon Major races in New York, London, Chicago, Boston, and Sydney, alongside marathons in Amsterdam, Mumbai, Singapore and Toronto. In total, TCS now partners with 14 global running events with participation from over 600,000 runners. These partnerships highlight TCS’ dedication to revolutionising endurance sports through technology and creating meaningful societal impact beyond the finish line. In 2024 alone, TCS-supported races raised nearly $280 million for various charities.
“We are delighted to welcome TCS to the Schneider Electric Paris Marathon family of partners. Thanks to its expertise in new technologies and artificial intelligence, TCS will continue to grow the event, strengthen the engagement of all audiences, and enrich the digital experience. Together, we aim to offer an ever more immersive and connected experience, serving both runners and spectators,” said Yann Le Moenner, CEO of Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.).
“Our partnership with the Scheider Electric Marathon de Paris aligns with TCS’ commitment of being a trusted transformation partner for our clients, communities, and the ecosystems in which we live and work. This engagement reflects our commitment to using technology towards empowering athletes, optimising race experiences, and transforming the future of sports. By integrating advanced analytics, AI, digital twin technologies across various aspects of the marathon experience, we not only aim to enhance performance and well-being, but also shaping a more connected and intelligent sporting ecosystem at one of the world’s most iconic race,” said Abhinav Kumar, chief marketing officer of TCS.
This partnership will also benefit from TCS Pace Port Paris, a part of TCS’ expanding global network of innovation hubs spread across 12 key cities around the globe. The initial priorities for exploration will include AI-powered immersive race experiences, personalised AI trainers, and well-being strategies, performance insights and enhanced motivation and engagement tools.
