The summer of cricket has finally bowled its last delivery on Aussie shores, but Australia’s sporting scene is still as rampant as ever.
The BBL wrapped up on Sunday night with old foes the Sydney Sixers going down to the Perth Scorchers in the BBL 15 final. Steve Smith was the only Sixers batter who looked somewhat comfortable on a slower Perth pitch. He made a mere 24 off 13 balls before being given out LBW.
The Scorchers had no troubles chasing down the low total of 132, doing it with 15 balls to spare. The win sees the Scorchers lift its sixth BBL trophy.
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On the court, the Australian Open is well and truly in the pointy end of the season. Overnight, both Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina booked their spots in the women’s final with straight set victories.
The men’s semi finals are on this evening with Novak Djokovic loooking to defeat the reigning Aus Open champion Jannik Sinner, and the World number one Carlos Alcaraz taking on third seed Alexander Zverev,
Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
Looking towards the winter sporting seasons, Brands are jumping on the bandwagon early. This week the Perth Bears has cooked up a three-year partnership with the “Golden Arches”, Rugby Australia has tossed ASICS to the sideline and have taken its business to Castore, Under Armour will continue to make Sydney FC kits and Olympic swimmer Kaylee McKeown has joined sporting talent agency Always Human.
Perth Bears x McDonald’s
The Perth Bears has continued locking in corporate partners, signing a delicious deal with McDonald’s. The three-year partnership also involves the Ronald McDonald House Charities stepping up as the official charity partner of the NRL’s newest franchise.
Starting this year, the deal will see the iconic Golden Arches feature on one panel on the back of the Perth Bears shorts for seasons 2027 and 2028.
But the partnership will be much more than just a logo on apparel, with the fast-food giant to play an integral part in the Perth Bears game-day experience with exclusive family-focused activations and prizes. McDonald’s will also be Coffee Retail Partner of the Perth Bears.
The Bears will also support Ronald McDonald House Charities, the not-for-profit organisation that supports families by providing a supportive home away-from-home for sick children and their loved ones during vital medical treatment.
Perth Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie said the club was incredibly proud to partner with McDonald’s—especially considering the enormous impact of Ronald McDonald House on rural families across the vast State of WA needing medical help in Perth.
“The Perth Bears are the most exciting story in Australian sport thanks to the rise and rise of the NRL under the leadership of Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo,” he said.
“McDonald’s have a long and proud history of supporting the code across Australia and Western Australia; so, it’s a natural fit for the league’s newest franchise.
“Being born and raised in Western Australia; I’ve also personally seen the enormous impact Ronald McDonald House Charities has had for children and their families from across our vast State who need to come to Perth for vital and often lifesaving medical treatment.”
McDonald’s adds Perth to its already stacked NRL roster that consists of the NSW Blues, North Queensland Cowboys, Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Paramatta Eels, Canberra Raiders, Wests Tigers and the Gold Coast Titans.
Mary Vrancic, senior director of marketing at McDonald’s touched on the importance of expanding out to the West.
“Perth has a special connection with sport and the unforgettable moments it brings to fans,” she said.
“At Macca’s, we’re passionate about playing an active role in our communities and championing the love of footy across Australia. We’re proud to join forces with the Perth Bears and can’t wait to kick off an incredible season together.”
Rugby Australia x Castore
After an 11 year stint with Asics, Rugby Australia has farewelled the Japanese corporation and taken its business west to English sportswear brand Castore. The change sees Castore lace up with the Wallabies and Wallaroos as the official technical kit partner for all until at least the end of 2030.
The new agreement will see the Wallabies, Wallaroos, Australian Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams and Australian Pathways teams proudly wearing Castore-issued sportswear from January 2026.
Significantly, Castore will be the official supplier for the Wallabies and Wallaroos for their respective home Rugby World Cups in 2027 and 2029.
The Australia Sevens teams will be the first national sides to wear the new Castore strip at the HSBC Singapore SVNS tournament from January 31, followed by its home debut at the HSBC Perth SVNS at HBF Park from February 7.
The collaboration brings together Castore’s product innovation and end-to-end retail expertise with Rugby Australia’s high-performance ambitions across the elite game and pathways. Castore will supply match kits, training wear and travel apparel with a fully integrated retail operation serving fans in Australia and around the world.
Rugby Australia joins other sports organisations such as Oracle Red Bull Racing, Alpine F1 Team, Everton FC, England Rugby and England and Wales Cricket Board in partnering with the UK-based Castore.
“Rugby Australia is thrilled to be partnering with Castore for at least the next five years,” said Rugby Australia CEO, Phil Waugh.
“We’re aligning with a brand that shares our high-performance mindset and can deliver genuine innovation for our athletes and supporters. From the Wallabies, Wallaroos and Sevens programs to our pathways system and community game, this partnership strengthens every layer of our sport and puts the fan experience at the centre.”
“We’re proud to join forces with Rugby Australia and in particular support the next chapter of the Australian national teams,” added CEO and founder of Castore , Tom Beahon.
“Our mission is to make athletes better and give them a competitive edge, and together we will combine advanced engineering, precision manufacturing and a world-class retail programme to serve the team and its fans.”
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Sydney FC x Under Armour
Under Armour has netted a new three-year extension with Sydney FC, marking a decade of collaboration and one of the longest-running apparel relationships in Australian football.
The renewed agreement, running from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2029, reaffirms Under Armour as the official premium partner, apparel supplier and footwear partner across all Sydney FC teams,
including the A-League Men, A-League Women and the full boys’ and girls’ Academy pathway.
Over the past seven years, the partnership has supported one of the most successful periods in Sydney FC’s history, with the Club securing 10 major trophies across the A-Leagues.
Fernando Reani, Under Armour Australia country manager and head of sales south APAC, said the 10-year milestone reflects the strength and trust built between the organisations.
“Sydney FC is the biggest club in Australia, with an unmatched commitment to performance and ambition. Supporting the Sky Blues, from elite squads through to the Academy, has always been about helping athletes at every level perform at their best. We’re proud to continue that journey for another three years.”
This partnership extension also introduces a new collaboration with ISC Sport, designed to strengthen production capabilities, elevate product innovation, and streamline kit delivery across the club.
“It is incredibly exciting for ISC to be involved in this extended partnership. Combining Under Armour’s global performance brand with our manufacturing and supply-chain capabilities creates a powerful platform to deliver premium, innovative products for every Sydney FC athlete and fan,” said Jason Schulman, CEO of ISC Sport.
“We look forward to contributing to this next era of excellence for the Club.”
Sydney FC executive vice chairman Sebastian Gray said the extension reflects deep alignment and shared ambitions.
“Our 10 year commitment with Under Armour shows the strength, trust and confidence we have in our partnership. Under Armour has been a huge part of our success, and with ISC supporting production and delivery, we now have a stronger platform to innovate and provide the very best merchandise and experience for our players and fans. We are thrilled to be building on this relationship for another three seasons as we head into an exciting future together.”
The renewed deal also sees Under Armour maintain naming rights to the Under Armour Sydney FC Cup, an Australian underage elite pathway tournament, reinforcing the shared goal of strengthening grassroots participation and providing young footballers with meaningful development opportunities.
The extension underscores a trusted and values-led relationship and positions all three partners to continue delivering world-class product, support and innovation for players and fans throughout the next three seasons.
Kaylee McKeown x Always Human
Sports and entertainment marketing agency Always Human has added Aussie swimming powerhouse Kaylee McKeown to its talent pool, taking on exclusive management representation for the Olympic champion and world record holder.
This partnership marks a major milestone in McKeown’s career, and further cements Always Human’s reputation as an agency that helps build the commercial and cultural relevance of Australian athletes.
There are very few athletes who can lay claim to being the greatest-of-all-time while they are still competing. McKeown is one of them. A five-time Olympic champion and nine-time Olympic medallist, McKeown is the most successful individual Australian Olympian in history.
McKeown is the reigning Olympic champion in both the 100m and 200m backstroke, a double she has achieved at two consecutive Olympic Games. In doing so, she became the first woman in history to win both events across back-to-back Olympics.
That success has been underpinned by global supremacy. A three-time world-record holder, McKeown is the first woman ever to simultaneously hold the world records in the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke.
“We’re thrilled Kaylee has chosen Always Human to represent her going forward. Kaylee is undoubtedly Australia’s golden girl of the pool. With the Commonwealth Games this year, annual major international swimming meets, and then the LA 2028 Olympics all within the next few years, Kaylee will be one of the most visible and celebrated athletes in the country,” said Josh White, CEO of Always Human Group and McKeown’s manager.
“Our team is focused on helping drive Kaylee’s brand, commercial partnerships and profile to ensure she is capitalising on her incredible achievements.”
“I’m ecstatic to be signing with Always Human as I head into the next Olympic cycle. They’ve worked alongside some of Australia’s top-tier athletes, and I’m excited to be part of a team that aligns so strongly with my values,” commented McKeown on her move.
Always Human’s talent division represents a roster of some of Australia’s highest profiled athletes and creators, including global football star Mary Fowler, three-time Olympic champion Jessica Fox, two-time AFL Norm Smith medalist Will Ashcroft, cricket icon Ellyse Perry, Pole Vault Olympic champion Nina Kennedy, ex-Wallaby Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins, and hit sports podcast Hello Sport.
