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Welcome to the Scout Newsletter, an exploration into the data behind the Australian Sport and Sponsorship Landscape.

This Week in Sponsorship is a weekly wrap up of the latest deals and renewals with a special focus on the Deal of the Week or other noteworthy sponsorship related topics. Check out previous articles.

For more sponsorship insights from Scout, check out our services.

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29th January 2025

Deal of the week

Grill’d x Melbourne Demons

Brand: Grill’d

HQ: Melbourne

Category: Restaurants (QSR)

Deal type: New

Context: Melbourne-based burger brand Grill’d is set to become a Major Partner of the Melbourne Demons, with the brand’s logo to sit front and centre on the club’s AFL guernsey, taking the neckline position for the upcoming 2025 AFL season. This partnership marks Grill’d’s first foray into AFL sponsorship.

About the Restaurants category

With more than $65M spent per annum, Restaurants is the 2nd ranked category by total ANZ sponsorship investment, behind only Auto. (for more category insights, Sign-up to Scout Pro to receive our quarterly Sponsorship Landscape Report)

Although one of the most active categories (115 individual sponsorships vs only 62 for Auto), investment is dominated by just a small handful of brands.

92% of all investment in the category comes from 4 brands:

• KFC - 39%

• McDonald’s - 29%

• Hungry Jack’s - 14%

• Subway - 10%

KFC and McDonald’s further dominate by sheer number of partnerships with 20 and 36 respectively. The next highest is Hungry Jack’s with 4.

What does the new deal mean for Grill’d?

To see the rest of our Restaurants deep-dive and for dashboard access to the category, sign up to Scout Pro…

Check out the full list of Scout Pro features

Notable deals of the week

NEW/EXPIRED

🏉 “The GIANTS (GWS) are excited to kickstart the new year by announcing a dynamic new partnership with ASX-listed property group, Mirvac. In signing ahead of the upcoming season, Mirvac will proudly take up the sternum position on the GIANTS’ playing jumper, a symbol of commitment to the Western Sydney region. In addition, they will become a key partner of the GIANTS’ AFLW team, contributing to the ongoing growth of equal opportunity of women’s sport.”

🏉 “Two Melbourne-born icons have joined forces, with the Demons and Grill’d Burgers partnering for 2025 and beyond. A fresh deal will see the popular burger brand become a Major Partner of the club, with the Grill’d logo to sit front and centre on the club’s AFL guernsey, taking the neckline position for the upcoming 2025 AFL season. It will also feature on the top back of Melbourne’s AFLW jumper.”

🏉 “The Hurricanes (Wellington) are soaring to new heights as they join forces with Flight Coffee for the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season. As their official coffee partner, Flight Coffee will be providing premium coffee to the Hurricanes team and staff for their weekly ‘Coffee Connection’, a chance to debrief on the week that’s been and reconnect for the week ahead.”

⚽️ “Adelaide United is thrilled to announce a new partnership with Orthoplex who joins the club as the Official Nutritional Supplement Supplier.”

🏉 “The NSW Waratahs have secured Resilience Insurance as their latest Platinum Partner. Resilience Insurance is an industry leader as Australia’s first Latent Defect Insurance provider. A product that has operated internationally for 70 years, and now thanks to Resilience Insurance also in Australia.”

⚽️ “We (Western Sydney Wanderers) are excited to announce a special partnership with Jägermeister to host an exclusive After Party for members following the Isuzu UTE A-League match against Auckland FC at CommBank Stadium.”

🏉 “The Crusaders (Canterbury) are thrilled to announce a dynamic new long-term partnership with Marlborough based Moa Brewing Company, a New Zealand and Family-owned brewery who is one of the pioneers of the innovative craft beer movement. Although its range now includes cider, ginger beer, RTD’s and mainstream lagers.”

⚽️ “The Newcastle Jets Football Club is proud to announce a multi-year partnership with Eggy – an innovative employee experience app. The Eggy branding will be emblazoned on the shorts of the Jets’ A-League Men’s team for the 2024/25 and 2025/2026 seasons.”

🏉 “The QRU is excited to welcome Croft & Co onboard as the newest Partner of Queensland Rugby and the Queensland Reds. Supporting Australian businesses for over 80 years, Croft & Co is a prominent supplier of cleaning products, led by former 115-cap Queensland Red, David Croft.”

RENEWALS/UPGRADES

🏁 “Supercars has announced an extension of its partnership with Battery World Australia, proudly continuing the national retailer’s presence as the Supercars Official Battery Retail Partner through to the end of the 2027.”

🏀 “We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of our partnership with Mitsubishi Motors Australia Official Vehicle partner of the Brisbane Bullets! 🏀🚙”

🏐 Leading Australian Labour & Employment Law Firm and Management Consultancy, People + Culture Strategies (PCS) has recommitted to the NSW Swifts as Team Partners for the 2025 Suncorp Super Netball season.

OTHER NEWS

🏉 “After months of anticipation and excitement, Princess Cruises’ Crown Princess has set sail from Sydney Harbour with hundreds of Sydney Swans members on the first-ever AFL Member cruise to Hobart and back. Princess Cruises is the official Cruise line for the Sydney Swans moving into its second year of partnership.”

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