AFL Women’s League An Untapped Brand Sponsorship Treasure Chest.
If last Friday night’s opening game of the AFLW is any indication, the belief that there’s no interest in women’s sport is fading fast. Even the AFL themselves were not prepared for the crowds that came out in their droves to witness history being made at the mighty Princess Park with fans being turned away at the gates as the ‘full house’ signs went up.
Just as the AFL were unprepared for the exceptional crowds are our commercial investors & sponsors prepared for what could possibly could be one of the greatest untapped sporting sponsorship markets?
Some major brands have the belief and foresight becoming foundation sponsors –hat’s off to the NAB and Wolf Blass. Cotton On has also struck a long-term deal with the AFL to provide the women’s league apparel, which will see it produce uniforms for the players and clothing for fans. Toyota, Rebel Sport and a list of other brands are also on board but there is big potential for more.
The commercial reality is there are 400,000 young women now playing AFL around the country and that number is rapidly expanding every year. Half of the commercial market place are women and more women purchase the household goods. There could be gold in ‘them there hills’ for potential sponsors and their brand engagement in AFLW.
I don’t think we should be so surprised by the success of the first round of Women’s AFL, footy is tribal and each tribe supports their own and wants their own to win. Brand loyalty also creates powerful tribes, so this could potentially be a match made in heaven. My tribe is Carlton and to play the first game at Princess Park connects us to our tribal past bringing the passion and intimacy the bigger stadiums lack. There are limitless possibilities for rich brand story telling here for the right brands and bucket loads of commercial success.
The goal posts are changing, jump aboard this bandwagon big brands and come out to play.
Emma Ferris
Office Manager