Industry News Catchup – Thursday April 6th, 2017

AFL

• The 2016 financial report for GCFC Limited, obtained by The Australian Financial Review, shows the club made a $2.9 million loss in 2016, a season in which it finished 15th on the ladder with just six wins. 2016 saw average crowds at its Metricon Stadium fall to about 11,500 per game and membership also dropped about 8 per cent.
• THE AFL Women’s competition could be in for “aggressive” growth in 2019, according to league boss Gillon McLachlan.
• SUBURBAN clubs are capitalising on the success of the national women’s competition, with AFL Victoria forecasting over 100 new female teams will take the field in 2017.
• The Western Bulldogs have announced a three-year renewal with Mission Foods. The multi-million dollar agreement will see the tortilla, flatbread and corn flour producer continue as the lead sponsor of the Australian Football League (AFL) side until at least the end of the 2020 season. The company’s branding will appear on the team’s playing guernseys and on pitchside advertising hoardings at Bulldogs home games.
  
• Port Adelaide have secured sponsorship from property group Greaton. The Chinese-backed developer, which is currently working on AUS$1.2 billion (US$913 million) worth of building projects in Adelaide and Sydney, will become a premium sponsor of the Australian rules football club alongside Cathay Pacific, RAA and Bank SA. The financial terms of the one-year deal were not disclosed.
• VicHealth and Cummins&Partners have launched a new integrated campaign to encourage Victorians to support gender equality in sport. The campaign features Darcy Vescio.
• The Coffee Club will be sponsor the Lions coaches with their branding appearing on the coach’s apparel, coach’s box, media backdrop and in stadium.

Soccer

• FIFA has confirmed that it has received an application from Football Federation Australia to extend the reform deadline until as late as November.
• Liverpool is almost certain to play their first game in Sydney
• Melbourne City has announced a multi-year partnership with Nexen Tyre, which will see the Korean company’s logo appear on the club’s training kit leading into the 2017 finals series, and on the men’s team’s away kit sleeves from the start of the 2017-18 season. The partnership extends to Melbourne City’s women’s team.

Rugby Union

• Some good news for the embattled Australian Rugby Union, which is set to announce a modest profit of $3.749 million, something that neither the AFL nor the NRL was able to do last year.
• The Western Force announced today the continued support of global payment and risk management company AFEX, for the 2017 and 2018 Vodafone Super Rugby seasons.

Other

• NFL Thursday Night Football streaming package has gone to Amazon for $50M
• Twitter is seeking to ink deals with pay-TV companies that would let subscribers watch live channels over the social network as part of a major video push.
• Australia’s best indoor cricketers will compete in a new national competition beginning this month, the 2017 Beastwear National Indoor Cricket League (NICL). Ten open men’s divisions and six open women’s divisions will feature, with up to 75 teams set to compete for the title of National Champions and more than $50,000 in prize money.
• Research published by the 50Mil Project has shown that cricket has a social media footprint across the ‘big three’ social channels of 20 million – double its nearest rivals in rugby league and Australian rules football.