The A-Leagues today announce the signing of Isuzu UTE Australia (IUA) as the first naming rights partner of its men’s competition, which will be officially known as the ‘Isuzu UTE A-League Men’. The three-year partnership marks the latest milestone in the A-Leagues’ ambitious growth and commercial development strategy.
Commencing with the upcoming season (2021-22), the partnership also includes naming rights of the A-League Men’s Finals Series and becoming the Official Automotive Partner of the A-Leagues’ Men, Women, Youth and E-Sports Leagues.
The A-Leagues, formed in 2021, have responsibility for the operation, commercialisation, and marketing of professional football in Australia, including the A-League Men, A-League Women, A-League Youth, and E-Sports Leagues.
The partnership with IUA follows on from its recently unveiled content partnership with ViacomCBS’ Network Ten across both free-to-air and their new streaming service Paramount+ and comes just nine months after the APL took over the running of Australia’s elite club competitions.
“This is an historic day for the A-Leagues and we’re proud to have partnered with Isuzu UTE Australia, one of Australia’s top-selling automotive brands, with rapid growth across its D-MAX Ute and MU-X SUV ranges. We have an ambitious vision for the future of professional football and IUA will be a key partner on this journey,” said Danny Townsend, Managing Director, A-Leagues.
The A-Leagues are a new addition to IUA’s sponsorship portfolio which also includes Surf Life Saving Australia and its own Local Sports Sponsorship Fund, which has been supporting grassroots sporting clubs in local communities across the country for many years.
“We are delighted to be joining forces with the fastest growing sport in the country. The A-Leagues bring together the best of football in Australia – the game’s unparalleled diversity, reach and participation is key to our strategy to connect with modern Australia,” said Hiroyasu Sato, Isuzu UTE Australia, Managing Director.
“We recognize that football is a great vehicle for bringing families and communities together, from amateur weekend players through to the professional A-Leagues. It’s a natural fit with our customers who share that spirit of excitement and adventure with football fans, and we look forward to being able to support the A-Leagues and Network 10 to bring football to all Australians.”
“The A-Leagues are all about inspiring everyone to play their own way, on and off the pitch, so there is a natural fit with the Isuzu UTE brand values of adventure, reliability and performance. Football fans and Ute and SUV lovers live for the weekend and so we are excited to explore this connection with our audiences,” said Ant Hearne, Chief Commercial Officer for the A-Leagues.
The naming rights agreement covers a broad range of marketing opportunities including player kit branding, signage and branding rights across all A-Leagues channels, digital content and activation rights at all A-League Men’s and Women’s matches. IUA have also committed to providing vehicles to the APL and the A-League Clubs for on-the-ground support.
Isuzu UTE’s naming rights partnership kicks off from October 6 2021 ahead of the scheduled first match of the Isuzu UTE A-League Men on November 19 2021.
