Australian Professional Leagues has signed a new sponsorship deal with McDonald’s Australia. According to the contract, McDonald’s will become the Official Quick Service Restaurant Partner and McCafé will be the Coffee Partner of the A-League, Westfield W-League, and the E-League. This partnership will also extend to nine APL clubs, including three new relationships with Brisbane Roar FC, Macarthur FC and Western United FC.
Through the partnership, McDonald’s is also expanding its commitment to support grassroots football with the ‘Macca’s Half-Time Heroes’ activation, a series of games played at half-time during APL matches. This feature is designed to give opportunities to families, especially children to experience football.
Ant Hearne, Chief Commercial Officer of APL, said, “We’ve got two million people playing football in Australia and we want to give them the best possible access to the highest level of football in this country through APL. This partnership with McDonald’s enables deeper connections between young players and their A-League and Westfield W-League heroes and we’re delighted to expand our relationship.”
Notably, McDonald’s became an Official Partner of the A-League and sponsored its Video Assisted Refereeing system in 2017. The new deal follows APL taking control of Australian football’s premier sporting competitions after the leagues split from Football Australia last year. The management of Australia’s professional men’s and women’s football leagues passed to the newly-formed APL on December 31.
Amanda Nakad, marketing manager of McDonald’s Australia, also commented on the new partnership and said, “We’re proud to play an active role in communities across Australia and are thrilled to be a foundation partner of the Australian Professional Leagues. Football has a terrific atmosphere – everyone is made feel welcome at their local A- and W-League or junior club and feels immediately at home. We love that aspect of sociability and familiarity, that’s so aligned to what we strive to provide in our restaurants.”
APL has operational, commercial and marketing control over Australia’s professional leagues. Since its takeover, the APL has been working on increasing commercial opportunities and options in the game. Earlier this year, several A-League teams signed deals with Epic Games to have their team jerseys featured in online multiplayer game Fortnite.