LEADING Australian insurer Zurich will increase its support of Melbourne in 2020, becoming a Major Partner of the club’s AFLW team.
The new sponsorship will see Zurich’s logo proudly displayed on the back of the Demons’ AFLW guernsey, while also remaining on the front of the men’s jumper.
Justin Delaney, CEO of Zurich Life and Investments Australia, said he was proud of the developing connection between Zurich and Melbourne, as the two enter their third year of partnership.
“Our support of the women’s team reflects our values around diversity and inclusion, and is a natural extension of our close partnership with Melbourne,” he told Melbourne Media.
“The Dees are the pioneers of the AFLW competition, and the likes of Daisy Pearce, Karen Paxman and Kate Hore are proving to be new types of heroes to the emerging generation of Aussie kids who love footy.
“We’re excited to be aligning ourselves with Melbourne’s strong AFLW foundations, and playing a small role in supporting the growth of one of Australia’s most exciting sports.”
Passionate about the thriving interest and participation of AFLW, Delaney reinforced Zurich’s desire of being involved with all facets of the sport.
“The women’s game is rightly growing in popularity, at a rate of knots,” he said.
“Through this extended partnership, we cement our support of Aussie Rules both at the professional and grassroots level, which is really exciting.”
Melbourne Football Club CEO Gary Pert is equally as pleased to have Zurich on board, saying the further support is a reflection of the female sports movement.
“We have built a strong, successful partnership with Zurich over the past two years, and this extension is a great vote of confidence in our AFLW program and its foundations,” he said.
“Melbourne and Zurich share a similar set of values, with both committed to creating opportunities for all young girls and boys to dream of, one day, becoming AFL and AFLW footballers.
“With females now making up over one third of all participants across Australia, it’s fantastic to have a culturally-aligned partner show its support across our entire club.”
Melbourne’s 2020 AFLW campaign will kick off on Saturday 8 February, with a home match against North Melbourne at Casey Fields.
