Melbourne Football Club has secured Automotive Holdings Group (AHG) as its major sponsor for the next three years.
The AHG logo being sported on the Dee’s guernsey. Image: melbournefc.com.au
AHG, which will don the front and back of Melbourne’s guernsey until at least the end of 2016, has been operating in Australia for 61 years. It will also feature on all playing, training and retail apparel. AHG will also gain strong exposure within the MCG at Melbourne home games.
The new partnership is a significant step in the rebuild of Melbourne and the club is confident it will be a long and mutually beneficial relationship.
AHG has targeted Victoria as a key expansion market for its organisation, with Melbourne a key branding and promotional asset for it to achieve greater market share.
Chief executive Peter Jackson said the new agreement was a great fillip for the club.
“We are absolutely delighted to have entered into a new partnership with AHG,” he said.
“It’s a mutual benefit for both parties and we are excited about the opportunities and growth for both businesses.
AHG managing director Bronte Howson said the sponsorship would be funded within existing marketing budgets and would give the group’s automotive dealerships mass market exposure across Australia.
“This is a great branding opportunity for AHG and especially for our online presence,” Howson said.
Howson indicated the Melbourne partnership was compared with several other sponsorship opportunities.
“The timing was right for both parties,” he said.
“Melbourne’s jumper sponsorship opened up as we were looking to increase our branding nationally. Having Paul Roos join the club as head coach, Peter Jackson as CEO and Glen Bartlett as president gives us great confidence that we’re working with a complementary leadership culture.
“The club also offers the group exposure to its influential membership, supporter base and coterie groups.”
Established in Perth in 1952, AHG operates 152 passenger, bus and truck franchises across Australia and New Zealand.
AHG has a significant logistics division with operations in every mainland state. It also operates national refrigerated transport and storage, auto and truck parts warehousing and distribution, and distribution across Australia and New Zealand of KTM and Husaberg motorcycles.