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Eagles spread sponsorship wings

By Mr Dandalooa

The West Coast Eagles has announced insurance broking firm Australian Reliance as an official business partner until 2011.

Under the deal, Australian Reliance employees receive access to the club’s executive leadership program, which focuses on the link between sporting principles and business practices. 

The business partnership renews the Eagles’ association with former West Coast player Andrew Donnelly, who is chief executive officer of Australian Reliance.

The former footballer said he was keen to step up expansion plans for the national business he co-founded with partner Kim Hanson in 1998.

Donnelly said the 2-year deal was a major coup for the firm, giving it referral rights to the football club’s network of corporate contacts and business partners.

“This is an exciting deal for us because there’s a powerful parallel with sport and business – things like teamwork and leadership are relevant across both,” Donnelly said.

West Coast head honcho Trevor Nisbett said the club was delighted to snag Australian Reliance as an official partner.

“Australian Reliance and the West Coast Eagles have a great synergy, as we are both committed to supporting our local communities and in particular grass roots footy. We look forward to working with Andrew and his team and introducing them to our existing partners and corporate members,” he said.

“The partnership also compliments our long standing relationship with the IAG group and major sponsor SGIO which has traditionally just focused on the promotion of retail insurance.”

West Coast also recently renewed BHP Billiton as a principal community partner to head up community programs and have the naming rights to the Kicking Goals program.

Eagles chief operating officer Richard Godfrey said while the club has retained inaugural sponsors SGIO and Hungry Jack’s, peripheral partnerships were key to the club’s financial stability.

“A lot of these companies want to be seen putting something back into the community in which they operate, and so that’s obviously a very important strategy for them,” he said.

“But you’ve got to start to develop these relationships at a lower level I’d say to grow confidence in the partnerships.

“We thought it was pretty important during 2009 to focus on our core business, that’s principal and I think it’s probably what a lot of businesses obviously did, and we did that to the best of our ability.

“Last year we set up a partnership with Mortgage Gallery as one example in trying to fine new customers for Mortgage Gallery.”

Customers who sign up get deals with the Eagles, they get Eagles dollars to reduce membership costs and can use those dollars in the Eagles’ merchandise store.

“That’s the main thing about sponsorship, building and keeping that relationship and ensuring that we’ve got long-term partnerships rather than those that only last for a few years, and that’s critical to who we establish our relationships with.”