It’s been an epic week of sports and sports sponsorship news. The T20 Internationals between Australia and the West Indies has kicked off with two clinical Australian victories.
In the first match Mitch Owen etched himself into the record books by becoming just the third Aussie in cricket history to score fifty runs in their men’s T20 International debut. His innings began in impressive form belting a six over the rope in his first scoring short. On his way to fifty runs he smacked six sixes all over the ground.
Mitch Owen – photo credit @cricketaustrlia Instagram account.
The third match is scheduled on July 26 to be played at Warner Park, Basseterre. Australia only require one more victory to claim the five game series.
Qantas is the overseas tour partner, sponsoring the Australian side as they travel through the West Indies.
In the Basketball, The Opals won the FIBA Women’s Asian Cup defeating Japan 88-79. It’s the first time Australia has taken out the event, and to top it off the side impressively maintained an undefeated record.
Welcome back to B&T’s Spotlight on Sponsors series, where we break down all the major sponsorship news from inside the sporting world.
On the sidelines, the action is heating up as well.
This week’s spotlight on sponsors features Cricket Australia finally filled an eight year void, after it secured an official wine partner in McGuigan Wines, Anaconda stepped up as a key supporter and donated $25,000 to support Carltons Road to Respect, Hawthorn joined forces with the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) to shine a light on road safety, Jackson Motor Company is signed on as a sponsor of the Tasmania JackJumpers, and Freshworks has become an official partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team.
Cricket Australia x McGuigan Wines
Cricket Australia (CA) has announced McGuigan Wines, a global brand owned by Australian Vintage, will become its official wine partner.
The multi-year partnership brings together two iconic brands. Cricket is Australia’s national sport, and McGuigan Wines boasts an impressive strike rate, selling one bottle of wine every second across the globe.
McGuigan Wines will become the official wine partner of both the Australian men’s and women’s cricket teams, domestically and internationally, recognising the shared heritage, quality and celebrations synonymous with both brands.
The announcement comes after the men’s team demolished the West Indies three games to nil. Incredibly, the third and final test match of the series saw Australia knock over the West Indies for 27, the second-lowest total in test match history. In this remarkable innings with the ball for the Aussies, Mitch Starc was the pick of the bowlers, picking up a five-wicket haul in a quick-fire 15 deliveries.
Scott Boland also etched himself in the history book as the first Australian man since Peter Siddle in 2010, and tenth overall, to produce a test hat-trick.
“We are excited McGuigan Wines is joining the Cricket Australia family. As a brand anchored in Australian tradition and innovation, they are a natural fit for our audience,” said Ed Sanders, CA chief commercial officer.
“We are confident our partnership with McGuigan Wines will elevate our fan engagement, connecting cricket lovers to unforgettable experiences both on and off the field.”
“We’re thrilled to partner with Cricket Australia, enabling consumers and fans across the world to celebrate the moments that matter, whether that’s in stadiums, backyards, or living rooms.
There is nothing better than watching the test with a good glass of McGuigan wine in hand,” said Tom Dusseldorp, Australian Vintage CEO.
“This partnership forms part of McGuigan’s broader strategy to drive growth locally and globally by leveraging the enormous reach and year-round engagement that cricket provides. With over 9.4 million Australians identifying as cricket fans, and more than 2 million attending matches last season, the sport offers unrivalled reach and cultural relevance.”
In addition to the partnership, McGuigan Wines intends to activate a suite of vibrant consumer experiences, including:
On-ground activations at Australian games
Limited-edition, co-branded products
National in-store and digital promotions
Carlton Football Club x Anaconda
Last weekend’s matchup between the Carlton Blues and the Melbourne Demons at the MCG served as a major awareness and fundraising platform. Anaconda stepped up as a key supporter and proudly donated $25,000 to support the continued growth and expansion of Road to Respect, allowing more schools across Australia to access the vital resource.
Round 19 of the AFL season hosted a poignant game, the 10th annual Carlton Respects match, led by the Carlton Football Club through its long-standing initiative that reinforces a shared commitment to respect, equality and community change.
Established in 2016, Carlton Respects advocates for the prevention of violence against women through promoting gender equality and respectful relationships. This initiative is championed through its cornerstone school program, Road to Respect.
A free, curriculum-aligned digital learning platform and face-to-face program for primary school students in grades 3 to 6, its charter is to equip children with the right tools to manage their emotions, seek help, challenge harmful stereotypes, and nurture inclusive communities.
Chris Lude, CEO of Anaconda, said the company sees strong alignment between the program’s values and Anaconda’s community ethos.
“Supporting Carlton Respects and the Road to Respect program reflects our ongoing commitment to our community and helping young people build the tools to grow into strong, respectful and resilient adults. Anaconda believes in the power of community and education to drive real change, so we are incredibly proud to support such an impactful program that focuses on doing exactly that.”
The Carlton Respects game featured a moving pre-game tribute to honour the lives of women lost to violence in 2024, with a lighting display symbolising each life tragically lost. The fan-favourite Race for Respect, an energetic on-ground race that featured beloved Carlton supporters, local school children and club sponsors, was a crowd highlight. Further game-day donations will support the Road to Respect program.
Together, Carlton Football Club and Anaconda are showing how sport and community can band together to inspire the next generation and make a lasting difference.
Hawthorn x Transport Accident Commission
Hawthorn has joined forces with the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) to shine a light on road safety ahead of the club’s Round 20 blockbuster match against Carlton at the MCG.
The Hawks are partnering with TAC to promote the 2025 AFL Victoria Road Safety Round between July 24-27, in line with Round 20 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season.
Hawthorn will open the round on Thursday 24 July against the Blues in what is set to be an important match both on and off the field, as the Hawks band together with the TAC to help reduce road trauma.
Key game-day activations and digital campaigns will form part of the match-day partnership with Hawthorn players wearing armbands at training in honour of the many lives lost on Victorian roads each year.
“Road safety continues to be one of the most important issues in our society. Partnering with the TAC will enable us to maximise our opportunities to raise awareness of safe driving behaviours on one of the biggest stages in the country, the MCG, for our Round 20 match against Carlton,” said Ash Klein, Hawthorn CEO.
“As always, we urge everyone in the Hawthorn family to take care on the roads at all times, especially when it comes to speeding, which is a major contributor to road trauma across Victoria.”
“We’re proud to partner with the Hawthorn Football Club for Road Safety Round to promote safe driving behaviour,” said Jacqui Sampson, TAC head of community.
“It is up to all of us to keep ourselves, and others, safe on the roads – so we’re calling on footy fans to put safety first and slow down when they’re behind the wheel.
“Just like on the field, one small decision can have a big impact, so let’s band together to make sure everyone gets home safely.”
Tasmania JackJumpers x JMC
NBL’s Tasmania JackJumpers has announced a new partnership with Tasmanian automotive company JMC (Jackson Motor Company).
JMC will help drive the club over the next two years as the official vehicle sponsor.
The collaboration marks an exciting chapter for both brands as they work together to drive the success of the Tasmanian team.
“We are thrilled to welcome JMC into the JackJumpers family as our official vehicle sponsor. This partnership is a great fit for both our teams, as we share a passion for high performance, innovation, and dedication to excellence,” said Christine Finnegan, CEO, Tasmania JackJumpers.
“We’re excited to be partnering with such a dynamic and much-loved brand like the Tasmania JackJumpers. Its commitment to success on and off the court mirrors our own values at JMC. We look forward to being part of the team’s journey and assisting with their logistical needs through our reliable range of vehicles,” said Kristy Stewart, JMC dealer principal.
Head Coach Scott Roth and a number of key players will be behind the wheel of some of JMC’s premier vehicle brands.
JMC will also partner with the JackJumpers to support the club’s preseason games against Sydney Kings in the State’s North West and North next month.
McLaren Racing x Freshworks
Freshworks has announced a multi-year partnership with McLaren Racing, joining as an official partner of the McLaren Formula 1 team. McLaren has integrated Freshworks’ ITSM solution, Freshservice, to boost productivity through more efficient and improved IT services within the team.
With AI-powered Freshservice, the McLaren Formula 1 Team ensures its global IT operations run smoothly by addressing service requests quickly and seamlessly, even when spread across the globe during a busy race season—eliminating complexity and driving operational efficiencies across all aspects of the team.
Freshservice supports McLaren’s IT team in reducing tech-based issues, allowing the team to maximise its efforts on performance on the track. Efficient and uncomplicated processes reduce friction, allowing the team to resolve issues and deliver services more quickly.
Freshworks branding will feature on both McLaren Formula 1 team race cars and the team kit for the remainder of the 2025 season and beyond—starting with this weekend’s Belgian Grand Prix.
“Boosting our efficiencies off the track is a key factor in improving our performance on it. With industry-leading partners such as Freshworks, we’re able to do just that, and I’m delighted to welcome them to the team,” said Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing.
“We partner with McLaren Racing to optimise their IT operations, enhancing their critical support for winning performance. Our enterprise-grade solutions are designed for ease of implementation, use, and configuration, accelerating McLaren IT’s capabilities with AI,” added Dennis Woodside, CEO, Freshworks.
“We’re proud to deliver intuitive software that directly supports their mission to eliminate complexity on and off the track.”
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