Football goes SOLO
Football Federation Australia (FFA) today announced another new sponsorship agreement for football. The three year multi-million dollar agreement sees beverage manufacturer Schweppes become the Official Non-Alcoholic Beverage Partner of FFA, all national teams including the Qantas Socceroos and the Westfield Matildas as well as the Hyundai A-League
The three year multi-million dollar agreement sees beverage manufacturer Schweppes become the Official Non-Alcoholic Beverage Partner of FFA, all national teams including the Qantas Socceroos and the Westfield Matildas as well as the Hyundai A-League, the Westfield W-League and the National Youth League.
The Goal of the Year will be known as the SOLO Goal of the Year, and FFA-s 5-a-side schools program will be known as the Cottees 5-a-side program.
“This is another very good day for FFA,” said FFA CEO, Ben Buckley.
“We are delighted to announce this new partnership with Schweppes and we appreciate their support for our ambitious plans to be the sport of first choice for players and fans particularly through the new Cottees 5-a-side schools program.”
Buckley said that football has had the highest participation rates of any sport for boys aged 5-14 years for more than a decade and is also the fastest growing team sport for girls with an average annual growth rate of more than 6% over the past five years.
“There are many children who also enjoy playing the game at school, and particularly as they follow the Qantas Socceroos journey to participate in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa over the next 18 months or so.
“Cottees support will help more children play the game at school, and the more children who play the game, the more it will result in healthier lifestyles and a healthier population,” Buckley said.
"Schweppes Australia is delighted to announce its new partnership with Football Federation Australia,” said Managing Director, David Beguely.
“The powerful association with FFA provides Schweppes with an unique opportunity to connect our iconic brands in a refreshing and energetic way with a rapidly growing and increasingly popular sport .
Through our partnership, we look forward to captivating all our employees and consumers, and working with the FFA to create great excitement with customers and football fans throughout Australia, as we support the Qantas Socceroos' journey to the World Cup in South Africa in 2010,” Beguely said.
Other brands associated with the partnership include Gatorade (sports drink) and Propel (fitness water of the Westfield W-League).
The Qantas Socceroos play Kuwait in a 2011 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup qualifying match tonight in Canberra, and then meet Uzbekistan in a 2010 FIFA World Cup Asian group qualifier in Sydney on 1 April.
In the past 12 months, FFA has negotiated new or renewed partnership agreements with Qantas, Hyundai, Westfield, nab and Optus.