AFL renews airline sponsorship deal with Virgin Australia

Latest News

AFL renews airline sponsorship deal with Virgin Australia

September 21, 2018

The AFL has announced that Virgin Australia will remain as the sport's official airline sponsor under a new five-year partnership.

Announced yesterday at Melbourne Airport, the deal was agreed by AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan and Virgin Australia Chief Executive John Borghetti.

The deal includes the AFLW competition for the first time.

With Virgin beating off rival Qantas to secure the deal, the package gives AFL players and officials extra baggage allowances and access to the lounge.

The agreement also allows Virgin Australia to continue bundling flight and ticket packages for fans to travel to games across the country.

The announcement comes during a week when Melbourne Demons fans are having to pay high prices for flights to Perth to see their team play in tomorrow’s AFL preliminary finals.

Some fans have been forced to pay upwards of $1500 one-way to fly to back their team at Perth's Optus Stadium.

Defending the dynamic pricing that sees in-demand fares rise, Borghetti advised "we have to understand its peak period for travel, and it’s not just peak period for travel for the AFL but it’s also school holidays next week.

“People also forget that when you put on extra flights because they are additional flights they’re inevitably empty on the way over, so there’s a lot of fuel to be burned etc.

“Having said all that, we still try and maintain fares as low as possible.”

This is the third time an agreement between Virgin Australia and the AFL has been signed, since Virgin replaced Qantas as the sport’s official airline partner in 2010.

Image: AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan and Virgin Australia Chief Executive John Borghetti at yesterday's sponsorship announcement.

20th September 2018 - Growing support sees AFL fans unhappy at finals ticket allocations

20th September 2018 - AFL seeks project manager for Marvel Stadium upgrade

2nd August 2018 - AFL memberships exceed one million for first time

11th May 2018 - Sponsors call for explanation of Fremantle Dockers sexual harassment claims

31st March 2017 - Live Nation announces official airline partnership with Virgin Australia

31st August 2016 - AFL extends partnership with car maker Toyota

30th April 2016 - Virgin Australia secures naming rights for V8 Supercars

16th December 2012 - Virgin Australia steps in to work with Tourism Australia

23rd August 2011 - Virgin Australia sponsors new Stadium Mackay

5th July 2011 - Toyota extends AFL sponsorship in largest ever deal

24th November 2010 - New sponsors back AFL and GWS Giants

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

Click here to view our subscription options.