Coopers ends Australian Open sponsorship
Coopers Brewery has decided not to renew its beer partnership with the Australian Open and Tennis Australia, ending a three year involvement.
The beer company is instead redirecting sponsorship to other areas, saying the time is right to look for other opportunities.
Marketing director Cam Pearce said that, despite the decision, the arrangement with Tennis Australia was very successful and the companies end their partnership on good terms.
“Being involved with Tennis Australia for the past three years has been highly beneficial for us,” Pearce said.
“While the agreement represented a significant portion of our sponsorship budget, it did provide us with an outstanding opportunity to showcase our beers to Australian and international audiences attending the Australian Open and lead-up tournaments.
“It also demonstrated that Coopers is a substantial, national brewer.”
Nine secured the broadcast rights for the Australian Open as part of a $300m deal with Tennis Australia in 2018. The broadcaster spent a further $48.5m securing the 2019 rights from Seven, who took the cricket rights, giving Nine the possibility of a summer with no sport. In 2020, Nine has announced extended coverage for the event, with all games of the tournament to be available live on the broadcaster’s platform 9Now.
Coopers is still a major sponsor of Australia’s Supercars series and the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open golf tournament. Coopers is Australia’s largest independent beer company and saw its beer sales fall for the first time in 24 years in 2018.
Brittney Rigby was Mumbrella's deputy managing editor - news and analysis. She left Mumbrella in April 2021.
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Shame, lets hope some generic international like Heineken doesnt take over. It was quite refreshing to have an Aussie craft independent at the AO
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Agree. Such a shame an iconic independent Aussie has bowed out of the Australian Open. I loved their dedicated beer tent at the Open. I’ll miss them this year. Devastated. Come back soon!
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