Seven West Media : Big brands front and centre with Se...

Thursday, 7 March 2024

Big brands front and centre with Seven's AFL

2024 AFL partners and sponsors announced

Australia's biggest brands have joined forces with Australia's #1 winter sport and the #1 television and digital network to be part of the massive AFL 2024 season.

Kicking off tonight at 7.00pm AEDT live and free on Channel 7 and 7mate when Sydney Swans and Melbourne meet at the SCG, the 2024 season will be the biggest ever on the Seven Network with more games in prime time, more Thursday night games, more Friday night games and more Saturday night games.

The AFL Grand Final and the Brownlow Medal will again be exclusive to Seven, which will also bring fans every AFL Final; blockbuster games including Opening Night, the Grand Final replay, Gather Round, Anzac Day, Dreamtime at the 'G, The Big Freeze and the Good Friday Superclash; and much more.

This year Seven is proud to welcome Toyota, Macca's, AAMI, Harvey Norman and Bunnings as broadcast partners.

Telstra, Coles, Sportsbet, Industry Super Funds, Hostplus, CBUS, Chemist Warehouse, NAB, Asahi Beverages, Uber, OMO Ultimate, Cash Converters, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, Colgate- Palmolive and Virgin Australia will join Seven as broadcast sponsors, while other brands have signed on with major packages or as local market sponsors.

Seven's extensive, unmissable broadcast coverage will be complemented by an expanded AFL Match Centre at 7NEWS.com.auand a world of special content on 7plus,including 7AFL Fast Channel, in depth team information and profiles, AFL Armchair Experts, Talking Footy, Roaming Brian and more.

In what will be a massive game changer for fans and the sport, Seven's new digital AFL rights kick in from Seven's exclusive coverage of the Brownlow Medal and the Grand Final this year. For the first time, all Australians will have live and free digital access to the nation's favourite sport, week in, week out.

Across 2023, Seven's AFL coverage reached 17 million Australians. The AFL Grand Final alone reached 7.83 million people with an average total TV audience of 3.98 million, up 22% in 2022.

Seven Network (Operations) Limited / 8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh NSW 2015 Australia / PO Box 7077, Alexandria NSW 2015 Australia

1. [phone] / ABN 62 052 845 262

The Brownlow Medal reached 3.07 million people and had a total TV audience of 1.28 million, up 11% year-on-year and its biggest audience since 2017.

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: "AFL is in a unique and strong place. Last year, more than eight million fans went through the turnstiles. AFL and AFLW memberships are at record highs. Free to air TV continues to dominate AFL viewing, with big increases in the audiences of key games last year.

"AFL is clearly the #1 winter code, reaching more people, more light viewers, more families and more females than any other sport. Seven is the only place to get the most powerful 30 seconds in marketing: the ad break after goals," he said.

"At Seven, we love delivering AFL to millions of people each week and for our partners, from sponsors to spot buys. We will continue to collaborate and innovate to connect those brands to the fans to drive meaningful outcomes. We are delighted to have our 2024 partners and sponsors on board, with some very exciting creative executions, innovations and ideations to come from our many returning and new partners."

Seven's National Sport Sales Director, Rob Maclean, said: "This year's schedule will maximise audience and fan engagement outcomes to deliver the best possible platform for brands.

"We have created more ways into, and greater accessibility around, key points of the season, including blockbuster April with the Gather Round and Anzac Day fixtures and of course Grand Final week - Australia's Super Bowl moment and an amazing builder of brands.

"This year there will be more AFL in prime time than ever before; more coverage on Channel 7 in the NSW and Queensland markets which means higher ratings; more exclusive content and shows on 7plus and fan engagement via 7NEWS.com.au; and a lot more," he said.

"Seven's AFL provides the most powerful 30 second ad break in Australia after every goal, where brands can supercharge their creative within the drama of live AFL moments. This is inventory that is accessible to both sponsors and other major advertisers buying into footy, and there is no ad placement more impactful and more effective in capturing strong, active attention."

For further information, please contact:

Neil Shoebridge

M: 0417 511 012

1. [e-mail]

Seven Network (Operations) Limited / 8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh NSW 2015 Australia / PO Box 7077, Alexandria NSW 2015 Australia

1. [phone] / ABN 62 052 845 262

Andrew Knowles

M: 0449 510 357

1. [e-mail]

About the Seven Network

The Seven Network is part of Seven West Media (ASX: SWM), one of Australia's most prominent media companies, with a market-leading presence in content production across broadcast television, publishing and digital. The Seven Network alone reaches about 17 million people a month.

The company owns some of Australia's most renowned media businesses, including the Seven Network and its affiliate channels 7two, 7mate, 7flix and 7Bravo; the digital platform 7plus;7NEWS.com.au;The West Australian; The Sunday Times; and The Nightly. The Seven Network is home to Australia's most loved news, sport and entertainment programming, including 7NEWS, 7NEWS Spotlight, Sunrise, The Morning Show, The Voice, Home and Away, Australian Idol, My Kitchen Rules, SAS Australia, Farmer Wants A Wife, The Chase Australia, Better Homes and Gardens, RFDS, The 1% Club and the TV WEEK Logie Awards. Seven Network is also the broadcast partner of the AFL, Cricket Australia and Supercars.

Seven Network (Operations) Limited / 8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh NSW 2015 Australia / PO Box 7077, Alexandria NSW 2015 Australia

1. [phone] / ABN 62 052 845 262