AFL Women’s champion signs jersey sponsor

AFL Aussie rules football club the Adelaide Crows has signed up global resources company BHP as a jersey sponsor for its women’s team.

The Crows won the inaugural AFL Women’s competition earlier this year and will now be supported by BHP as it seeks to defend its title in 2018. BHP has signed a three-year deal with the club, running until the end of the 2020 season.

BHP’s logo will feature on the back of the team’s guernsey, with the company to benefit from exposure across match-day activations, member offers and experiences, and other events and branding.

BHP, which will support the Crows through its South Australian Olympic Dam operation, will also work with the team on grassroots and development programs for young women and Indigenous people in the local area.

Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan said: “This is a significant milestone not only for our club but for the AFLW more broadly. BHP is a global business with a 3,000-strong workforce in South Australia and a strong focus on inclusion and diversity so we see this as a great fit for the club and the competition.

“Support from major companies such as BHP is fundamental to the continued growth of women’s football. This partnership is about much more than just support for our team, it provides a broader base for us to work together to continue to develop the game in communities across Australia’s central corridor.

“It will also enable unique opportunities for fans, employees and participants. We’re keen to work together and learn from one another to continue to develop and grow our people, particularly in relation to identifying and increasing female participation across our respective fields.”