The National Rugby League (NRL) is pleased to announce a partnership with Kia Australia.
The three-year deal will see Kia become the official naming-rights partner of Kia Thursday Night Football while also taking on key media assets throughout all ARLC events including Premiership matches, State of Origin and Magic Round Brisbane.
Kia’s partnership with the NRL comes after a record-breaking year in 2022 – capping off a 225 percent growth period for the organisation over the last seven years which has also seen Kia double its market share to above seven percent.
With the Thursday night fixture rated as the most-watched slot on the rugby league weekend based on average viewership, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said he was delighted with the partnership and said there was great synergy between the two organisations.
“We’re delighted on a number of levels by the partnership,” Mr Abdo said.
“Kia have done a remarkable job with their growth, and it’s a credit to Damien and the management team to deliver in the way they have over the past seven years. They are up there with the best performers in the country and have won a number of awards around design and the quality of their vehicles, which is a wonderful story.
“We’re delighted because it’s such a strong brand, but we’re also delighted because Kia have a track record and history of going hard and bringing to life sponsorships within sport.
“It’s terrific to have Kia take the naming rights for Kia Thursday Night Football, but we’re also incredibly pleased with what Kia can bring at our major events in the way they activate – which will bring great experiences for fans,” he added.
This is a win for fans as much as it is a win for the NRL because we know that Kia is a brand that really gets behind the sport at all levels and can bring a lot of value.
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo
“We want to partner with the best in every industry, and it’s great to bring a vehicle partner in that we are extremely proud to be associated with.”
“The NRL and its avid supporter base was central in our desire to partner with the NRL for the next three years," said Damien Meredith, COO of Kia Australia.
“Kia Thursday Night Footy will be tentpole viewing for more than 20 weeks of the year in 2023. This allows us to connect with the NRL fanbase throughout the entire regular season across both the Nine and Fox broadcast. It also provides us with a consistent and high reaching marketing and media platform to further the Kia brand and launch new vehicles into the Australian market.”
