MyRepublic makes its mark in football with first-ever sponsorship of Melbourne City FC

MyRepublic has inked a sponsorship deal with Melbourne City FC as its exclusive official Internet provider, marketing the company's first-ever sponsorship deal with a football team. MyRepublic’s logo made its debut at Sunday’s Melbourne Derby, featuring prominently on the sleeve and back of the Club’s Liberty A-League jerseys. The company’s logo was also displayed on the front of the A-League Men’s training kit.

Although the company declined to reveal the monetary value of the sponsorship, group CMO and country manager, Australia, Ji Jing, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that the sponsorship was "an easy fit" for both parties because they have similar values around performance, diversity, and community, and most importantly, they both play to win. 

Under the sponsorship, MyRepublic will also be granted the right to post content as provided by Melbourne City FC onto its digital channels. There will also be fan engagement and activation at home match days in Melbourne City’s “City Square” fan zone. At the same time, the company will now have access to the intellectual property rights of Melbourne City FC and the use of their players in its advertising.

According to JIng, the sponsorship enables MyRepublic to drive a bigger stake into the local community and reinforce its commitment to the people of Melbourne and Australia at large. "By strengthening social and community bonds through upcoming activities with the Club, we expect to increase brand exposure and deepen our relationships with customers in Australia," he explained. A slew of marketing activities and unique experiences for football fans country-wide will be announced soon.  

Melbourne City FC CEO Brad Rowse said it is thrilled to partner with a business that is focused on becoming a market leader in the next generation of networks. "Our fans want to see the fastest players on the pitch and I’m sure they want their club to partner with the best brands off the pitch. With MyRepublic we have opened a door for them to experience a genuinely trailblazing proposition and lightning speed internet connectivity. We look forward to partnering with MyRepublic in using football as a key platform to strengthen social and community bonding in Australia," he added.

Earlier this year, MyRepublic refreshed its brand identity in celebration of its ninth anniversary, embracing a modern, personable tone and personality that is intelligent but also down to earth. Its core purple colour is now optimised for a screen-first approach, in line with changing digital consumption habits.

Months later, it appointed Jeannie Ong to the newly created role of group chief investor relations officer. Ong was previously StarHub's chief strategic partnership officer and CMO, where she led the group's corporate communications, investor relations, branding, marketing, and sustainability portfolios.

She is now responsible for establishing and maintaining strong relationships with investors and stakeholders, with a view of leading MyRepublic to an IPO in the near future. Ong also oversees MyRepublic's corporate communications function.

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