The Australian Open and Emirates Airline has announced a new Grand Slam partnership, launching a multi-year deal that will see the two global brands unite for the first time.
In Australia, Emirates’ diverse sponsorship portfolio also includes the Emirates Melbourne Cup, Emirates Australian Open golf tournament, PGA Championship, Perth International, ICC Cricket World Cup, Collingwood Football Club, the Adelaide Festival and the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras.
Now, for the first time, we’ll see a multi-year partnership between Australia’s leading tennis event, the Australian Open and the sport-loving airline, Emirates.
Cabin crew with professional tennis player Casey Dellacqua, marking the Emirates Australian Open series announcement in Perth, home of the Hopman Cup.
From this summer the series will be rebranded the Emirates Australian Open Series, with the airline to partner all five marquee events held ahead of the Australian Open: Hopman Cup (Perth), Brisbane International, Apia International Sydney, Hobart International and the World Tennis Challenge (Adelaide).
The agreement also includes sponsorship of the elite Australian Open Series, the official lead-in to the first Grand Slam of the year. Tennis Australia, CEO Craig Tiley described the global airline as “a perfect fit” for Australia’s largest annual sporting event.
The Australian Open attracts the biggest names in tennis. Pictured (L to R): Novak Djokovic, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray.
“Our new Emirates Australian Open Series partnership reflects the prestige reputation of these events, which draw the world’s top players to our shores each summer,” he said.
“This season alone we’ll see Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova compete in Brisbane, Andy Murray, Serena Williams and Perth’s own Casey Dellacqua at Hopman Cup, Nick Kyrgios is also playing Hopman as well as joining Samantha Stosur in Sydney.”
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said the new deal reflected the airline’s commitment to tennis and its strategic ambition to promote Australia as a travel destination.
Where the action takes place, Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne.
“The Australian Open is a first class sporting event drawing a truly global audience to Melbourne Park each summer, while millions more watch the action on screen,” he said.
“Our commitment to the Australian Open and the Emirates Australian Open Series is a natural extension of our existing tennis sponsorship portfolio around the globe, which now includes three of the four Grand Slams.”
Emirates’ tennis portfolio includes some of the highest profile events on the tennis calendar, including the Grand Slams Roland Garros and the US Open, the Emirates Airline US Open Series, the Dubai Tennis Championships (UAE), BNP Paribas Open (USA), Barcelona Open (ESP), Internazionali BNL d’Italia (ITA) and Rogers Cup (CAN).
Emirates cabin crew and Todd Woodbridge onboard an Emirates aircraft in Melbourne.
Australian Open 2015 will take place at Melbourne Park from 19 January to 1 February.