Renault Powers Port Adelaide Into a New Era

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA – Marc 5, 2013: The Port Adelaide Football Club is honoured to welcome Renault as a new joint major partner under a multi-year deal connecting one of the world’s largest car manufacturers with one of Australia’s most successful sporting organisations.

The sponsorship – announced today on football’s greatest stage, the MCG - also marks Renault’s return to the AFL and demonstrates its confidence in the ambitious club, while building on the company’s established commitment to Australia’s sporting and cultural landscape.

Port Adelaide Chairman David Koch said the club was thrilled to partner with Renault and honoured to wear such a long-established and internationally respected automotive brand on its guernsey.

“Renault is an established global company with a long history in Australia, including success in Australian motorsport, and Port Adelaide could not be prouder of this partnership,” Mr Koch said.

“With Renault joining us as a joint major partner, we have taken a very significant step in our strategic drive to broaden Port Adelaide’s brand and make ourselves a bigger player in the national market.

“We are very grateful for the support Renault has extended to Port Adelaide and the belief it has shown in our future.”

Renault Australia Marketing Director Chris Bayman said: “We are delighted to be part of the Port Adelaide transformation, and hope we can grow together, as we continue to strengthen Renault in Australia and Port Adelaide follows its vision.

“Like Port Adelaide, we see ourselves as a ‘challenger’ brand, with a strong sense of fun, competitive spirit, determination to succeed, and a never-say-die attitude.

“We are confident this partnership will expose more people to Renault and our family of attainable passenger, sports and light commercials vehicles.”

The Renault name and logo will appear on the back of Port Adelaide’s home guernsey and the front of its away and clash strips, and will make its AFL debut on the MCG where Port Adelaide and Melbourne clash in Round 1 on Sunday 31 March.

Mr Koch said Renault’s slogan – “Drive The Change” – was highly appropriate for Port Adelaide.

“Renault is changing and becoming a stronger competitor in its market with every passing year with growth of over 250% in the last two years and that’s certainly a perfect fit at Port Adelaide where we are undergoing some of the most significant change in our own long and successful history,” Mr Koch said.

“We have a new board, new coaching staff, a lot of new players and we are only a year away from playing AFL games at a stunning new home ground in Adelaide Oval.

“Now we have a great new friend in Renault and to have the company as a driving force behind all of that change as a major sponsor is just wonderful for Port Adelaide.

“Port Adelaide was established in 1870 and Renault was founded in 1899 and while we have both been around for more than 100 years, we also share a great excitement for what the future holds.”

Renault has a long commitment to international motorsport, powering four Formula One Grand Prix teams in 2013, including Red Bull Racing of which Australian Mark Webber is a driver.

“Renault has a history of competition success, with 11 Formula 1 Constructors’ Championships, but we are also active locally in motorsport, launching the Swisse Renault Rally Team and the motoring.com.au Renault Sport Targa Team in the last week,” Mr Bayman said.

“We are also a proud sponsor of the Renault National Beach Volleyball Series, Mark Webber Tasmania Challenge, Flickerfest Short Film Festival, Bell Shakespeare and the Snowfields of Mount Hotham and Falls Creek.

“All Renault Partnerships reflect both our competitive spirit as well as our Joie de Vivre.”