Special Brand Event - Dees Discover a Gem in Opel

Melbourne Football Club has secured the German automotive brand Opel as a joint major sponsor.

MELBOURNE – Apr 23, 2012: Melbourne Football Club has announced one of Europe’s largest automobile manufacturers Opel as its new joint major sponsor.

Opel Australia joins Webjet, which signed with the Demons in the lead-up to round three, as the club’s two major sponsors.

Melbourne president Don McLardy said it was significant that the club was able to secure two major sponsors since the season had started…

“It’s an outstanding result for our club, and we are rapt that Opel has jumped on board,” he said.

“Opel has been a great success in Europe. Although they will officially launch in Australia later this year, they are a brand that is of similar heritage to the Melbourne Football Club - we have both been in operation for 150 years or more.”

Opel Australia managing director Bill Mott said it was thrilled to join Melbourne as its joint major sponsor.

“The Opel brand is new to Australia, but similar to the Melbourne Football Club, we enjoy a rich history, steeped in quality, tradition and progressiveness.

“Opel are proud to be launching in Australia with the Demons as our close partner, just as we are excited to be bringing quality German engineering and design to Australians at an accessible price.”

Opel will feature on the back of the Melbourne jumper and its training apparel.

It will also be displayed on the club’s media backdrop and MCG signage. Opel will also have a presence on the club’s digital advertising and corporate hospitality.

Opel was founded in 1862, Rüsselsheim, Germany, where headquarters remain, and sell vehicles in more than 40 countries.

It operates plants and development centres in seven European countries, employs around 40,000 people (as at December 2011), and has more than 6,500 dealers.

In 2011, Opel sold more than 1.2 million vehicles in Europe alone.

Opel will launch in Australia this September with the Corsa, Astra Hatch and Wagon, Astra GTC and Insignia Sedan and Wagon.

It’s been an outstanding turnaround by Melbourne, following its much-publicised major sponsorship termination in the lead-up to round two.