Australian football has become a key battleground for alcoholic beverage brands across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with a high volume of small to mid-sized regional sponsorships driving strong overall deal value.
GlobalData’s report, “Sponsorship Sector Report – Alcoholic Beverages – APAC 2025,” reveals that the average deal is approximately $570,000. The AFL partnership with Carlton and United Breweries (CUB) is the largest deal across the region in 2025. CUB has the joint-largest deal volume across the APAC region and the largest sponsorship spend in 2025.
Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “By partnering with the AFL—a central part of Australia’s sporting and social culture—brands can align themselves with the league’s core values of community, mateship, and tradition. CUB’s agreement with the AFL is a clear example: it includes multiple team-level partnerships that reinforce CUB’s long-term commitment to the game. This deal not only helps strengthen the AFL’s financial position but also supports greater inclusivity by expanding the availability and visibility of non-alcoholic beverage options.”
The Asia region shows the lowest average per-deal value, approximately $370,000. This indicates that the market is dominated by many relatively small sponsorship agreements rather than a few large headline contracts. Although the Pacific region accounts for around 60.6% of deals, it contributes around 79% of APAC’s deal value. This shows that Pacific deals are, on average, larger than Asia deals — consistent with the higher average annual value.
Snooks continues: “Alcoholic beverage brands have concentrated substantial investments in high‑visibility Pacific properties, such as national teams, major leagues, and marquee events, while relying on numerous low‑value, localized partnerships across Asian markets to maintain brand presence without violating regional regulations.”
CUB has secured two of the three largest deals in the region: partnerships with the AFL and National Rugby League (NRL). The AFL partnership introduced Carlton Zero, the league’s first official non-alcoholic beer. This move aligns with the growing trend toward health-conscious consumer choices and demonstrates CUB’s adaptability in a market where non-alcoholic beverages are gaining traction. CUB’s renewed multi-year partnership with the NRL further consolidates its influence across major Australian sports.
Snooks concludes: “CUB’s agreement with the NRL covers alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic options, such as Gatorade and Cool Ridge water. This comprehensive sponsorship approach enables CUB to reach a broader audience, including consumers who prefer non-alcoholic choices. The partnerships with both the NRL and AFL are pivotal for enhancing brand visibility, responding to market trends, and reinforcing CUB’s leadership in sports sponsorship. These deals benefit CUB and support the leagues’ financial stability and fan engagement.”
Quotes provided by Olivia Snooks, Sport Analyst at GlobalData
Information based on GlobalData’s latest report, “Sponsorship Sector Report – Alcoholic Beverages – APAC 2025,” which explores all the main active brands in the sector as well as details the movement in the sector over the last few years in the sports sponsorship industry.
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