Groudbreaking New Sponsorship Deal With Hockey Australia

20th May, 2024 - In a landmark agreement between Kookaburra Sport and Hockey Australia, the Kookaburras will bear the “Kookaburra” brand proudly on the front of their playing shirt as the Official Front-of-Shirt Sponsor for the next three years.

Seen as one of Australian sport’s longest and most revered partnerships that extends over 30 years, the naming of the Kookaburras is very much connected to their DNA as the original agreement between the two parties led to their iconic nickname. This is very much a match made in Hockey!

The sponsorship deal does not end here, which will see the Hockeyroos also feature the Kookaburra brand on the front of their playing skort, and Kookaburra Sport will also become the Exclusive Ball Partner for Hockey Australia across all National Championships and the Hockey One League. This will see the number one ball in hockey remain at the forefront of the sport from grass roots to the elite levels of the game.

This partnership will be felt across all levels of the sport showcasing Kookaburra Sport’s commitment to Hockey Australia’s development pathways through National Championships, but also game development and grass roots community hockey through the bodies’ Hookin2Hockey programme.

Group General Manager at Kookaburra Sport, Brett Elliot commented that this was an incredibly proud moment:

"Kookaburra Sport is proud to be associated with one of the most successful sporting bodies and teams this country has produced. As a brand we have had a long-standing relationship with both the sport itself and Hockey Australia that spans more than 30 years. Together we share brand synergies and a partnership that highlights the importance of the hockey community here in Australia from the elite level to grass roots. As a 5th generation Australian owned and operated family business that has been part of the fabric of Australian sport since 1890, today represents a proud moment for Kookaburra Sport, Hockey Australia, and the game itself."

Hockey Australia CEO David Pryles shared Elliot’s views, adding the announcement marks an iconic moment in the sport.

“This announcement is an incredibly exciting moment for our sport. It’s fantastic to align the Kookaburras, who are one of Australia’s proudest national teams with Kookaburra Sport who are a proud Australian-owned company. Both brands have a lasting legacy synonymous with Australian sport over manydecades and align through shared values, a mutual passion for hockey and the understanding of the importance of community in our game. I’m very much looking forward to working with Kookaburra Sport and we are excited by the opportunity for both parties to deepen connections with the community from our Hookin2Hockey clinics, through the grassroots, all the wayup to our elite High-Performance programme.”

As the squads’ head to Europe for the remaining matches in the FIH Pro League, Kookaburra Sport ambassador Tom Craig exclaimed it’s a proud moment to be representing both Kookaburra Sport and his country.

“It's been reasonably well publicised, the struggles we've had to get a front-of-shirt sponsor and for a team that's as proud as the Kookaburras, who have a long and famed tradition, It's just so good to have someone there and even better that it's a brand that is huge in Australian sport and a big supporter of Australian sport and we're stoked to have them on board,” 

Hockeyroo and Kookaburra brand ambassador Mariah Williams welcomed a major sponsor that is aligned with Hockey.

“To now have a major sponsor that is aligned with Hockey, I think is something that is really important, really exciting and I think it is a really good thing for Hockey in Australia.”

ABOUT KOOKABURRA SPORT

Established in Melbourne in 1890 by founder Alfred Grace Thompson, Kookaburra Sport remains a proud sports equipment manufacturer specialising in field hockey and cricket balls, AFL Footballs as well as equipment, bespoke team wear, clothing, and footwear. Kookaburra hockey balls have been used at every Olympic Games since 1956 and today, the Kookaburra Dimple Elite is the only hockey ball with Global Approval from the International Hockey Federation.

After 130 years Kookaburra Sport remains a 100% Australian family-owned business. Fourth and fifth-generation members of the Thompson family continue to work at Head Office in Melbourne, with additional offices in India, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, and an agency in South Africa, employing over 250 people globally.

For more information, or to request media opportunities, please contact:

David Orchard
Kookaburra Sport General Manager – Go To Market
M: 0484 278 757
E: [email protected]

Kristina Eddy
Hockey Australia Media Manager
M: 0475 723 189
E: [email protected]