Question - Hawthorn Football Club - Partnership extension

Thursday 5 June 2025

Ms ARMITAGE question to the MINISTER for SPORT and EVENTS, Mr DUIGAN

[2.31 p.m.]

As many in our community are very interested, can you please advise of details of the partnership extension with the Hawthorn Football Club for a further two years, given the benefits provided to the state, the cost of the partnership and whether any bonuses exist for making the finals as has occurred in the past?

ANSWER

Mr President, I appreciate the question as it certainly cuts across my responsibilities as Minister for Sport and Events, but also of great interest as UTAS Stadium is in beautiful downtown Windermere. As the member has indicated, the Tasmanian government has reaffirmed our strong support for AFL and for the Hawthorn Football Club by finalising a renewed $9.1 million sponsorship agreement with Hawthorn for 2026-27 AFL seasons.

This, of course, comes off the back of what has been a fantastic 25-year-long partnership with the Hawthorn footy club. It was interesting to go to the football the other day and listen to the president of Hawthorn Football Club talk. They are in their centenary year this year. For a quarter of its life, Hawthorn football has been playing games in Launceston, Tasmania. We are a big part of that story. Through that long and ongoing partnership, we have seen great results for both Tasmania and the club with more than 10,000 Tasmanians currently active members of Hawthorn. It has been a great partnership not only for the state and to have elite AFL played in Tasmania, but also for the club.

In the new agreement, Tasmania will continue as naming rights partner for 2026 and that will change to a major partnership status in 2027, when the Tasmania logo will come off the Hawthorn jumper because it will go on the Tasmania Devils football team jumper. Our team will wear the Tasmania logo.

The new agreement will continue to deliver commercial and community benefits to Tasmania, including signage on the jumper, around the grounds and of course at the MCG where it is very valuable. I am advised the Department of State Growth is finalising the grant deed. I understand bonuses for making finals and performance-based incentives have not been discussed. I would point to the longstanding knowledge we have of that partnership and very demonstrable benefit that AFL football brings to the local economy.

That partnership has been going for 25 years. We can demonstrate a 6.5 to 1 return to the economy for every dollar the government invests. That gives us great confidence and should give other members great confidence in the value of the Tasmanian team to the state.