NAB’s catch cry is “More than money”, and never has that been more fitting than today. The major bank has this morning been announced as the premier sponsor for the ground-breaking new AFL Women’s League.
The company won the naming rights to the inaugural season, due to kick off in February next year with eight teams playing televised matches over the course of eight weeks.
For NAB CEO, Andrew Thorburn, the decision to gun for the sponsorship was a no-brainer.
“At NAB, we value diversity and we believe in equality. I am invested in building a culture that supports women to achieve their goals; women at NAB, our customers and in the community more broadly,” he said.
“That’s why we are backing the AFL Women’s League. It gives footy fans, especially young girls and boys, inspirational role models to help nurture their passion for the game.”
The three-year deal is reportedly worth several million dollars annually, and encouragingly, NAB wasn’t the only company prepared to stump up the cash.
As AFL CEO, Gillon McLachlan, told The Herald Sun, NAB faced “a lot of competition” to secure the rights.
“There are a lot of companies, a lot of individuals, who want to be involved in women’s sport, and specifically women’s AFL,” he said.
It’s little wonder. Last month’s exhibition match between the Western Bulldogs and Melbourne attracted an average television audience of 746,000 viewers nationally – more than any Saturday night men’s game had managed up until that point.
The backing of such a big company is obviously a major coup for the AFLW, and adds further weight to the expectation surrounding the season.
That will kick up another notch tomorrow with the official draft, where dozens of new players will join superstar marquee picks including Melbourne captain, Daisy Pearce, and Sabrina Frederick-Traub of the Brisbane Lions.
READ MORE: You may not have heard of her yet, but 19-year-old Sabrina is your next AFL hero.
The Arrests Made Over Liam Payne's Death Explained
The Quicky 
