Seven Network has seen few changes to its hefty sponsorship lineup for the 2024 Australian Football League (AFL) season, which kicks off this evening with a match between the Sydney Swans and Melbourne at the SCG.

Toyota, McDonald’s, AAMI, Harvey Norman, and Bunnings all return as broadcast partners, alongside a list of broadcast sponsors that includes Telstra, Coles, Sportsbet, Industry Super Funds, Hostplus, CBUS, Chemist Warehouse, NAB, Asahi Beverages, Uber, OMO Ultimate, Cash Converters, Bundaberg Brewed Drinks, Colgate-Palmolive, and Virgin Australia. Other brands have signed on with major packages or as local market sponsors.

Seven’s new digital AFL rights kick in with Seven’s exclusive coverage of the Brownlow Medal and the Grand Final this year. Seven’s broadcast coverage will also be complemented by an expanded AFL Match Centre at 7NEWS.com.au and special content on 7plus.

In 2023, Seven’s AFL coverage reached 17 million Australians. The AFL Grand Final alone reached 7.83 million people with an average total TV audience of 3.98 million, up 22% in 2022. The Brownlow Medal reached 3.07 million people and had a total TV audience of 1.28 million, up 11% year-on-year and its biggest audience since 2017.

“AFL is in a unique and strong place. Last year, more than eight million fans went through the turnstiles. AFL and AFLW memberships are at record highs. Free to air TV continues to dominate AFL viewing, with big increases in the audiences of key games last year,” Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette. “AFL is clearly the #1 winter code, reaching more people, more light viewers, more families and more females than any other sport. Seven is the only place to get the most powerful 30 seconds in marketing: the ad break after goals.”

“At Seven, we love delivering AFL to millions of people each week and for our partners, from sponsors to spot buys. We will continue to collaborate and innovate to connect those brands to the fans to drive meaningful outcomes. We are delighted to have our 2024 partners and sponsors on board, with some very exciting creative executions, innovations and ideations to come from our many returning and new partners,” said Burnette.

“This year’s schedule will maximise audience and fan engagement outcomes to deliver the best possible platform for brands. We have created more ways into, and greater accessibility around, key points of the season, including blockbuster April with the Gather Round and Anzac Day fixtures and of course Grand Final week – Australia’s Super Bowl moment and an amazing builder of brands,” said Seven’s National Sport Sales Director, Rob Maclean. “This year there will be more AFL in prime time than ever before; more coverage on Channel 7 in the NSW and Queensland markets which means higher ratings; more exclusive content and shows on 7plus and fan engagement via 7NEWS.com.au; and a lot more. Seven’s AFL provides the most powerful 30 second ad break in Australia after every goal, where brands can supercharge their creative within the drama of live AFL moments. This is inventory that is accessible to both sponsors and other major advertisers buying into footy, and there is no ad placement more impactful and more effective in capturing strong, active attention.”