Australia’s oldest bank, Westpac, recently confirmed it will become the new principal partner of Cricket Australia, ending a 37-year partnership with rival Commonwealth Bank.

The latest four-year agreement between Westpac and Cricket Australia will take effect with the upcoming series against India and South Africa, starting next month.

The deal encompasses all levels of cricket in Australia, including Test, One-Day, and T20 matches as well as the Australia A and under-19 squads.

The bank’s logo will feature on the men’s and women’s team shirts for international matches played in Australia. Westpac also joins the Big Bash League as an official partner.

“Westpac’s support will directly contribute to initiatives that elevate participation and visibility in our sport and help support our vision of making cricket a sport for all,” Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg says.

The bank says the deal will include support for local clubs, boosting opportunities and pathways for women to get involved in cricket, enhancing support for First Nations talent in the sport and supporting programs for players with physical and intellectual disabilities.

Westpac CEO Anthony Miller adds, “As Australia’s oldest bank, we can’t wait to join forces with one of Australia’s oldest sports and help shape the future of this great game,” Miller says.

A growing trend

This latest partnership marks a growing trend among banks leveraging sports sponsorships to reach new audiences and grow brand equity.

In addition to cricket, Westpac has maintained a major partnership with the National Rugby League (NRL) since 2022.

It’s not the only Big Four bank with significant sponsorship deals in major sports in Australia.

CommBank and Football Australia have been partners since 2021, and with the signing of a six-year extension, CommBank has become the principal sponsor across all levels. The bank also holds the naming-rights partnerships with the Matildas, Young Matildas and Junior Matildas.

National Bank Australia (NAB) has held a long-term sponsorship with the Australian Football League (AFL), supporting Auskick, the AFL national drafts, the NAB AFL Rising Star award and the naming rights for AFL Women’s League (AFLW) since its launch.

ANZ has been a major sponsor of the Australian Open with multi-year exclusive sponsorship agreements that began in 2014.

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