Telstra Dome to become Etihad Stadium

Melbourne's Telstra Dome is to be renamed the Etihad Stadium.

The sponsorship, which will come into affect at the beginning of March 2009, was announced yesterday at a press conference held at the stadium attended by James Hogan, Chief Executive of Etihad Airways, and Ian Collins, Chief Executive of the Melbourne Stadiums Limited (MSL).

The five-year deal is Etihad's first major sporting sponsorship in Australia and will see the Abu Dhabi-based airline's branding feature prominently inside and outside the stadium, including on perimeter signage and giant score boards.

The sponsorship comes will come into effect at the start of the 2009 Australian Football League (AFL) season and just prior to the airline launching a non-stop, daily service to the Victorian capital.

Introducing the deal, Hogan explained "sport sponsorships form a major part of Etihadâs international marketing strategy.

"Australia is a hugely important and rapidly growing market for our airline, and this deal provides an excellent opportunity to continue building our global brand and forge close and long-lasting relationships with the Australian travelling public, many of whom we know are huge sports fans.

"As a Melbournian, I am particularly proud that our airline is now so closely associated with my home city."

Collins added that "this marks a new and very exciting chapter for the venue. Since the stadium was established in 2000, our international profile has continued to grow through the staging of many world-class sports and entertainment events, and we believe this association with Etihad Airways will assist in the continued growth of both partners."

The Etihad Stadium deal is one of a growing number of high-profile sports sponsorships for the airline, and complements existing partnerships with the Ferrari F1 team, Chelsea Football Club, Harlequins Rugby Football Club, the All Ireland Senior Hurling Championships and the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Etihad is also the title sponsor of the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from 2009.

The 55,000 capacity stadium, opened in 2000, was first known as Colonial Stadium prior to becoming the Telstra Dome.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, currently flies 11 times per week to Sydney and three times per week to Brisbane, via Singapore.

Etihad Airways' growing list of sponsorship properties were featured in the May/June 2008 issue of Australasian Leisure Management.