WNBL secures Coca-Cola Europacific Partners as official hydration partner

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is expanding its involvement in Australian basketball following an agreement with the Cygnett Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) to become the league’s official hydration partner.

The three-year agreement, which will span the 2023/24 to 2025/26 seasons and will encompass CCEP's popular brands Powerade and Mount Franklin, follows the recently announced appointment of CCEP as the official hydration partner of the National Basketball League (NBL).

General Manager of Marketing Activations at CCEP, Melissa Thompson enthused “CCEP has a rich history of supporting community and sports organisations, and we're thrilled to team up with both WNBL and NBL as the official sports hydration partner.

“Basketball is the second most popular sport worldwide and the fastest-growing summer sport in Australia. We’re delighted to welcome the WNBL into the CCEP family and to continue to support women in sport, while delivering added value for our customers.”

Head of WNBL, Christy Collier-Hill, said CCEP’s support and partnership with the WNBL marks the first-time participating clubs will receive extensive hardware and hydration equipment, including eskies, barrels and drink bottles.

Collier-Hill shared “this is a huge milestone for our League and marks the first time that collectively Clubs will receive product and equipment without incurring costs. Not only does that support their performances on and off the court, but it also assists with league sustainability and growth. CCEP is yet another world-renowned brand showing faith and confidence in the League and basketball in general in Australia, and our partnership will help drive the sport to new heights.”

CCEP’s partnership with WNBL aligns with the company’s commitment to foster equal opportunity in its workforce and global community.

Thompson added “we recognise the significance of seeing a level playing field, which was highlighted at the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup which Coca-Cola were proud sponsors of. At CCEP we are committed to building a workplace that embraces inclusion, diversity and equity and these principles guide our approach to partnerships and sponsorships.

Vice President of People and Culture, Sarah Burn notes “CCEP aims to be an organisation that reflects our customers and wider communities.

“Inclusion, diversity and equity sit at the heart of our people strategy, with gender as one of the five diversity pillars. Within our ‘This is Forward’ sustainability strategy, CCEP has set a number of commitments to create a more equitable workplace and we have made strong progress toward our goals; including a third of our workforce to be women and 45% of management positions held by women by 2030.”

Commencing in 1981, the WNBL is the longest-running professional women’s sporting league in the country. Showcasing Australian and international talent, it is a world-class competition.

The 23/24 WNBL Season is currently underway, and all games can be watched live with the game of the week on Wednesdays on ESPN, with all other games on Nine’s free streaming service 9Now.

All information on the WNBL can be found via the Official WNBL App.

Fixture for 23/24 WNBL Season  

Image. Credit: WNBL