THE CARLTON Football Club and Great Southern Bank have strengthened their award-winning commitment, with the Co-Major Partner extending their support of the Club until at least the end of 2027.
The extension will see the bank’s logo proudly emblazoned on the front of the Club’s away guernsey and back of the home guernsey, for at least the next four seasons.
Today’s announcement establishes yet another key pillar of off-field strength for the Blues, as the Club prepares for this week’s annual Thursday night Round 1 blockbuster against Richmond at the MCG – the first game of football in Victoria for the 2024 AFL Premiership season.
As a Co-Major Partner, Great Southern Bank’s logo will also continue to feature prominently on the Club’s media backdrop, changeroom signage, digital Club communications, and game-day activations, as well as on all retail club apparel.
In 2023 Carlton played 11 sold-out AFL games, with the Great Southern Bank logo featuring prominently in the Club’s media coverage across a wide range of platforms.
Further, Great Southern Bank will continue to feature on the back of the AFLW home and away guernsey, cementing their support in inspiring the next generation of female and non-binary athletes in sport.
As one of Australia’s largest customer-owned banks, Great Southern Bank’s success and growth has allowed them to champion great causes and focus on deepening their relationship with their customers.
Like Carlton, they have a customer-first approach, striving to enhance their customer experience by investing in the community's well-being, with a dedication to positive impact, diversity and inclusion.
Impressively, the success of the bank’s sponsorship with the Carlton Football Club earned recognition within the industry, securing the Australia Marketing Institute’s ‘Most Effective Sponsorship’ award in 2023.
With a shared value of making a genuine impact in the community, Great Southern Bank and the Blues are the co-founding partners of the Loorende-Gat Business and Entrepreneur Program, a program that will assist First Nations small business owners to bring their business ideas to market. This includes sessions on financial well-being, leadership, strategy and stakeholder networking.
Aligning with their core purpose of helping all Australian’s own their own house, Great Southern Bank will also be giving one lucky fan the chance to win a million dollars towards a new home, an incredible opportunity and their most significant giveaway yet.
Carlton Football Club CEO Brian Cook shared the Club’s excitement, expressing that the four-year extension signifies the strength of the partnership and a shared dedication to fostering community initiatives.
“It is very exciting to have Great Southern Bank recommitting to the Club until at least 2027,” Cook said.
“The partnership has grown significantly since its inception, with the investment of Great Southern Bank spanning over many parts of the football club.
“To have a partner like Great Southern Bank who is willing to significantly invest in launching our First Nations Business and Entrepreneur program, that shows you how genuine they are in their commitment to have a positive impact in the community.
“We are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and are grateful for Great Southern Bank's ongoing support, we look forward to working alongside each other for the next four years.” 
Paul Lewis, CEO of Great Southern Bank, said the bank’s latest investment would further deliver positive community impacts, also revealing plans to give one lucky person the chance to win a million dollars towards a new home.
“Our investment over the next four years will actively support the Club’s community work, including the co-founding of a ground-breaking program to mentor and support aspiring First Nations small business owners,” Lewis said. 
“Our six-year partnership with the Carlton Football Club has played a pivotal role in accelerating brand awareness and expanding our customer base in Victoria, our third-ranked state for home loan issuance and a vital growth market.
“We have enjoyed engaging with the Club’s fans through award-winning stadium activations and substantial giveaways. This year, we are taking it up a notch with our most significant giveaway yet—the chance for one lucky person to win a million dollars towards their homeownership dreams.
“The next few seasons are full of great promise, with the Blues entering an exciting new era, the Club’s fanbase increasing year-on-year and AFL remaining the fastest-growing sport in Australia.”
