TAC Cup set for milestone 25th season and beyond

15 Sep 2015

One of Australian sport's longest-running partnerships will continue for at least another three years after the Transport Accident Commission extended its TAC Cup sponsorship.

The TAC has announced its naming rights sponsorship deal with AFL Victoria's elite under-18 football league would continue until the end of 2018.

TAC head of financial and corporate services Tony Dudley said the organisation was proud of its association with the competition, which has produced roughly half of the AFL's draft intake since it started in 1992.

"To keep this partnership going is really exciting, particularly as we approach the 25^th year of TAC Cup football next near," Mr Dudley said.

"About a thousand AFL draftees have arrived via the TAC Cup in that time and many more young players have been educated on road safety and leadership in those vital late teenage years."

Mr Dudley said the TAC Cup's focus on personal development and leadership had helped the TAC reach out to generations of young Victorians with positive road safety messaging.

"We know that young Victorians, particularly young males, are among the most likely to be hurt on our roads and that's why this partnership has been so effective. It enables us to reach out directly to young people and empower them to become positive role models in the community," he said.

"The TAC Cup is about producing champions both on and off the field."

Under the extended partnership deal, TAC Cup players will continue to be involved in compulsory programs focusing on road safety and leadership. These include the production of road safety videos and the 'Drive to the game' initiative where players build on their driving experience on the way to games.

Over the past 12 months three new region-aligned multicultural squads and six youth girls academies have been added to the TAC Cup program. These squads will broaden the reach of the road safety and leadership programs.

TAC Cup branding will take on a different look from next year, with the recently launched Towards Zero campaign replacing the current 'Speed Hurts' messaging on player guernseys and signage around the grounds.

The TAC Cup will remain just that until at least the end of 2018

Download Hi-Res