IT HASN'T been difficult to find partners to support the quickly growing NAB AFLW competition, according to the AFL's executive general manager of customer and commercial Kylie Rogers.
The competition will hit 18 teams for the first time ahead of the 2022-23 season, and Rogers – speaking on the latest episode of League Leaders with Nicole Livingstone – said she believes the commercial gap between the AFL and AFLW competitions will eventually close.
"We all believe it's the right of every woman and girl to play our game, to work in our game, to participate in one way, shape or form," Rogers said.
"We are being inundated by partners who believe exactly that, and want to help. Whenever we have a conversation with a future supporter, we literally show them videos of the under-11 local girls' team and we say, 'your money is helping those girls. It's building new facilities, it's allowing them to fulfil their dreams'.
"Our partners are saying, 'what do you want, and how can we help?'. It warms my heart. I am convinced I would have been a brilliant footballer and I really wish I had that opportunity. The fact we're creating these opportunities for our girls and our future girls, is everything.
"It's not hard monetising AFLW, it's not hard monetising women's football and it's one of our major growth pillars."
EPISODE GUIDE
6.14 – Kylie’s career journey from Channel 10, Mamamia and moving to the AFL
10.26 – The importance of mentors
16.57 – "Flearning": learning through failure
25.18 – How the AFL industry tackled 2020 and COVID-19
31.03 – The power of the digital landscape, the development of AFL On Demand and learning to pivot
34.27 – Working with AFL partners to create more opportunities for women and girls through footy
