The League joins non-bank lender Liberty’s existing sports sponsorship across Australia, including the women’s and men’s A-Leagues, Essendon Football Club and the Melbourne Renegades in cricket’s Big Bash League.
“Liberty is proud to be partnering with Hockey One on the eve of what promises to be an exciting and competitive season,” said Liberty Chief Executive Officer James Boyle.
“We’re excited to bring this partnership to life and play a part in the growth of the game.”
Replacing the Australian Hockey League, the Hockey One League has enjoyed a successful start since it was founded in 2019.
Last year’s season saw viewership increase by almost 70% on 7Plus and exponential social media engagement, according to the League.
With Liberty’s support, Hockey One League executive manager Sash Herceg said the partnership is a game-changing development for the League.
“It’s fantastic to join forces with Liberty – a like-minded company that is free-thinking and innovative. We are well placed to grow together not only this season but beyond too. We’ve got our eyes set on increasing our market share locally and look forward to achieving this goal in tandem with Liberty.”
As the only national league in Australia where fans can watch their women’s and men’s teams with the one ticket, and with an equal gender split that includes almost 40 international players for 2024, the alignment between Hockey One and Liberty on gender balance and diversity and inclusion is undeniable.
Liberty Financial’s gender pay gap was 15.3%, according to a report by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) released in March.
This result is far better than the 25.6% gender pay gap experienced across the finance sector.
Boyle agreed the alignment of values makes this a partnership and a sport Liberty is thrilled to support.
Hockey fans can expect a competitive tournament this year, with the addition of some talented international signings, as well as returning Olympian Hockeyroos and Kookaburras.
The League also showcases Australian hockey’s next generation talent, as a key component of Hockey Australia’s pathway, which starts and connects to Hookin2Hockey – Australian hockey’s national junior program for 5–12-year-olds.
Season four hits off on 11 October with the Brisbane Blaze igniting their triple-title defence, while the challengers race to make the all-new Road to Hobart Finals Series and end Queensland’s run.
The Liberty Hockey League tournament features seven men’s and women’s teams from across the country including the Brisbane Blaze, Adelaide Fire, NSW Pride, Hockey Club Melbourne, Canberra Chill, Perth Thundersticks and Tasmanian Tigers.
