Mariners extend with Budget as jersey sponsor for women’s team

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Image credit: Central Coast Mariners website

The Central Coast Mariners have extended their partnership with Budget Car & Truck Rental, confirming the company as the front-of-jersey sponsor for the club’s A-League Women’s team for the upcoming 2024-2025 Ninja A-League Women’s season.

This new agreement marks a record-breaking investment for the Mariners’ women’s team, underscoring Budget’s dedication to supporting women’s sport and nurturing local talent.

As part of the partnership, Budget will offer the Mariners accessible and affordable transport solutions, ensuring smooth logistics for training, matches, and community engagements.

The collaboration will also include a series of community-driven initiatives designed to enhance the matchday atmosphere and strengthen ties with fans and club members.

As a Premier partner, Budget’s branding will feature prominently on the team’s jerseys, reflecting their commitment to providing a platform for female athletes and helping to inspire future generations of players.

Alyssar Narey, CEO of Central Coast Mariners, spoke about the club’s enthusiasm for the partnership.

“We are thrilled to welcome Budget Australia as our front of jersey partner for the A-League Women team. Their substantial investment reflects a shared commitment to the growth of women’s football and the development of our talented athletes. Together, we will inspire and engage our community while striving for success on and off the field,” Narey said in a club statement.

“We are proud to continue the partnership with Budget, established in 2023, and look forward to  working together for the growth and success of both our women’s and men’s team.

“Thank you, Budget, for your support and belief in our mission to promote football on the coast. Together, we aim to inspire the next generation of athletes.”

Budget released a statement expressing their excitement about signing on with the East Coast club.

“Budget is excited to continue our partnership with the Central Coast Mariners for a second year, reaffirming our commitment to women’s football and community spirit,” the company said in a statement.

“With two locations on the Central Coast, we proudly support a local club that shares our values of innovation and engagement. We look forward to contributing to the Mariners’ success on and off the field.”

Fans can expect exciting promotions and campaigns as Budget Car & Truck Rental and the Central Coast Mariners continue to build momentum both on and off the field.

To celebrate the partnership, Mariners fans can access exclusive friends and family discounts on commercial rentals.

This is a great deal for the Mariners women’s team, securing one of their big shirt sponsors ahead of a landmark season in the Ninja A-League Women’s competition which is expected to break attendance and viewership records again.

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Football Australia Expands Mental Skills Program for Match Officials Amid Sustained Focus on Referee Retention

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Image Credit: Football NSW

Football Australia has confirmed a second national webinar for match officials, led by sports psychologist Dr Liam Slack, extending a referee development series introduced after strong engagement with an initial session on managing match-day pressure.

The upcoming session, themed “parking with purpose,” will focus on decision-making strategies designed to help referees process on-field calls and reset attention quickly across a match that can present hundreds of individual decisions. Dr Slack, who also consults with The Football Association and the AFC Referee Academy and previously spent over a decade as a performance psychologist with the Professional Game Match Officials Limited in England, brings substantial elite-level experience to a program open to officials at every level, from grassroots to professional.

The theme builds on work Dr Slack has already delivered within Australian officiating. He recently led a session with Football Australia’s National Referee Academy on the same concept, framing the ability to consciously park a decision and refocus on the next phase of play as a trainable skill rather than an innate trait, one that separates officials who reset quickly under pressure from those who don’t. He has also addressed more than 100 Football Australia elite match officials and staff on developing a stronger match-day mentality, an indication of how embedded this psychological framework has become across the officiating pathway rather than remaining a one-off intervention.

The expansion of the webinar series reflects a broader shift in how football administrators are approaching referee attrition. Rather than treating retention purely as a recruitment or pay problem, the program signals an institutional acknowledgment that the psychological demands of officiating, particularly the compounding pressure of split-second decisions under public scrutiny, are a material factor in whether officials remain in the game.

It rests alongside other measures adopted across Australian football in recent years, including visible identification programs for junior referees and structural reviews of referee departments at state federation level, all aimed at the same underlying issue: a shrinking pool of match officials relative to demand.

Football Australia has not detailed metrics for assessing the program’s impact on referee numbers, though the recurring engagement of an internationally credentialed specialist across multiple tiers of the officiating pathway suggests sustained institutional investment in the approach.

Football Victoria elevates fan enjoyment with Streets partnership

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Image credit: Prostock-studio / Shutterstock.com

Football Victoria (FV) revealed last week a new partnership with ice cream giants, Streets. The brand will become an exclusive ice cream partner for the next three years.

 

An iconic brand for joyful experiences

As a well-known and popular ice cream brand with people all around the nation, Streets will now look to support the fan experience in Victoria through its products.

It reflects FV’s commitment to delivering a family-friendly and memorable experience for spectators. Both on and off the pitch, the organisation is striving to elevate the experience for fans and families alike.

“Football Victoria is always looking for ways to elevate the experience at The Home of The Matildas, and this partnership does exactly that,” explained FV Executive Manager of Commercial and Facilities, Chris Speldewinde.

“It’s a fantastic fit for our community and we’re looking forward to what the next three years will bring.”

Furthermore, Senior Brand Manager at Streets, Ryan Katz, emphasised the brand’s role in community sport and in creating memories beyond the action on the pitch.

“Streets is proud to join Football Victoria as its exclusive ice cream partner,” Katz said.

“There’s nothing better than enjoying a great game with a classic ice cream in-hand, and we’re excited to be part of those moments across the state.”

 

Understanding community football

Community football is all about these moments. Sunny days, the family together, and a sweet treat in-hand while supporting a local team alongside friends and neighbours.

This is why a partnership between FV and Streets is particularly important.

Not for its commercial value, but for what it tells us about both parties’ understanding of what matters to fans. From young fans to experienced matchday-goers, everyone wants to find enjoyment while watching the game.

And while the 90 minutes of action is the focus, the experience of a local matchday is truly defined by interactions with fellow supporters and smaller – but no less significant – moments of happiness during the day.

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