Ford extends as Geelong Cats sponsor until 2025 to reach 100 years’ support

The happy marriage between Geelong institutions Ford and the Cats is the longest running deal of its type in world sport, and it’s now poised to reach a special milestone.

Car maker Ford will stretch its major sponsorship of the Geelong Cats to a 100th season.

The milestone will be reached in 2025 after Ford announced on Thursday it would extend its support of the football club for a further five years.

Already believed to be the longest running sponsorship in world sport, the deal was inked when Ford parked a Puma and an Escape on the turf at Kardinia Park on Thursday morning.

It means Ford’s familiar blue oval logo will continue to adorn the Cats’ guernsey.

“I was a Geelong supporter growing up and (always) had Ford on my jumper,” Cats skipper Joel Selwood said.

Despite closing its Geelong production lines in 2016, Ford remains one of the city’s major employers through a product development hub that it says has invested $2.5 billion in research and development in Australia since the manufacturing shutdown.

The company’s president and CEO for Australia and New Zealand, Andrew Birkic, said Ford was “incredibly proud” of that and its enduring association with the Cats.

“We like to think we’re part of the community. We certainly have a rich heritage here in Geelong, and it’s part of our story,” he said.

“What you’re seeing is our commitment to the football club but also to Australia. We’re Australia’s largest automotive employer, we have significant commitment in terms of employees. We have about 750 employees across the Geelong and our proving ground site in the You Yangs.”

Cats chief Brian Cook said Ford’s consistent and generous support had underpinned the club’s stability off field.

Geelong Cats players Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield, Becky Webster and Meg McDonald with Ford Australia and New Zealand President and CEO Andrew Birkic and Geelong Cats CEO Brian Cook. Sponsorship partnership announcement with Ford and the Geelong Cats. Picture: Peter Ristevski

Former Cats player Peter Doyle was also at the sponsorship announcement.

He played his first game for the Cats in 1974, aged 18 under legendary coach Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer, and had managed 38 games when struck down by a knee injury five years later.

But his career at Ford was more fruitful.

He was recruited into the executive development program out of university, and spent 40 years at the company, 14 of those overseas, eventually rising to the post of vice president of human resources and operations.

“Geelong is the original home of Ford in Australia, and the value system of Ford — it’s a family company underpinned by family values — align with the footy club and its community values,” he said.

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Originally published as Ford extends as Geelong Cats sponsor until 2025 to reach 100 years’ support