FFA look to Matildas for a badly needed lift

Matildas success could help the FFA get out of a sponsorship hole following the exit of the Lowy family.

Steven Lowy’s exit from the FFA board has resulted in a loss of sponsorships. Picture: Getty Images

Football Federation Australia might have lost a significant, long-time sponsor but there could be better news around the corner for the embattled organisation.

While FFA officials would not comment on an exclusive report in The Australian’s Margin Callyesterday that the NAB has decided to end its 15-year connection with the sport, it is understood they are ready to announce a groundbreaking sponsorship for the Matildas ahead of the World Cup finals in France next month.

Despite the controversy caused by the sacking of coach Alen Stajcic in January, the Matildas, who are rated one of the favourites to win the World Cup, remain one of the hottest tickets in Australian sport, drawing much media attention that is now transitioning into serious sponsorship interest.

The Matildas’ cause has been helped by the increased worldwide profile of several of their players, notably Sam Kerr, who is rated one of the best players in the world and is now the face of the women’s game in this country.

The new deal, and possibly several others, is expected to be ­unveiled in the next couple of weeks and will be a much-needed shot in the arm amid concerns about FFA’s financial situation.

FFA are expected to be heavily impacted when they lose control of the A-League, which is on the verge of becoming an independent organisation.

As revealed by Margin Call, FFA is facing serious concerns amid suggestions that several other sponsors are expected to pull the plug in the wake of the forced exit of the Lowy family from FFA late last year — a situation it is ­believed could cost them as much as $6 million in sponsorships.

According to yesterday’s report, NAB’s annual sponsorship of the FFA was worth more than $2m a year. The bank has refused to comment on the situation.

Contacted by The Australian, an FFA official said they would also not be making any comments.

One sponsor expected to end its association with FFA is the Scentre Group (the Lowy family’s shopping centre business), which shelled out $1.68m last year.

Margin Call speculated that the Caltex sponsorship could also be in doubt. It outlaid $2.34m in sponsorship last year. “It’s not clear how much longer that will continue after the departure from the FFA board of Simon Hepworth, who is Caltex’s chief financial officer,” Margin call reported.