Inside the Brisbane Heat’s mission to inspire kids and bring families together By Lachlan Wills

The Brisbane Heat have hit the major sponsor market at the right time.

The club has just won the BBL, and were WBBL Finalists. 

The Brisbane Heat are also the most popular sporting team on social media in Australia and Oceania.

With 2.2 million followers, they have more than double the count of the Brisbane Broncos, and more than quadruple that of Collingwood.

This past summer, the Heat had 233 million content views on social media, a rise of 56% year-on-year.

Success begets success, as the team’s crowds were up 45%, with an average of 25,500 at each Gabba match. 

TV audiences were also up 40%. 

Great Southern Bank are in the middle of a three-year deal as the club’s principal (number one) sponsor.

But the next tier down, ‘major sponsor’, category is now vacant, after the end of Betta Electrical’s 12-year tenure.  

Heat Commercial Partnership Boss Hugh Raleigh has told The Ministry of Sport Podcast the summer school holiday period provides a high-quality sponsorship environment. 

“Households are a little bit more engaged, you’re on the couch every night, you’re watching the Big Bash, you’re probably a little bit more relaxed,” he said.

“For us, it’s about really getting that message across to the brands, that ‘Hey, we can really deliver a message for you while Australians are having fun, and are relaxed, and all together as a family.”

Raleigh says the Big Bash was created to inspire Aussies.

“Ultimately it was to provide an environment that excited kids and young families about the game. 

“Right from day one of the League being created, all of our colours, the way we go to market, was about differentiating ourselves from some of the traditional sports, and creating an environment where Mum and Dad were comfortable bringing the kids down.”

You can hear Raleigh lift the curtain and reveal the inside story of the Heat’s major sponsor push on The Ministry of Sport Podcast – https://ministryofsport.com/ministry-of-sport-podcast/