Melbourne, 9 March 2022. Leading life, health and wellbeing insurer AIA Australia has announced a significant expansion of its partnership with the Collingwood Football Club, which will see the club's iconic headquarters become the AIA Centre.
This announcement is a key milestone in the partnership shared between AIA and Collingwood.
In 2020, AIA Australia was announced as the co-major sponsor of the Collingwood AFLW team. The new announcement will now see AIA Australia become a Platinum Partner and have designation as 'whole of club' Official Health, Life & Wellbeing Partner of Collingwood.
The new four-year deal will see AIA Australia hold the exclusive naming rights to the club's world class training and administrative base in the heart of Melbourne.
The decision for AIA Australia to expand its strategic partnership with Collingwood originates from the insurer's view that it has a responsibility to partner with its customers, and the Australian community more broadly, to empower them to make lasting, healthy choices that will see them thrive.
CEO and Managing Director of AIA Australia Damien Mu said the announcement of the AIA Centre was a new chapter in its journey to champion Australia to be the healthiest and best protected nation in the world.
"This extension of our relationship with Collingwood through the launch of the AIA Centre is a very exciting partnership – one that we know will continue to drive positive health and wellbeing outcomes for the club, its fans and the broader community," said Mr Mu.
"The Collingwood training facilities have been an iconic sporting landmark in Australia for decades, and we're thrilled it will be now known as the AIA Centre. We know that this will be a location of significance, where sporting milestones are achieved, and fans will come together to be inspired and create lasting positive memories.
"The AIA Centre represents an opportunity to create shared value in the community, ultimately helping people live healthier, longer, better lives," said Mr Mu.
The AIA Centre is in the process of a $15 million redevelopment which will see the location transform into a multidisciplinary hub for sports performance, development, and medical and sports research through Collingwood Football Club's partnership with Monash University. The four-phased project is now into the second phase and is due for completion in 2023.
Collingwood CEO Mark Anderson echoed the sentiment and said that the partnership was set up for success due to AIA Australia's commitment to improving the health of Australians along with Collingwood's passion about the health benefits of sport.
"When Collingwood and AIA Australia partnered in 2020, we saw great potential. Today, we are delighted to see this partnership extend across our whole club and home to our eight teams," Anderson said.
"We greatly value our club's location in the heart of this world leading sport's precinct. The redevelopment of the AIA centre that we have commenced will ensure that we maximise this key strength of our club and will allow us to provide our players the best of facilities and programs. The health and wellbeing of our people is always a priority.
"We have some exciting plans to extend our health and medical services to our members and the general public. In alignment with these plans, it is a great fit for AIA Australia, a leading life, health and wellbeing insurer, to partner with us as the naming rights partner of our home.
"We look forward to sharing what we hope will be a long and successful partnership."
The unveiling of the AIA Centre follows the exciting offer for eligible Collingwood members and fans to join AIA Health and receive up to $900 in credit to put towards their club membership1. AIA Health insurance provides members with certainty for the future while rewarding them for making positive health and wellbeing decisions with AIA Vitality.
