Brisbane Lions superfan Scott Villiers, a sales manager and father of three from Melbourne, has today been announced as the club’s first official fan sponsor, taking the reins from current major partner Youi.
Scott’s sponsorship of the Brisbane Lions comes as part of Youi’s Footy. Made by fans. campaign, which acknowledges the undeniable role that fans have in making footy the spectacle that it is. As part of the handover, Scott will be receiving access to Youi’s sponsorship benefits, and more, for Round 21 of the AFL Premiership Season. Scott’s takeover propels footy fandom to the next level, with his appointment as a sponsor the first time a fan will take on such a role in the Australian sports landscape.
Scott’s sponsorship commences with the reveal of an all-new, commemorative away guernsey featuring his very own branding - the Youi logo replaced with ‘Scott’ - that the Lions will wear in their clash against St Kilda on Sunday 4 August at Marvel Stadium.
To further reinforce that footy is made by fans, Scott will be asking his fellow footy fans to share their ideas on social media on how he should use his sponsorship. In addition to his name on the Lions’ kit, Scott will be able to choose the banner copy for Round 21, give away tickets and Guard of Honour spots to fans, get a chance to quiz coach Chris Fagan, and hang out with the players as part of his Youi sponsorship takeover.
Earlier this month, Scott was introduced to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba as their new sponsor and, along with his family, spent some time with coach Chris Fagan, CEO Greg Swann, Youi CMO Angela Greenwood, and the team. As part of his first official duties, Scott had a kick with the players, saw his name on the big-screen and LEDs, took a behind-the-scenes tour of the stadium, and got to know the team he barracks for in more detail than ever before.
Scott, who was “born wearing Lions colours” and has been a paying member of the club since its inception, is over the moon to be chosen by Youi as the AFL’s first ever fan sponsor, “I’ve been a massive fan of the Lions since I was a kid and have followed the team’s journey from their days at Fitzroy all the way through to now. To be recognised in this way by Youi is a dream come true. Not only for me and my family but also for what it represents for every sports fan out there who is the lifeblood of their club”.
In an ongoing commitment to acknowledge the role fans play in the game, Youi’s Chief Marketing Officer, Angela Greenwood says, “Our Made by Fans platform is built on the idea that fans are the people that give footy its DNA, and what better way to truly recognise that influence than by giving a superfan like Scott an opportunity to represent Youi for this game. Handing over some of our sponsorship benefits has been an adventure in itself - asking the AFL for permission to change a guernsey mid-season is no easy feat - but it’s important to us that footy fans can see themselves represented on the big stage. Scott will be everywhere that Youi was and we hope that every footy fan does see themselves in his shoes on the day.”
Brisbane Lions Chief Executive Officer, Greg Swann said the Lions had welcomed superfan Scott into the club with open arms. “Our club is made stronger by having fans like Scott who support us win, lose or draw. Our fans are who we play for week in week out and it’s great to see Youi align so well with the fabric of our club. Youi are an innovative brand and our partnership with them is going from strength to strength. I’m looking forward to our match against St Kilda to see Scott’s name take pride of place on our guernsey.”
Footy fans are encouraged to head to Youi’s social media channels to help Scott decide how to best use the sponsorship benefits he will be inheriting for the Round 21 clash.
To learn more please visit https://www.youi.com.au/about-us/partnerships/brisbane-lions.
