La Trobe Financial is getting into the game.
The Melbourne-based alternative asset and non-bank lender has signed a multi-year partnership with the National Football League (NFL), as the American sporting league prepares to bring its first-ever, regular-season game to Australia.
The showdown between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers will hit the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on 11 September, giving the NFL a prime opportunity to tap one of its fastest-growing international markets, with an estimated 8.8 million Australian fans. La Trobe, meanwhile, is playing in a league of its own, having recently topped $25 billion in assets under management (AUM). The NFL deal gives La Trobe another avenue to build its brand, deepen relationships and keep its growth trajectory rolling.
"The partnership fits a clear brand strategy: aligning with premium organisations that share our values of performance, excellence, innovation and community," Cory Bannister, chief lending officer at La Trobe, told Australian Broker. "As one of the world’s most recognised sporting organisations, the NFL gives us a platform to reach audiences we would not otherwise reach, strengthen relationships with the investors, borrowers and brokers we already work with, and connect with people through a shared passion for sport.
"The partnership also reflects how we think about growth as a business," Bannister continued. "We are continually investing in new products and better ways to serve our investors, borrowers and broker partners, and we apply the same thinking to how we build our brand. The NFL partnership is an extension of that mindset, helping us reach new audiences while reinforcing the strength and credibility of the La Trobe Financial brand. It gives us a further platform to elevate La Trobe Financial’s brand awareness and connect with new audiences, both locally and internationally."
Chris Andrews, chief executive officer of the firm, added that sports have "an extraordinary ability to bring people together. The partnership reflects La Trobe Financial’s continued commitment to create opportunities that bring people together, strengthen relationships and deliver meaningful value for clients, partners and the broader community."
The partnership will include a series of fan engagement initiatives, customer experiences and game-week activations, creating opportunities for La Trobe to connect with people through a shared passion for sports.
"The NFL is committed to growing the game in Australia year-round, and having strong commercial partnerships to support the work we are doing is pivotal to that success," said Charlotte Offord, NFL general manager of Australia and New Zealand. "Our partnership with La Trobe Financial is built on a shared belief in the power of sport to bring people together, and we’re looking forward to working with them to create more incredible opportunities to do that leading into the NFL Melbourne Game and beyond”.
La Trobe has long relied on thought leadership events, educational content, sponsorships, client experiences, community initiatives and activations as a way to boost the La Trobe brand. But the NFL-La Trobe tie-up is another platform for the firm to connect with brokers, investors and borrowers, Bannister said.
"We take a broad approach to engagement that complements the person-to-person relationships we value so highly," he explained. "The partnership gives us more opportunities to spend time with brokers away from the day to day, through shared experiences built around a major cultural and sporting event. Those experiences build familiarity and trust, and that makes it easier to work through complex scenarios together when a broker brings us a client who needs a considered solution.
"Trust is built over time through consistent actions and meaningful relationships," Bannister continued. "Brokers and their clients judge us on how we behave year after year, and supporting initiatives that bring people together and contribute positively to the communities we are part of is one expression of that. It shows we are invested in the same communities our brokers and their clients live and work in, and it creates connections that extend beyond individual transactions."
La Trobe, which was established in 1952, was acquired by Canadian-based global alternative asset manager Brookfield Asset Management in 2022. In April, Axight acquired a minority stake in La Trobe, underscoring growing international investor interest in Australia’s private credit market. Brookfield will continue to be the majority stakeholder.
