As the Australian Open progresses towards its quarter-finals, Fed Square in Melbourne has become a buzzing hub for tennis enthusiasts.
This year marks a unique collaboration between Nine and Fed Square, alongside the Australian Open, allowing the prestigious tennis event’s broadcast to be showcased on the massive screen at Fed Square.
This initiative, a first for Nine in their coverage of the Australian Open, has transformed Fed Square into an outdoor viewing area for the 15-day event. The collaboration aims to integrate the excitement of the tournament into the daily life of the city.
Fed Square is expected to attract over a million visitors during the fortnight, providing a strategic marketing opportunity. This setup not only caters to local workers and passersby but also offers a communal space for Melbourne’s tennis fans to enjoy the 9Network’s coverage amidst one of Melbourne’s most vibrant sporting atmospheres, outside of Melbourne Park.
Nine’s Chief Marketing Officer, Liana Dubois, commented on the initiative, saying,
“We set ourselves a challenge to help connect the Australian Open to a broader cross section of the community and ultimately grow the brands of Nine and the Australian Open.
In addition to the AO’s vision for tennis to be the most inclusive sport in the world, we know that sport has the power to galvanise Australia and there’s no better focal point in Melbourne than Fed Square’s Big Screen.
This extension is a collaboration that ensures our marketing efforts are cohesive to ensure tickets are sold, and that messaging on where to tune in for free is clear, with a fully integrated marketing campaign aligning to the AO’s ‘Hit Different’ that is seen across all channels – TV, OOH, Audio, Digital, Social + Activations.”
Katrina Sedgwick, Director & CEO of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (which operates Fed Square), also shared her thoughts on the partnership:
“Teaming up with Nine to broadcast the Australian Open at Fed Square is all about bringing people together in the heart of the city to share in all the excitement and community spirit that world sporting events have to offer.”
