Coopers Press Release

The United States Australian Football League ("USAFL") is proud to announce that it has signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with Coopers Brewery, Ltd. of Adelaide, South Australia. The deal, which is worth US$75,000 plus additional local incentive payments, provides Coopers with major sponsorship rights for the 2001 and 2002 USAFL Seasons as well as granting Coopers naming rights for the USAFL's National Championship Tournaments each year.

The deal calls for league-wide sponsorship, including advertising on USAFL's website, www.usfooty.com, as well as a presence on all USAFL team uniforms and banners at every USAFL game throughout the 2001 and 2002 seasons. The sponsorship deal also contemplates a unique local incentive program under which local USAFL teams will be directly compensated for the impact they have on growing the market presence of Coopers beer and home-brew products, with Coopers and their distributors donating a portion of the annual growth in sales back to teams at the grass roots level.

USAFL President, Richard Mann, said, "There is a natural fit between Coopers and the USAFL. We are both young, energetic entrants in the American market with a strong and passionate base back in Australia. Glenn Cooper, Director of the family-run brewery in Australia, discussing the synergies, said, "We look forward to seeing the sales of our product grow in America alongside our home-grown game. We know America is fertile ground for both.

The deal is the result of months of negotiations between Coopers' Export Manager, Scott Harris, and the USAFL's Public Relations and Marketing Officer, Michael Gardiner. It represents the USAFLs first multi-year national sponsorship package. Coopers product is imported to the United States by Preiss Imports of Ramona, California.

Australian Rules Football is a fast, free-flowing game that combines aspects of soccer, American Football, rugby and basketball. It is a full contact sport featuring fast pace and athletic skills. The sports rules were codified in 1858 and probably predate all other modern forms of football such as American, Canadian, Rugby Union and League, soccer, and Gaelic Football. Today, Australian Rules Football is a multi-million dollar business in Australia with other leagues in Britain, Canada, Denmark, Japan, New Zealand, and here in the United States.

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