Australian Baseball Federation Signs ANZ as Sponsor

February 6, 2013

The Australian Baseball Federation (ABF) have announced ANZ as the official sponsor of Team Australia for the 2013 World Baseball Classic exhibition matches with the Japanese National Baseball Team to be held in Osaka on 23 and 24 February 2013. 

Speaking of the sponsorship, medstore Australia Baseball Federation CEO Brett Pickett, said: “ANZ is a well-respected bank in Asia-Pacific and we are delighted to welcome them as the partner of the Japan Series. This sponsorship will help us deliver what will be an exciting series for Japanese and Australian baseball fans.”

ANZ Japan CEO Peter Davis said: “As the leading Australian bank in Japan, we are pleased to contribute to the success of Team Australia during these matches in Japan. Japan is a baseball-loving country and its people are looking forward to watching Australia for the first time since 2009.”

Under an agreement reached between the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB) and Australian Baseball Federation (ABF) the 2013 Series will be hosted in the world renowned Osaka Dome and is expected to draw huge crowds as  well as millions of viewers across live television broadcasts in Japan.

These games in Japan will serve as Australia’s big-league preparation as a team unit for the World Baseball Classic.  Australia will go into official team camp on the 17th of this month in Taichung Taiwan, to commence preparation for their First Round WBC tournament which begins on 2nd March.

ANZ Group has a strong history supporting major sports tournaments in the Asia Pacific including The Australian Open, Shanghai Rolex Masters and the Rugby World Cup 2011.  In 2008, ANZ signed an agreement to sponsor the world-famous Olympic stadium in Sydney, known as the ANZ stadium.