The 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season has been decided. Unlike the Super Bowl, which partnered with Uber Eats, and FIFA, which almost did not have a rideshare partner during the Qatar bout, the upcoming football event in Australia has chosen a Chinese ridesharing platform: DiDi.
The partnership is particularly between DiDi and the Hawthorn Football Club. Things are about to get more exciting.
“We are delighted to welcome DiDi as our official rideshare partner for the 2025 AFL season.” Hawthorn Football Club CEO Ash Klein has made it official. “With big attendances forecasted at our games throughout the year, DiDi will play an important role in getting our loyal members and fans to and from each match.”
The Hawthorn Football Club, with Hawks as its nickname, is a professional Australian rules football club or team based in Mulgrave, Victoria, competing in the Australian Football League, just like how there are member countries or teams in European football leagues. This club was founded in 1902, making it the youngest Victorian-headquartered team in the AFL.
However, it appears that the partnership is exclusive only to the team and not to the entire competition.
Nonetheless, for first-time fans of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, this significant event in Australian football is the upcoming 129th season of the Australian Football League or the AFL. The AFL is the highest-level senior men’s Australian rules football competition in the Land Down Under. There will be 18 clubs competing in the event that will run from March 6th to September 27th.
“Rideshare has become a key part of the game day experience for members and fans, whether it’s going to the stadium or heading out to celebrate after a win,” DiDi’s chief marketing officer, Tim Farmer, stated in a statement. “We’re really excited to partner with the Hawks in 2025, offering members discounted rides to the footy so they can spend more time cheering on the brown and gold.”
DiDi, also referred to as DiDi Chuxing, is a Beijing-based Chinese vehicle-for-hire company that offers various services, such as taxi hailing, private car hailing, social ride-sharing, and bike sharing. They also have on-demand delivery services and automobile services.
These services will be in play throughout the partnership. DiDi’s fleet will help transport the Hawthorn from point to point for the duration of the competition.
There will also be the DiDi Lounge, which will be hoisted at all home matches of Hawthorn in the MCG’s Harrison Room.
This lounge works like your VIP airport lounge, wherein the lounge will provide an exclusive hospitality experience with an electric atmosphere that can hype up the athletes prior to the big game. Plus, there will also be exclusive offers, discounts, and competitions.
“Meanwhile, the DiDi Lounge will further enhance the match-day experience for our brown and gold family at the home of footy with a premium hospitality space perfectly suited for cheering on our side,” the Hawks’ Klein further stated.
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