NAB and Toyota Million Dollar Incentive for 'cups double' - 9 February 2007

Friday, 9 February 2007

The AFL club that can win both the NAB Cup and the Toyota AFL Premiership will pocket one million dollars as their reward.

NAB Chief Executive Officer Australia Ahmed Fahour, Toyota Australia Senior Executive Director - Sales & Marketing David Buttner  and AFL Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Demetriou today launched the 2007 NAB Cup, which will kick off on the weekend of February 23 - 25, taking matches all over the country during the competition and culminating in the final on Saturday March 17.

Mr Demetriou said the million dollar reward, made possible by NAB and Toyota's ongoing support, would be paid to any club that wins the NAB Cup and goes on to claim the Toyota AFL Premiership in the same year - a feat last achieved by Essendon in 2000. The winning club will receive $500,000, with the remaining $500,000 to be distributed among the players.

Mr Fahour said the reward was about backing clubs and players with the aspiration to dominate all year.

"This is a logical extension of our partnerships with the AFL and Toyota. It reflects the way we work with our customers - providing support to help people reach their goals," he said.

"Whether it's kids learning skills at NAB AFL Auskick, NAB AFL Rising Stars, or our heroes in the NAB Cup, we are proud to back the AFL and everyone who loves the game each step of the way."

Mr Buttner said that the 'NAB and Toyota Million Dollar Incentive' would be great for football. 

"This incentive is a true partnership between Toyota and NAB who, like all Australians, love football.

"One club and team may walk away at the end of 2007 with an extra million dollars. That will be great for that club and its players and their supporters.  And, as an incentive for all clubs, it will be great for the game and all football fans."

Speaking from Darwin, James Hird, who captained the last team to win both competitions in 2000 said: "It's a fantastic incentive and makes it really interesting as both the NAB Cup and Toyota AFL Premiership Season unfold.

"I wish we had it back in 2000. Maybe they can make it retrospective!"

NAB Cup matches and the NAB Challenge would again be taken to areas that do not regularly see AFL football, with games to be played in Cairns, Darwin, Launceston, the Gold Coast and Canberra through the NAB Cup and Mildura, Mount Gambier, Narrandera, Alice Springs and Casey Fields on the eastern outskirts of metropolitan Melbourne to host matches during the NAB Challenge.

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