The Perth Bears have announced a landmark mega-deal with trusted second-hand retailer and personal finance provider Cash Converters that sets a new benchmark for West Australian sport.
The partnership will make the proudly locally-founded business the front-of-jersey sponsor for the club's inaugural 2027 NRL season and the following two years.
Perth Bear CEO Anthony De Ceglie said the Principal Partnership will ensure the new NRL franchise is in the very top echelon of all sporting clubs commercially in Australia while setting a new benchmark for a West Australian team.
Cash Converters' involvement in WA rugby league dates to the mid-1990s, when the company served as the major sponsor for the Western Reds.
Since then, they have been instrumental in supporting grassroots and community competitions and initiatives, as the NRL WA's main sponsor.
With this partnership with the Perth Bears, Cash Converters will support the club in their community out-reach programs and game-day activations, as well as be the official partners of the Perth Bears podcast.
De Ceglie said the partnership was not just a game-changer for the club, but sport in Western Australia.
"The Perth Bears are the most exciting story in Australian sport thanks to the rise and rise of the NRL under the leadership of Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'Landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo," De Ceglie said.
"Cash Converters has always been incredibly supportive of NRL in WA with their consistent backing of grassroots rugby league.
"This deal is a testament to that dedication and the strength of rugby league.
"The Perth Bears have already broken NRL records commercially and this mega deal ensures our new club is in the very top echeleon of teams across the nation - it's a proud day for the West Australian sporting landscape and for WA-founded businesses like Cash Converters."
Cash Converters CEO & Managing Director Sam Budiselik said he's thrilled to join forces with the Bears given the company's longstanding history with the sporting code and its aligning organisational values.
"Being there for our customers when they need us the most is the heart of what we do and extending that commitment with a new WA team in the national competition, and associated grassroots community programs, felt like a natural fit. We're proud to stand behind the Perth Bears from the very beginning as they gear up for their first playing year in 2027," he said.
"This principal partnership represents so much more than our support of WA rugby since the 1990s and having our brand on the front of the jersey reaches a national audience, particularly on the East Coast where we have a strong store presence.
"This partnership aligns our shared vision and commitment to the local community and the programs that they're passionate about.
"Whilst we are a proudly WA founded business, we operate nationally and partnering with the Perth Bears at a time when the sport has seen such rapid growth with even bigger expansion plans enables us to meet more Aussies where they are, whether they are looking for a good deal on a second-hand retail purchase, need a personal loan, or are interested in purchasing luxury products for less," he said.
Perth Bears chairman Ben Morton said that the Board were delighted to welcome Cash Converters as their principal partner.
He noted the partnership "extends the long running commitment of Cash Converters to the development of rugby league in Western Australia."
"Our highly anticipated jersey will be unmistakably based on the red and black of the Bears and in doing so we will honour the legacy of the North Sydney Bears in Rugby League - and with Cash Converters on the front of Jersey, we will further unite our Rugby League communities on both the West and East coasts," he said.
Head Coach Mal Meninga said the sponsorship was more than just a name on a shirt.
"We've found a partner in Cash Converters who shares our values and is clearly committed to supporting the future success of the Perth Bears, whilst respecting the history that brought us here," he said.
