Australian sporting retailer Ultra Football has overhauled its brand direction, led by a new leadership team ahead of its 10-year milestone in 2027.
The revised leadership team includes Ultra Football GM Andy Di Donato, who was appointed to the role in January this year. Donato has prior experience at other sporting brands including Nike and Salomon.
Other key appointees include Don Russell as head of finance in September 2024, as well as Eliza Purdea as the head of business planning and merchandise and Alexanne Lill as a marketing executive, both signed on in August.
Launched in 2017, Ultra Football manages an online website selling apparel, footwear and lifestyle, as well as two stores in Sydney and Melbourne.
Part of the brand revision included the introduction of the Ultra Football 11, which supports 11 emerging elite players through product sponsorship, profiling, and collaboration opportunities. These are Keiwa Heida, Nicki Flannery, Isobel Dalton, Avaani Prakash, Grace Maher, Amy Harrison, Mikael Doka, Marin Jakolis, Almani Tatu, Jordi Valadon and Lawrence Wong.
The brand’s inaugural Taking Football Forward survey, launched last month, was another key initiative designed to drive progress in the sport by investigating the sports fandom, participation, accessibility and enjoyment.
Ultra Football will also collaborate with football access charity One Ball to push football participation for children and youth aged 5 to 17, and with Future Baller to sponsor coaching for girls aged 10 to 18.
In its retail spaces the brand is revamping staff team kits with Adidas featuring custom black, white and red designs across home, away and third kits.
Additionally, a limited edition zine (small magazine) covering Australian football launched in October, and will be published throughout the year.
“From a brand point of view, we straddle both respecting the legacy of the beautiful game, and being on the right side of progressive change, to make sure football’s growth is sustainable,” Donato said.
“This includes commitment to supporting women, girls and minority groups’ access to the game, as well as telling rich stories with world-class athletes, plus a healthy focus on Australia’s lesser-known football stories and subcultures.
“It’s a privilege to be part of such a passionate, committed and knowledgeable team. Our calendar of championships, brand collaborations, product releases and in-store events is packed, so expect exciting things to come.”
To kick off the refresh, Ultra Football has recently announced its exclusive partnership as a key supplier for the Joga Bonito Tour which will bring FIFA World Cup champion Ronaldinho to Australia.