AFL and Virgin Australia fly the Premiership Cup around Australia

The 2012 AFL Premiership Cup will today begin a tour of Australia, courtesy of Virgin Australia, the official airline and sponsor of the AFL.

The Virgin Australia lounge network will host the Cup over the coming weeks in Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, giving visitors to the lounge a chance to get close to the AFL’s ultimate trophy.

AFL fans will also be able to follow the journey of the Cup as it travels around the country via the Facebook pages of the AFL and Virgin Australia, as well as through the AFL website http://www.afl.com.au/.

AFL Commercial Operations General Manager, Darren Birch said: “The Premiership Cup is the iconic symbol of greatness in Australia’s Game and we are looking forward to showcasing it across the country in the lead-up to what will be a hard-fought Toyota AFL Finals Series”.

Virgin Australia Group Executive of Brand and Customer Experience Mark Hassell said: “As a proud Australian airline, we recognise the cultural significance of the AFL Premiership Cup and we are honoured to be hosting it in our lounges over the coming weeks.

“Through our partnership with the AFL, we have been able to deliver a range of joint initiatives. Earlier this year, we launched ‘Any game, Anywhere’, an industry first-website that offers dynamic packages customised for AFL fans”, Mr Hassell said.

The AFL and Virgin Australia said they would continue to work closely to deliver innovative ways to connect the fans, players and guests of Virgin Australia to the game.

AFL Premiership Cup Tour Dates:

• Perth: 8 – 10 August
• Adelaide: 11 – 15 August
• Brisbane: 17 – 20 August
• Sydney: 21 – 27 August
• Melbourne: 28 August – 2 September

AFL Premiership Cup facts:

• The AFL Premiership Cup has been handmade by Cash’s since 1959.
• Prior to 1959 all clubs were awarded a flag or pennant when they won a Grand Final. The pennant is now presented at the season launch.
• The Cup was first presented to the Melbourne Football Club which defeated Essendon in the Grand Final.
• The Cup takes more than 100 hours to make over a four month period.
• The oak leaf decal is stamped in brass then plated with 18c gold.
• The engraving is completely free hand.
• Each year the design of the Premiership Cup is exactly the same, only the year inscribed at the front is different.
• In 1996 the Cup was changed to a gold colour to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the competition. North Melbourne was AFL Premiers in that year.
• In 2004 retrospective Cups were awarded to some clubs who had won a Premiership prior to 1959 (such as the Western Bulldogs for their sole flag in 1954) and provision was made for all clubs to obtain Cups for premierships won prior to 1959.

Follow the cup tour:
AFL: https://www.facebook.com/AFL or http://www.afl.com/
Virgin Australia: http://www.facebook.com/virginaustralia

Visit Any Game, Anywhere for AFL tickets and travel packages: http://www.anygameanywhere.com.au/