The future is looking bright for the Footscray Bulldogs following the official launch of a partnership with Victoria University.
VU was officially declared the major partner of new VFL team the Footscray Bulldogs on Friday as well as the naming rights partner of the iconic Whitten Oval.
The multimillion-dollar partnership will have the Footscray Bulldogs playing at “Victoria University Whitten Oval” from next year.
Western Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick said the club was thrilled to have VU on board.
“In a club first, the naming rights partnership celebrates our heritage while equally heralding the brightest of futures for the club and university.”
Garlick said the first-of-its-kind “knowledge exchange” relationship would give the Dogs a competitive edge while helping VU students with practical research, education and training opportunities.
Garlick said the partnership would feed into coaching programs and was aimed at improving the on-field performance of the Western Bulldog AFL and Footscray Bulldogs VFL teams.
“It provides the Dogs with the unique opportunity to tap into world-class sports science and elite sport best practice at Victoria University – right here in our heartland.”
VU vice-chancellor Peter Dawkins said the university’s ties with the Dogs would set a new sport partnerships benchmark.
