nib health funds (nib) has reaffirmed its support of the Geelong Cats after signing a three-year extension of its elite partnership.

The renewed partnership will see nib sponsor the Cats through to the end of the 2017 season, making it one of the longest serving elite partners of the club.

Geelong Cats’ Chief Executive, Brian Cook, said the club was delighted with nib’s renewed support.

“nib has been entrenched in the wider Geelong community and has been a vital contributor to the club’s modern journey which has seen us achieve three Premierships and eight consecutive finals appearances since 2007,” Cook said.

“As we enter the next phase of our alliance, we’re excited to work with nib across various channels to engage with our fans on a deeper level,” he added.

nib Chief Executive Officer, Mark Fitzgibbon, said the health fund’s sponsorship of the Cats has played an important role in building nib’s national brand exposure and customer growth.

“When we signed on with the Cats back in 2007, we were looking for a property that would help drive our ambitious plans for growth and exposure across the country, with a particular focus on the Victorian market,” Fitzgibbon said.

“As a code, we knew that AFL would provide nib with the platform for national exposure, and as a regionally-based club that shared our ambitions for greater success, the Cats were recognised as the perfect fit.

“This new, three-year commitment is an indicator of the strength of the partnership and the importance it plays in building our business success.”

nib’s elite sponsorship of the Cats will see the health fund logo continue to feature prominently on key assets such as the match ball and players’ shorts. The health fund will also be leveraging its partnership by rolling out in-venue activations throughout the season.