SA-based V.I.P. will share the Port Adelaide guernsey alongside international car manufacturer Renault, with the club confirming its joint major partners for the 2013 AFL season.

Port Adelaide will also build upon its ground-breaking Power to End Hunger campaign, with Foodbank SA continuing as the club’s major charity partner. In 2013, the Power to End Hunger message will be worn proudly on the players’ shorts in all home and away games.

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas confirmed the joint major partnership arrangements during his opening speech at tonight’s Season Launch at Adelaide Oval, where the cub will play its AFL games from 2014.

“It is great to see Bill Vis and V.I.P. on board again for 2013 as we continue to grow together and work towards an exciting future,” Mr Thomas said.

“Bill is a very proud South Australian who continues to be a generous and passionate supporter of the Port Adelaide Football Club at a time when that backing has been especially valuable.

“His strength in backing Port Adelaide as our joint major partner at the start of the 2012 season his ongoing support won’t be forgotten by this club.”

V.I.P. has been a very significant contributor to Port Adelaide over a long period, growing from a Magpies sponsor in the late 1990s through to a premier partner and coaches’ sponsor in 2011 before becoming joint major partner in 2012.

The V.I.P. brand will be worn on the front of Port Adelaide’s home guernsey and the back of its away and clash guernseys.

V.I.P. founder Bill Vis said he was delighted to back the Port Adelaide Football Club during a period of exciting growth.

“Port Adelaide has implemented a lot of very positive change, from the appointment of a new chairman in David Koch to a new coach in Ken Hinkley,” Mr Vis said.

“The club has set itself on a path to a fantastic future, and I am looking forward to remaining a part of that.”

Renault has joined Port Adelaide in 2013, in a landmark joint major partnership which is a significant step in achieving the club’s strategic objective of broadening its brand beyond South Australia.

Port Adelaide formed its Power to End Hunger major charity partnership with Foodbank SA in 2012.

“Our partnership with Foodbank SA raised a substantial amount of money in its first year, to help in the fight to overcome hunger in our community,” Mr Thomas said.

“It is one of Port Adelaide Football Club’s proudest achievements and we are honoured to continue profiling an important issue and – even more importantly – to providing a unique solution to help solve it.”

Port Adelaide expects to secure a number of new high-level sponsors in coming weeks, to build upon the growth in corporate support headlined by Renault’s arrival a joint major partner.

Established premier partner Envestra has expanded its commitment, becoming Port Adelaide’s coaches’ sponsor from 2013. Its investment was announced in October with the appointment of senior Ken Hinkley director of coaching and strategy Alan Richardson and high performance manager Darren Burgess.

In addition to retaining the vast majority its 2012 partners, Port Adelaide is proud to welcome the following to its ranks for 2013:

New Premier Partners: ISC Sport (apparel partner) and Rivergum Homes

New Key Partners: Optimum Nutrition (supplement partner), Radio Rentals and Bet 365

“We thank our existing and new partners for their faith in the club and its direction,” Mr Thomas said.

“We continue to work very hard to broaden our corporate base with a view to building lasting and successful partnerships,” Mr Thomas said.

“We are in very advanced conversations with several more high profile organisations whose support we expect to confirm very shortly.

“Our partners and prospective partners have all recognised the amount of work that has been done by Port Adelaide on the field and off the field, and the opportunities presented by the club.

“This will only grow as we continue our journey towards sustained football success and the game-changing transition to Adelaide Oval, which is just 12 months away.”