AI data centre company Firmus announced as Tasmania Devils AFL sponsor

Aligning with Tasmania's fledgling football club isn't enough alone to bolster the public image of the company behind multiple divisive data centre proposals, a marketing expert says.

Firmus Technologies has signed a major deal with the Tasmania Devils Football Club, which will see the company's logo emblazoned on player shorts and coach polos for six years.

The company, which was founded in Tasmania in 2019, has been the centre of swirling debate this year over its plans to build three artificial intelligence (AI) data centres across the state.

While some have welcomed the sponsorship deal, others have decried it as an attempt to garner public support as Firmus looks to push through the divisive projects.

The agreement places Firmus among a collection of sponsors for the future AFL side, including some with deep roots in Tasmania — such as Cadbury, Blundstone and Devil's Corner Winery.

Deal could help company's image, experts say

Flinders University associate professor of sports management Ashlee Morgan said sponsoring the Devils could give a company like Firmus visibility, legitimacy and social license to operate.

"Firmus isn't simply buying a logo placement; it is repeatedly associating its brand with the Devils, with Tasmanian identity and with the community around the club," Dr Morgan said.

David Fleischman, a senior marketing lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast, echoed this sentiment.

But, he said earning trust would likely take more than just a sponsorship.

"Another way to think about sponsorship, in this case, is it buys you a ticket to the dance, but it doesn't necessarily mean you're going to be a good dancer," Dr Fleischman said.

"So it's what they actually do beyond just simply appearing on the apparel.

Dr Fleischman said the company would need to "activate" the sponsorship within the Tasmanian community to begin gaining trust from supporters.

He said this could be done in a whole range of ways, from promoting employment pathways to building social partnerships with grassroots sports.

Delivering clear messaging about why the Devils and Firmus were a good fit would also be crucial to bringing fans and stakeholders on board, according to the marketing lecturer.

Sponsorship a 'natural fit' says Firmus co-founder

In the media release announcing the sponsorship deal, both the football club and the AI infrastructure company spruiked parallels between the two parties.

Brendon Gale, the chief executive of the Devils, told 936 ABC Hobart the cost of the sponsorship couldn't be disclosed as it was "commercial in confidence".

He said the figure was an important consideration, as it was an "expensive exercise to participate in the AFL".

But he said the deal went much deeper than that.

"There needs to be sort of alignment of values and first principles," Mr Gale said.

Mr Gale said he was mindful some supporters might object to the deal, but that there would be others who supported it.

He said the six-year deal showed Firmus was "in for the long-term" and that "considerable due diligence" was undertaken during the negotiations.

Firmus said it would not provide any additional comment on the sponsorship.

'They just have to be careful' warns expert

Community scepticism towards the sponsorship reflected a larger trend within sports, according to Dr Morgan.

"Supporters, the media, and the public want to know more about the social, environmental and economic value of the organisations their clubs are associating with," she said.

Dr Fleischman said while "die-hard" supporters may overlook sponsorships they disagreed with, it could drive away fans who are only passively engaged.

He said this meant it was especially important for the Devils to strike the right balance when selecting its sponsors, as the club's fanbase is still in its infancy.

"They just have to be careful in this particular case just because the team is new and the sponsorship is brand new," Dr Fleischman said.

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