KIIS 1065 has signed on to partner with the NRL team the Penrith Panthers for the remainder of the 2024 season. Part of the deal will see the Kyle & Jackie O Show’s Cooper Johns (pictured – sorry Cooper), a former NRL player, the son of Matty and now a podcaster too, given the role of delivering Panthers content and behind-the-scenes access to the show and the broader ARN station.
This decision to align with Western Sydney team The Panthers is bigger than it looks. It comes after Radioinfo’s story yesterday where former AFL player Ben Cousins, post his departure from Dancing with the Stars, had a lengthy interview with Kyle and Jackie O despite Kyle vowing no interest in AFL and not pretending to have any interest to appease KIIS 101.1 Melbourne listeners and Ben apparently having an exclusive agreement with SCA station Mix94.5 Perth. Only KIIS 101.1 promoted the interview on its socials.
Western Sydney has always been a stronghold for both KIIS 1065 and for Kyle and Jackie O with this decision, to align with the team and the code that reflects that, wise for their Sydney audience, but perhaps less so for the Melbourne one they are seeking to grow.
My son, a passionate Melbourne Storm supporter, told me that this Thursday August 15, the Panthers play the Storm. They are one and two on the ladder. My boy would like you to know that the Storm are on top. Their rivalry is fierce with the last four grand finals being won by one of them, Storm in 2020, Panthers the last three years. This will be the only time they will meet before a probable finals encounter, or two. But the Storm, and the NRL gets nowhere near the same love that the Demons for example, and the AFL do in Victoria.
That aside, tickets for Thursday night’s game, in Penrith, will be hot property indeed with the Panthers having only four more home games. There will, of course, be ticket giveaways on the station. KIIS 1065 branding will be prominently displayed during the home games at BlueBet Stadium, with KIIS LED signage lighting up the field as well as the infamous ‘KIIS Cam’.
Lauren Joyce, ARN Chief Strategy & Connections Officer, said:
“Partnering with the Penrith Panthers is an incredible opportunity for the KIIS Network to bring our brand’s energy and enthusiasm to a passionate fanbase. We’re dedicated to delivering unique and engaging experiences for our listeners, and this collaboration allows us to connect with our audience in exciting new ways.”
Panthers CEO Matt Cameron added:
“We are excited to welcome KIIS 1065 as a proud partner of the Penrith Panthers. Their dynamic presence and commitment to fan engagement perfectly align with our goals for this season. We look forward to a successful partnership that will bring even more excitement to our supporters and team.”
Jen Seyderhelm is a writer, editor and podcaster for Radioinfo