PNG Chiefs land record NRL sponsorship with BSP

The PNG Chiefs have secured the biggest club sponsorship deal in the history of the National Rugby League, after locking in Bank South Pacific as the franchise's Principal Foundation Partner through to at least the end of the 2030 season.

The agreement, unveiled on Wednesday at Santos Stadium in Port Moresby, marks one of the most significant commercial milestones for Papua New Guinea sport, tying the country's largest financial institution to the nation's first NRL club well before it takes the field.

 PNG Chiefs land record NRL sponsorship with BSP

Under the terms of the deal, BSP will support the Chiefs through what has been described as a foundation period ahead of the club's first appearance in the NRL Telstra Premiership in 2028. The bank's branding will sit on the front of the PNG Chiefs jersey and extend across training and merchandise apparel, while BSP has also taken on the role of official banking and financial services partner for the club.

Beyond the jersey, the partnership stretches into signage, hospitality, executive access, academy and pathway programs, community initiatives and match-day activities. BSP will additionally serve as the Chiefs' official Membership Partner, putting the bank at the centre of how the club builds its relationship with supporters across the country.

The announcement was made jointly by PNG Chiefs CEO Lorna McPherson, BSP Chairman Robert Bradshaw and BSP Group Chief Executive Officer Mark Robinson, with all three pointing to the deal as proof of the scale of what the Chiefs are building ahead of their NRL debut.

McPherson said the partnership carried weight far beyond dollars and cents. "This is a landmark partnership for the PNG Chiefs and Papua New Guinea and, as a club, we couldn't be prouder to welcome BSP on board," she said. Bradshaw added that the symbolism of the deal ran deep, noting: "It is highly symbolic that BSP, a PNG-headquartered and majority PNG-owned company, is backing the nation's NRL team." Robinson said the bank wanted its role to go beyond branding, stating: "This is a partnership with purpose."