ASICS boosts confidence on the court with inaugural ‘Netball Festival’ event via Agent99

This month, sports performance brand ASICS, will launch the inaugural ‘Netball Festival’ via independent PR and events agency, Agent99. The activation will aim to encourage up and coming netball players to take part in activities that will strengthen their confidence on and off the court.

The World’s First ‘Netball Festival Celebrating Confidence’ will grant golden ticket winners the opportunity to attend the exclusive event and meet ASICS Ambassadors and star players from the Diamonds, NSW Swifts and Silver Ferns. Ambassadors will be involved in skills workshops, take part in a panel giving their advice to younger players who may struggle with confidence, and offer shoe and gear signings along with photo moments.

Ahead of the new season kicking off, attendees will also receive a pair of the new ASICS NETBURNER BALLISTIC™ FF 3 netball shoes that they can put to the test on the day in fun experiential activities in the ‘Hype Zone’ and ‘ASICS Village’.

Says Sharon Zeev Poole, Director and Founder of Agent99: “The ASICS commissioned research showed that confidence and connection are two of the key benefits beyond physical health for kids playing team sports.  Yet, despite most respondents admitting that team sports helped to make new and long-lasting connections when they were young, close to one in two dropped out of their favourite sport during their teens, with a key reason being a lack of confidence in their own abilities.

“The research also delved into which sports were most celebrated by Australians.  Interestingly, participants ranked what are often considered male-dominated sports as their top picks.  And whilst netball was the number one team sport played by females, it was viewed to be the least celebrated, with almost half of Australians ranking the sport as the one receiving the least amount of recognition compared to the likes of basketball, soccer, rugby league, and Aussie rules.

“These insights lead us to develop the concept of the ‘ASICS Netball Festival’ to encourage young players to develop their confidence further and stay with the sport long-term due to multiple benefits aside from physical well-being, as well as the strong alignment this idea had with ASICS mantra of ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’.  With meticulous planning and execution, we are thrilled to bring this activation to life.  Its impact will not only empower young athletes, but inspire them for years to come.”

ASICS partnership with Agent99 for over two years has resulted in several highly successful activations including the official Olympic Uniform reveal with the Australian Olympic Committee. Agent99’s portfolio of lifestyle brands also includes Click Frenzy, Emma Sleep, California Wines, and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.