CASE STUDY • ELITE SPORT
How the Victorian Athletic League Grew 591%
& Rewrote the Future of Professional Running in Victoria
When we started working with the VAL in 2023, they had a limited digital presence and a sport with a proud but ageing identity. Two seasons later, 58 million views, 591% follower growth, and record sponsorship tell a different story.
Home of the sacred Stawell Gift, the Victorian Athletic League, established in 1895, is Australia’s longest running and most competitive professional running competition. With prize money exceeding $500,000 each season, the VAL has been a historic drawcard for runners across the country for many decades.
Following the success of our first partnership throughout the 2023/24 season, Fixon Media Group continued its collaboration with the VAL for a second year during the 2024/25 season, focused on building deeper momentum and accelerating brand growth.
CLIENT
Victorian Athletic League
YEAR
2024/25
LOCATION
Victoria Wide
SECTOR
Sport
SERVICES
Social media Video, Brand Films
THE CHALLENGE
Building on year one.
Heading into year two, the challenge was to build on the foundations laid during the 2023/24 season. The league’s strategic priorities remained clear.
- Increase athlete membership and race day participation
- Expand fan engagement and community reach
- Improve the commercial valuation of the sport to attract new sponsors
While strong growth was achieved in the first season, it was essential to not only scale performance but introduce refinements to ensure long-term sustainability and broader market appeal.
THE sOLUTION
A more targeted approach.
Working closely with the VAL, Fixon Media Group evolved the content strategy with a more structured and targeted approach for the 2024/25 season. Key adjustments included:
- Refined audience segmentation: content directed to 80% open-age athletes, 15% juniors, and 5% masters
- Optimised content formats: roaming microphone content reduced to focus on high-impact formats with proven engagement
- Greater race day variation: broader content diversity to showcase atmosphere and performance across athlete groups
- Doubling down on proven winners: drone cinematography and mic’d up athlete races prioritised
BRAND FILMS PRODUCED
2024/25 SEASON LAUNCH FILM
2024/25 SEASON HIGHLIGHT FILM
THE RESULT
Outstanding growth across all core objectives.
591%
Increase In
Social Media Following
58M+
Views Across
All Platforms
28%
Increase In
Race Entries
34%
Increase In
Memberships
2 new sponsors attracted to the sport. The league’s digital presence is now stronger than ever, with content reaching far beyond the traditional audience and actively drawing in new fans, athletes, and commercial interest.
MOVING FORWARD
A continued partnership.
Our continued partnership with the Victorian Athletic League has contributed to a modernised and commercially viable future for professional running in Victoria. We look forward to supporting the league’s evolution in coming seasons and playing a role in the continued resurgence of one of Australia’s most iconic sporting traditions.
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