Tyrepower, the Australian tyre retailer, will sponsor the Cronulla Sharks National Rugby League (NRL) club for the next year. The club and company have worked together at a lower level for a number of years, but the new deal sees Tyrepower step up to become a major sponsor of the Sharks.

The agreement will see Tyrepower receive a short sponsorship position as well as stadium signage and corporate hospitality at the club's 22,500-capacity Toyota Stadium. Sharks commercial manager Paul Donaghy confirmed that corporate hospitality deals were the main focus of the club's marketing department this season, saying that while commercial revenues from top sponsors have remained steady, revenue from corporate hospitality has decreased by around ten per cent.

The club's membership, though, is up 30 per cent on last year after a recent drive in the local community. Despite more than 40 years of competition in top-class Australian rugby league, and three Grand Finals, Cronulla has yet to win a premiership title.