News Corp Australia will launch its fifth annual Indigenous Sport Week (ISW) this weekend, aligning its editorial campaign with the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week under the theme Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy.
Running from July 6–13, ISW will feature across News Corp’s national and regional mastheads, including news.com.au, The Australian, CODE Sports and Kommunity TV, as well as state titles like The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun and The Courier-Mail.
The campaign will spotlight emerging Indigenous sports talent across a wide range of codes – from footy and cricket to surfing and motorsport – through stories focused on achievement, identity and opportunity.
Tim Morrissey, lead editor of Indigenous Sport Week, said the platform continues to grow in impact since launching in 2021. “We look forward to Indigenous Sport Week every year at News and the amazing stories we bring to our readers,” Morrissey said.
“The positive impact ISW has on promoting the journeys of First Nations athletes across multiple sports cannot be understated. It’s great to be able to highlight some of these great stories during NAIDOC Week.”
Spotlight on emerging athletes and trailblazers
This year’s coverage opens with a showcase of up-and-coming Indigenous athletes, including two young motorsport talents: Kade Davey (17) and Karlai Warner (18), both part of the Racing Together program led by champion driver Paul Morris.
ISW will also feature Chris Johnson, a three-time AFL premiership player, who shares his perspective on how the AFL can better attract and nurture Indigenous youth through sport.
Chris Johnson
Cross-brand editorial integration
Throughout the week, the Indigenous Sport Week logo – originally designed by Aboriginal-owned agency Balarinji and based on artwork by Maureen Hudson Nampijinpa – will be incorporated into masthead branding across participating publications.
News Corp Australia’s fifth annual Indigenous Sport Week
First created in 2021, the logo is inspired by cultural symbols representing “camps” as places of belonging on long journeys, echoing the endurance, resilience and community that underpin sporting success.
For further information or to follow the stories featured during Indigenous Sport Week, visit www.indigenoussportweek.com.au.
Top image: Racing Together drivers Karlai Warner and Kade Davey. Image: Carina Napier