Pat Rafter isn’t actually leaving tennis for real estate, but he is fronting one of the summer’s most visible brand stunts, with the Australian Open “listed” for sale on realestate.com.au as part of the platform’s partnership with the tournament.
The tongue-in-cheek listing of 1 Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne, is designed to celebrate realestate.com.au’s status as Official Real Estate Partner of the Australian Open, blending sport, property and content in a bid to cut through a crowded summer sponsorship market.
Framed as Australia’s number one tennis address, the Australian Open listing positions the venue as an entertainer’s dream, complete with stadium-style architecture, more than 20 hectares of space and uninterrupted views across Melbourne’s CBD fringe.
Rafter, acting as listing agent, leaned fully into the gag.
“The entrance is a real showstopper designed to impress the guests,” he said. “This property has multiple outdoor entertaining areas built in 2021 and uninterrupted views from all angles. The floors are all cushioned acrylic; they have a nice bounce and are very low-maintenance.
“Flooded with natural light, this unique space is north-facing and east-facing, west-facing and south-facing. This really is open plan living at its finest.”
The listing on realestate.com.au includes an exclusive walkthrough video, a voicemail message from Rafter and, from Sunday 18 January, an iGUIDE 3D tour and interactive floorplan. Fans can also virtually walk through Rod Laver Arena’s Walk of Champions, offering behind-the-scenes access without setting foot on site.
Beyond the grandstands
The activation extends on-ground at the Australian Open, with daily inspections running until 1 February 2026. Fans can also visit The Village, supported by realestate.com.au, where current players warm up on Courts 16 and 17.
Across finals weekend, the realestate.com.au Rally will give fans the chance to hit with tennis legends and win prizes, adding a participatory layer to the campaign.
REA Group general manager, audience and marketing Sarah Myers said the listing was about taking fans deeper into the event experience.
“We’re excited to take Aussie tennis fans beyond the grandstands to get an exclusive look at this summer’s hottest property,” Myers said.
“Listing the Australian Open for sale on realestate.com.au is all about celebrating our partnership and bringing together two of Australia’s greatest passions, property and sport.”
A summer sponsorship play with scale
The Australian Open listing sits at the centre of a broader multichannel campaign, including a new television commercial featuring Rafter, bespoke out-of-home across Melbourne and a broadcast partnership with Nine.
The campaign was developed with creative agency 72andSunny and media agency Kaimera, reinforcing realestate.com.au’s push to use content and experience, rather than traditional sponsorship badging, to drive brand attention during one of Australia’s most competitive advertising periods.
For realestate.com.au, the play positions the platform not just as a property marketplace, but as a cultural participant, tapping into a national sporting moment while keeping property firmly at the centre of the conversation.