FAI nets record sponsorship
 The football Association
of Ireland (FAI) netted more money from sponsorship last year than ever
before.
The organisation has signed six deals worth more than ¤20million
over the past 12 months — including new agreements with blue-chip
sponsors such as Kellogg’s, Ford and National Irish Bank.
FAI chief executive John Delaney said that 2006 was a record year in terms
of sponsorship agreements reflecting the strength of Irish football.
The biggest deal was with sports manufacturer Umbro.
The sponsorship deal signed last month is worth at least ¤16.35million
over the next eight years.
The company will sponsor a host of FAI competitions including the Junior
Cup, the Schools Cup and the Kennedy Cup.
Car giant Ford has signed up as the FAI’s official vehicle supplier
and as the new sponsor of the FAI Cup.
The deals are valued at more than ¤2.5million over four years.
Beer company Carlsberg which previously sponsored the FAI Cup has become
a corporate sponsor of the FAI and has agreed to pump more than 2million
into Irish football over the next four years.
Mr Delaney said: “The extension of our association with Carlsberg
and the record-breaking deal with Umbro have brought our portfolio to
a new level.”
The Association has spent almost ¤10million this year on developing
football in Ireland — from grassroots to the international game.
Last August the Association also signed a deal with Oceanico Developments
— an Anglo-Irish development company.
Under the deal Oceanico will provide the association with ¤200,000
in cash over a two-year period.
More recently it signed a ¤1.5million deal with NIB.
The bank is now the official business bank to the FAI and will also sponsor
the Schoolboy FAI National Cups and the Summer Soccer camps.
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