The football focus this week has been on the team and the fans in France but the FAI has been working behind the scenes to secure Tetrarch Hospitality as the new sponsor of its successful Football For All which caters for anyone with a disability who wants to play football.
Tetrarch’s sponsorship over the next 2 and half years will assist the growth of the Football For All programme and facilitate greater accessibility for aspiring players.
They replace Heatons who previously supported the programme through Sports Direct which owns that brand remains as official sports retail partner among the family of 21 sponsors now associated with the FAI.
With over 3,500 players participating in the programme, and significant plans for expansion, Football For All caters for players of varying disabilities, such as blind, deaf, powerchair and amputee players.
The Powerchair team are preparing to play in their third World Cup in Florida in 2017 and are also planning on hosting an innovative tournament involving teams from Europe and the USA next Easter.
Tetrarch is not a name that springs to mind but the assets as part of its property portfolio certainly are.
It is an Irish-owned company that oversees the operation of some of Ireland’s largest and best-known hotels, resorts and golf courses. Tetrarch’s current hospitality investment portfolio includes Citywest, The Marker, Mount Juliet, Powerscourt Hotel, Killashee Hotel, The Dawson Hotel, Mount Wolseley and the Clonmel Park Hotel.
It is not yet known whether any of these properties will replace Carton House or Fota Island Resort which have traditionally hosted a number of international team sessions.
“The FAI is delighted to work with Tetrarch for the next two and a half years,” said CEO John Delaney.
“The FAI works incredibly hard to cater for as many people as possible who want to play football, so our Football For All programme is an initiative that we treasure greatly.”
“To have a company of Tetrarch’s esteem come on board as title sponsor for this programme will prove invaluable.”
“With Euro 2016 in full flow it is important we don’t forget that football is a game that can be played and enjoyed by everyone,” added Tetrarch CEO Damian Gaffney.
“As an Irish-owned company we are extremely proud of our sponsorship of the FAI’s Football for All programme and we look forward to helping John Delaney, Oisin Jordan and their FAI colleagues to expand the programme’s reach and number of events.”
“This is a particularly important initiative for all of us in Tetrarch and we will be actively involved in the promotion of the programme throughout our period of sponsorship.”
Oisin Jordan, National Coordinator for Football For All, said:
“This new sponsorship deal with Tetrarch Hospitality is a fantastic opportunity to increase the FAI’s investment in creating an environment of inclusivity in its sport in Ireland, said Oisin Jordan, national coordinator of the Football For All programme.
It will help us ensure opportunities for players with disabilities to access the sport they love at a level that suits them.”
