Dublin emerged victorious from an epic All Ireland Football Final replay on Saturday and celebrated in style with Dublin City Council at the Mansion House and then in front of a family friendly event with Marty Morrissey in Smithfield on Sunday afternoon.
The margins between victory and defeat are very cut and dried in sport with all or nothing for those who come out the right or wrong side of even the narrowest of margins.
In business it is always more a case of shades of success but here are six commercial winners from the Replay
The GAA
The replay generated a significant cash windfall for the organisation which will work its way through to the continued support of the sport in Ireland and abroad.
Writing in the match programme for the replay GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghaill spoke of the GAAGo viewers in 198 countries and drew a neat line from Sam Maguire himself who was a lifelong GAA member in London through to the World Games hosted in Dublin this summer.
The replay brings the curtain down on the latest three year media rights deal as well and such a vibrant set of Finals over the last few weeks will send negotiators into the next round of discussions around the next deal in high spirits.
AIG
Dublin’s commercial partners managed to keep their building’s giant hanging jersey up on the Quay Side head office for an extra week, making it three weekends of Dublin All Ireland Finals and greater than ever exposure for the brand both throughout Ireland and further afield.
Eirgrid
In a first year as official timing partner of the GAA the amount of injury time played and the closeness of both games going into the closing stages meant they will have got a much bigger share of awareness and eyeballs than they might have imagined when coming on board in this fashion.
AIB’s The Toughest
AIB have played a blinder throughout the campaign. The picture above on the walls of Copper Face Jack’s in Dublin was a big winner on social media throughout the weekend while the half time face off between Conal Keaney and David Brady to win €5,000 for one of their clubs had greater engagement with the sell out crowd than would be the norm for a half time commercial activation.
Elverys
Even though Mayo’s long running absence from the winning celebrations goes on Elverys sponsorship of their home county continues to deliver. With some sports retailers choosing not to stock the kit because of the rival advertising, that does nothing other than drive buyers towards exactly where Elverys want them to be.
Dublin
From the County board and Tomás Quinn, whose commercial hand grows stronger with every win; through to the City Council who will always benefit from a feel good factor around the capital; and the pubs, retailers and citizens who walk with a pep in their step again this morning after a weekend of celebration.
