Emirates has announced its first sponsorship in Ireland by becoming the Official Airline of the Irish Open. The deal will run for an initial period of three years.  The 2012 Irish Open will take place at Royal Portrush and is the eighth tournament on the European Tour with which the airline is associated.
The agreement with The Irish Open includes course branding, tournament hospitality, advertising, on-site activity including an exhibition unit and team participation in the Tournament Pro-Am.
All four Irish Major Championship winners – Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington – will be taking part in the event from June 28th to July 1st.
Emirates began services between Dublin and Dubai in January of this year.
“We have entered into another major sponsorship, supporting sport in Ireland and connecting with golf enthusiasts around the world,” said Salem Obaidalla, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe & Russian Federation. “Irish golfers have never had a higher profile, with no fewer than nine current tournament winners active on the European Tour.”
“Emirates is a world-class partner that brings added global exposure and prestige to the Irish Open,” said James Finnigan of The European Tour and the Commercial Director of the Irish Open. “This event has massive appeal, attracting audiences from all over the world, so it’s appropriate that a like-minded sponsor with an extensive global reach and a strong foothold in golf is on-board.”
Emirates has a number of prominent sponsorships familiar to Irish fans, including Official Carrier status at the Dubai World Cup, where Irish horses, trainers and jockeys have excelled in recent years, while its sponsorship of Arsenal, the Fifa World Cup and the Rugby World Cup have positioned it as one of the leading sporting sponsors in the world.
Tim Burnell, Emirates’ Head of Corporate Communications was interviewed about the company’s approach to sport in Sport for Business Weekly Issue 7.