Today’s Sport for Business News Digest looks at the launch of the 2012 All Ireland Camogie series and highlights its value for a commercial partner; marks the extension of a deal between Triathlon Ireland and Kinetica Sport; unveils early details of a new tie up between Bord na Mona and the Irish Greyhound Board; celebrates at least one triumph from Euro 2012 and two at Royal Ascot…
Camogie Championship Launches for 2012
RTE sport is to cover the Intermediate and Senior All Ireland Camogie Championship Finals in September while the senior semi finals are to be streamed live on RTE.ie and highlights of the earlier rounds are to be given prominence within the Sunday Game.
There will be a new quarter final stage to the competition this season giving a greater sense of a tournament narrative.  The early round Robin stage will produce two semi finalists as is the case in Hurling and the other counties will play through knock out rounds and two quarter finals to reach the penultimate point on August 18th.
This year’s Championship will also feature two points for a sideline cut that is scored over the bar, the first scoring change at senior level in Gaelic games for many years.
Wexford are aiming for three in a row All Ireland titles when the Championship action gets under way on Saturday with Dublin playing Kilkenny in Crumlin at 1pm.
The Championship is assured of strong media coverage through associations with RTE and the Irish Daily Star but remains without a headline sponsor since the ending of an agreement with Centra.  With women’s sport on the rise and commercial partnerships at a significantly lower cost it could offer an ideal way for a company to tap into the strength and community of the GAA.
Any business wishing to know more about Camogie as a partnership vehicle can make initial contact through rob@sportsforbusiness2.ab6z.com.
Bord na Mona to support Leinster Greyhound Racing during summer
Bord na Mona is to support a series of Greyhound Racing events throughout Leinster in the month of August, culminating in a family themed evening at Harold’s Cross Stadium in Dublin on May 31st.
The ability to produce clearly time and geographically defined events gives great clarity to partnerships looking to extend across multiple venues without taking ownership of an entire tournament.
Bord na Mona earlier in 2012 became the headline sponsor of the Leinster GAA inter county winter tournaments which act as a curtain raiser for the Allianz National Leagues.
The Irish Greyhound Board is a member of the Sport for Business Community
Triathlon Ireland signs new deal with Kinetica
Cork based Kinetica Sport has extended its partnership with Triathlon Ireland and will now become the naming rights sponsor of the Sprint and Olympic Distance National Championships.
The company produces nutrition products and sees the relationship as being a valuable fit for its endurance and recovery ranges.  Sampling of products takes place at major events in the triathlon calendar throughout the year.
“We’re delighted that Kinetica Sports have expanded their sponsorship with Triathlon Ireland. They have been involved in triathlon since 2010 and have grown their operations and range of products as Triathlon Ireland has also grown into a much larger, sustainable and professionally administered sport.” said Triathlon Ireland CEO, Matt McKerrow.
“The fact that the products are both great quality and made in Cork is an added bonus as it’s great to be sponsored by an Irish company who employ local people and is part of the Irish triathlon community.”
Kinetica Sports have also continued their sponsorship of Cork triathlete Bryan Keane, who was on hand to launch the agreement at the state of the art UCD Campus Sport and Leisure 50 meter pool which is set to open for membership in late June.
Both Triathlon Ireland and UCD are members of the Sport for Business Community
Euro 2012 attracts third 2 million audience
Despite suggestions that Ireland’s elimination would mean a lessening of interest in Monday night’s final Euro 2012 group game against Italy, RTE still generated viewing figures of more than two million for the third time in the campaign.
The audience that watched the entire programme did fall from a high of 1.2 million for the Croatia game to 930,000 for Italy but the three games still comfortably secured the Top sporting TV audiences of the year.
The opening game against Croatia was the biggest TV sports audience in Ireland since the World Cup at USA ’94.
Irish success on opening day at Royal Ascot
Irish trainers Jim Bolger and Willie Mullins both enjoyed a trip to the winners enclosure at Royal Ascot on the opening day of the meeting yesterday.
The day was dominated by an exceptional performance from Frankel who won his 11th successive top flight race and was hailed by many as perhaps the greatest racehorse of all time.
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