AIB’s second year as sponsor of the All Ireland Football Championship has been hailed as the ‘best of the summer’ but that was last week and the brand has already switched into its club gear to mark the 25th anniversary of its sponsorship of the GAA Club Championship.
One of the lowest running partnerships in sport, the association was strengthened in recent years with the adoption of #TheToughest as a theme and that will be to the fore again across the winter of Club Championship games in football hurling and Camogie leading up to finals in March.
Read about AIB and the GAA winning the Summer of Sport in Sponsorship Terms
Colm Cooper of Dr Crokes and Kerry; Ronan Maher of Thurles Sarsfields and Tipperary and Shelly Farrell of Thomastown and Kilkenny camogie were among those on hand to launch the 2016/17 GAA and Camogie Club season in Dublin yesterday.
In keeping with a trend towards making partnerships work at the bottom line as well as in awareness and sentiment, AIB has also announced details of a new GAA reward scheme.
Each customer who purchases a new AIB Home Insurance Policy can now nominate their local club to receive a €50 cash reward. There is no limit to the number of nominations a club can receive and the scheme is open to all GAA clubs nationwide.
“To win an AIB Club Championship would mean everything to me”, said Cooper.
“It’s so difficult to win because games come thick and fast and you have to be mentally ready for a battle week in, week out.”
“You also have to be physically and mentally tough to endure the difficult winter conditions. To win an All-Ireland with my club would definitely be one of the ultimate achievements for me.”
“Our sponsorship includes Senior, Intermediate and Junior Championships across hurling, football and camogie and the Senior Football Championship,” said Denis O’Callaghan, Head of AIB Retail Banking.
“We are proud to be backing Club and County, and especially pleased to extend our sponsorship of the Club Championships for a 25th consecutive season.”
“The Club Championships is one of the most unique, competitive and toughest competitions to win in sport and we’re proud to be supporting #TheToughest all the way.”
“This is the time of the year when our clubs, and the players who secure county titles, get the opportunity to represent their counties with distinction,” added GAA President Aogán Ó Fearghail.
“It’s a time of the year that is synonymous with the mobilisation of communities for road trips across provinces.”
“The goal of securing provincial honours and ultimately getting to contest the Club titles in Croke Park on St Patrick’s Day is what fuels all of those involved, and we wish all competing clubs well.”
“I would also like to acknowledge the support of AIB who connect our Club Championships and our Inter-County Championships in such a successful and visible way”.
Sport for Business will keep you up to date with all the latest activations and advances in the sponsorship from our partners AIB and the GAA over the coming weeks and months.
