BT Sport wil launch its three new sports channels on August 1st and the broadcaster has been active in the sponsorship market ahead of its big day.
In Ireland BT has announced the continued sponsorship of gymnast Kieran Behan whose story became a global one at last years London Olympics, while in Scotland the Sports Channel itself has signed a multi million sponsorship deal in Rugby Union.
The deal with Glasgow and Edinburgh will see both sides carry the BT Sport logo for four years as they compete in the Heineken Cup and the RaboDirect Pro 12.
Both tournaments will be televised live by arch rival Sky Sports whose decision to ban the placing of BT Sport advertising on its channels was recently upheld by the courts.
The sponsorship is a way of BT Sport circumventing that, though with the future make-up and broadcasting of the Heineken Cup or some successor European club rugby tournament still not finalised, the words of BT Sport that they would always consider ways of televising the two sponsored clubs can be read as carrying extra weight.
The channels will carry live coverage from English and French club rugby and will be available to viewers in Ireland through Setanta Sport.
BT Ireland is already a key supporter of Ulster Rugby and it must be wondered whether Ulster or any of the other Irish provinces were approached with a view to the BT Sport sponsorship.
Ulster, Leinster and Munster all carry Bank of Ireland as the principal shirt sponsor but forward thinking clubs have proven adept at ‘shuffling’ sponsors when new opportunities have arisen in recent years. Manchester United and locally Shamrock Rovers and Dublin GAA have shown that it is possible with fresh and larger money on the table to change the respective order of a sponsors ‘inventory’ so as to maximise income.
Regardless, the money on this occasion has gone to Scotland, but the BT parent company has committed to Irish sport through extending the relationship with Irish gymnast Kieran Behan.
“We are delighted to extend our relationship with Kieran for another year as he continues on the road to Rio,” said BT Ireland Head of Communications Priscilla O’Regan. “Kieran is widely admired and respected, and we are proud to be helping him achieve his goal of becoming a world-class gymnast.”
“His desire to fine tune his performance is a great match for our own business values.”
“BT’s ongoing support of Kieran is a testament to the dedication and determination of Ireland’s most decorated male gymnast,” added Sally Filmer of Gymnastics Ireland. “BT has found a fantastic ambassador in Kieran whose achievements transcend those of the sports realm and are inspirational to us all.”
Bank of Ireland and many more of Ireland’s leading sports sponsors are full members of the Sport for Business Community Discover the benefits of joining them today.
Sports Tourism Seminar at Croke Park (September 19th)
Sport for Business 20/20 at Ulster Bank HQ (October 8th)
The Business of Youth Sport Seminar (November 28th)
