Connacht Rugby and Dexcom Inc. have confirmed a historic naming rights partnership for the Sportsground, ahead of the commencement of the next phase of the stadium redevelopment in March.
As part of a 12-year agreement between the two organisations, the Sportsground will become known as ‘Dexcom Stadium’ with immediate effect.
The announcement came on the day Dexcom broke ground on their major manufacturing facility in Athenry – their first in Europe – with the creation of over 1,000 jobs for the province.
It was also made on the day that Connacht scored a win in the Investec Champions Cup but that ultimately did not prove enough to make the last 16. They will instead play in the Challenge Cup when the European club scene resumes after the Guinness Six Nations.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar was at the announcement of the new stadium naming deal though there was less opposition and controversy as last week around the potential renaming of Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
In Onside Sponsorship’s Annual Industry report yesterday it emerged that 30 percent of rights holders are currently exploring options in this area.
Investment
The Government has invested heavily through the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund but part of the deal was that Connacht would raise its end of the financial bargain and that is where US Medical company Dexcom stepped in.
Sport has been on their radar throughout their proposed move into Ireland but an initial approach to Galway GAA fell on the retaining of Padraig Pearse’s name in any stadium deal there.
The Dexcom Stadium deal is probably better in the long run with the new build allowing for their being associated from the outset with what will be an improved experience for the fans.
Founded in 1999, Dexcom employs over 9,000 people globally and are based in San Diego, with manufacturing facilities in Arizona and Malaysia. Their new facility in Athenry will create over 1,000 local jobs – many at the graduate level – in a significant economic boost for the west of Ireland.
“Connacht Rugby is a fantastic regional success story, its ambition, high-performance standards, and its values are very attractive to us,” said Barry Regan, Dexcom’s Executive Vice President of Operations.
“We see this partnership having a great alignment with our goals of inspiring people with diabetes, including those who currently play sports, want to pursue sports, or participate in physical activities, to not let diabetes hold them back.
“It is also a way for us to demonstrate our commitment to becoming part of the economic success of Ireland’s western region, as a whole.
“We are coming into Athenry and looking to attract a workforce from across the region. To that end, I’m also delighted to be here today to mark the start of construction of what will be our first manufacturing site in Europe.”
Construction
Works on the new Connacht Rugby High Performance Centre will begin in March with works on the North Stand following at the end of this current season.
The new Connacht Rugby HPC is expected to be completed by March 2025 and will provide all Connacht Rugby representative teams with world-class facilities to enable them to fulfill their potential and perform at the highest level.
The new North Stand will then replace the existing Clan Terrace and will feature state-of-the-art facilities for all match attendees, including supporters, partners, players, officials, media and volunteers.
Construction will begin this summer after the demolition of the Clan Terrace and clubhouse, and is expected to be completed during the 2025/26 season.
Dexcom Stadium will operate at a reduced capacity for the 2024/25 season, but the long-term gain will make that worthwhile.
“A naming rights partner is absolutely critical to the delivery of our vision to redevelop the Sportsground into a fit-for-purpose modern stadium, and in Dexcom we have found the perfect partners in helping to make that vision a reality,” said Connacht Rugby CEO Willie Ruane.
“Dexcom’s commitment to the west of Ireland, through the creation of over 1,000 jobs in Athenry, speaks volumes of their eagerness to invest in this part of the world, and we look forward to working together well into the future.”
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