The Irish sponsorship market is enjoying a period of unprecedented growth, with Gaelic games playing a central role in driving record-breaking activity across the first half of 2025.
ONSIDE’s latest Quarterly Sponsorship Review, released this week, shows that Q2 2025 was the most active quarter since the consultancy began tracking the market in 2017.
Sponsorship deal volume rose by almost half compared to the same period last year, with sports partnerships leading the way.
Sports deals grew by an impressive 53% year-on-year in H1, while non-sports deals also rose sharply, up 32%.
GAA Partnerships Lead the Charge
The GAA’s commercial appeal remains a major growth driver. Landmark agreements in the first half of the year included Toyota’s new partnership with the Camogie Association, GAA, and GPA, and Allianz’s extension of its long-running sponsorship of the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship.
ONSIDE also noted growing interest from brands in county board and regional sponsorships, alongside a marked increase in investment in the women’s game.
A trend towards unbundling rights means that sponsors are now often acquiring multiple assets across men’s and women’s codes to maximise their presence.
Vodafone Tops Sports Sponsor Rankings
Vodafone moved into the top spot for ‘most appealing sports sponsor’ in Q2, unseating Guinness, which held first place in Q1.
Lidl retained third position, underpinned by its LGFA partnership.
The top ten featured a strong mix of rugby, GAA, and football backers, including Bank of Ireland, Aviva, Aldi, AIB, Allianz, and Sky.
Overall, 86% of Irish adults recalled an appealing sports sponsor in Q2, with recall peaking at 91% among males aged 18–34.
Cause-Related Sponsorship Momentum
In the non-sports space, Three, Electric Ireland, and SuperValu maintained their lead in consumer appeal.
A new ONSIDE metric on cause-related sponsorship saw Lidl emerge as the clear leader, thanks to its We Care Back campaign for Family Carers Ireland, with supermarkets dominating the category.
Market Evolution
Kim Kirwan, Director of Intelligence & Insight at ONSIDE, said the findings show both scale and change.
“The first half of 2025 has set a new benchmark for the Irish sponsorship market, showcasing not just record growth but a significant evolution in how brands and rights holders are forging connections.”
“From the GAA’s continued strength and Vodafone’s strong appeal in sports, to the clear public preference for cause-related initiatives like Lidl’s We Care Back campaign, these findings underscore the increasing value of partnerships that are both strategic and deeply authentic to the Irish consumer.”
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