There is an excellent lineup of speakers for what is always one of the highlights of the sponsorship year at the ‘Who Won Sponsorship 2025’ event on Tuesday morning.
Industry leaders will gather at the Aviva Stadium from 8 AM tomorrow, with the morning kicking off at 08:30.
ONSIDE and the Marketing Institute of Ireland have selected a theme of “The Classics vs New Hits” for this year’s gathering.
Headlining the speaker line-up is Rachael Blackmore, the Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup-winning jockey whose rise has reshaped what athlete-brand partnerships can look like. She will share her perspective on authenticity, consistency, and value creation in sponsorship storytelling.
Adding to the new voices, athlete and Olympian Sarah Healy and IRFU Women’s XV star Linda Djougang will be in conversation with Rob Hartnett of Sport for Business in one of the sessions, while standard bearer the GAA will be explored through a discussion with Orlaith Fortune of AIB, Sarah Gelletlie of Electric Ireland and Maighread Cremin of Musgrave Group.
‘The Lesser Known Peaks of Rugby Sponsorship’ will be explored with Aoife Clarke of the IRFU, Gerry Nixon of Vodafone, Philip Keenan of Suntory and Ronan Jones of WHOOP; and Max Hamilton of the European Tour Group and the Ryder Cup will whet our appetite for the Adare Manor hosting of the tournament in 2027.
On the creative and agency side, Jonny Boyle, Executive Creative Director at Fuel, will be joined by Ine Singeorzan of Red Bull and Jane Hector-Jones of Factory International and Aviva Studios to discuss New Frontiers in Sponsorship, delving into how modern sponsorships can expand into cultural moments and audience connection.
The most effective Sponsors and Events, as voted for by the public and the industry, will be revealed, and the conversations in the room will extend well beyond the final whistle.
If you are there, please do come and say hello. We will have a report on the event in Tuesday’s PM Sport for Business Bulletin.
Image Credit: Onside and MII
Further Reading for Sport for Business members:
Read our Sport for Business Coverage of Industry Movers
SPORT FOR BUSINESS Upcoming Events
November 20th – Playing for the Planet – A new event focused on Sustainability in Sport with the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport
December 9th – Our 12th Annual Women in Sport Conference in partnership with Lidl.
January – The Sporting Year Ahead 2026 in partnership with Teneo.
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