Subway has been revealed as the latest sponsor commit again to a partnership with the FAI.
Their name will be attached once again to the Schoolboys FAI Subway Championship a football competition played between League representative teams at the U12, U13, U15 and U16 age categories on a regional basis with the qualifiers progressing to the knock-out stages leading to the National Finals each year.
This partnership extension between Subway and the SFAI comes on top of the launch of a fourth season of sponsorship of schools basketball in Ireland.
In the same manner as the Basketball, Subway, which has 176 stores in Ireland, will engage with local franchisees encouraging them to support their local team during the Championship.
The partnership will be supported with a full activation plan which will include sampling at games, a media partnership with the Irish Daily Star, social media support, player of the match competitions, and experiential activity on match days.
This season Subway is also launching the Subway® Volunteer of the Year Award. The award will recognise an individual who has dedicated their time to promoting and developing grassroots soccer through the SFAI.
The volunteer will be nominated by their local team or a fellow volunteer. Subway will work alongside the SFAI to select the award recipient.
“We are delighted to launch the 2018-2019 SFAI Subway Championship,” said Scott Heyes, Chair of the Subway Marketing Board.
“Over the previous two years of our partnership with the SFAI we have been impressed by the level of skill shown by the players on the pitch, as well as the commitment and support shown by the local communities and volunteers across the country.”
“Subway stores are all locally owned and operated by individual franchisees who work in the heart of local communities. The SFAI is an incredible community-based organisation and we are very proud to be supporting the most popular sport in the country at a grassroots level.”
“We believe that this partnership with the SFAI has helped to grow the SFAI Subway Championships, nurture young talent and recognise and reward the coaches, officials and volunteers that give so generously of their time to grow soccer in towns all over Ireland.”
