Sport for Business had the pleasure to give a presentation and host a lively discussion on sport and partnership for those involved in Student Sport at UCD last night.
The event was organised by Bank of Ireland and took place in their centre facing the entrance to the College, drawing an audience of almost 100 of those students who have stepped up to take on the running of the Student sports clubs and societies that help sport to thrive on campus.
We spoke of the importance of knowing what you need as an organisation, in terms of assistance beyond merely the financial of of being imaginative in terms of approaching organisations and individuals who can help bring programmes to life in many forms.
We highlighted the importance of looking beyond commercal supporters towards those who may have been involved in sport during their college life, and whose memories of those days have helped to shape the people they have become. As part of thios we spoke of the former college footballer with a major sporting University in the United States who has donated $150 million to his alma mater over recent years.
It doesn’t have to be such big numbers but looking at how sport can fit the objectives or social initiatives of organisations and individuals was a key theme and we were approached after the event by four of those in attendance to see whether smart ideas they ewere thinking of would fit the bill.
After the presentation we spoke on stage with Gemma Bell, Sponsorship Manager at Bank of Ireland and Marty Burke, Manager of the successful UCD Women’s Hockey team and with Irish Women’s Rugby Star Sophie Spence and Ireland Hockey Captain Katie Mullen about their experiences of forging partnerships between sport and business.
Spence spoke of the importance of ‘leaving the jersey stronger that when we came in to wear it’ and that idea resonated well with those who have taken on the responsibility of securing today.tomorrow and longer into the future of the sports clubs that exist across such a wide and diverse range of activities within the college.
It was a great night talking to and hearing from the future leaders of society and well done to all involved for bringing it to life.
Bank of Ireland and UCD are among the more than 230 organisations that play an active part of the Sport for Business community.
Aside from producing news and analysis on the commercial world of Irish sport and business we host events and enable discussions which bridge the gap that can exist between great sport and great business
What could we do together for your organisation?
Image Credit Ciara Boyle
