BOI renew sponsorship deal for €6m over 5 years

sheepshagger · Post by **sheepshagger** » August 27th, 2014, 7:49 am

Bank of Ireland has renewed its sponsorship with Leinster Rugby for the next five years in a deal believed to be worth close to €6 million.

The breadth of the sponsorship has been increased dramatically, with nearly €1 million to be provided over the five years to promote the amateur game across the province.
This will cover all grades, from under-eights mini-rugby to senior adult competitions and the women’s game. It will also result in the bank sponsoring the Leinster senior and junior schools cups when their existing deals expire.

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This element of the sponsorship also includes support for development officers, coaching materials, equipment and the coach development programme across the province.

Details of the sponsorship will be announced this morning.

The bank’s current deal with Leinster was due to expire at the end of this coming season, and it had until October to renew its deal before it went to the market. The sponsorship will now run until June 2019.
Mark Cunningham, director of business banking at Bank of Ireland, told The Irish Times that this renewal was a “great opportunity to connect with the Leinster rugby base”.

The new deal comes as Leinster faces increased pressure to continue operating near the top of European rugby, due to the financial power that French and English clubs have gained in the past couple of years, through lucrative domestic television deals and the substantial backing provided to certain clubs by wealthy individuals.

Dave Cahill · Post by **Dave Cahill** » August 27th, 2014, 8:01 am

Increased back up to pre-'crash' levels

ratpack · Post by **ratpack** » August 27th, 2014, 8:04 am

I suppose the question must be would we have gotten more if we'd gone to the market ?

On the face of it, it does look like a good deal, for example Kingspan apparently pay in the region of £300,000 per annum for naming rights on Ravenhill and logo on the back of the shirt.

Mauler · Post by **Mauler** » August 27th, 2014, 8:24 am

Dave Cahill wrote:Increased back up to pre-'crash' levels

Looks like a very significant deal for Leinster, considering that less than 12 months ago Dublin GAA signed a deal with AIG for €4M over 5 years or €800k p/a http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic- ... 45434.html compared to €1.2m p/a for Leinster from BoI

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » August 27th, 2014, 9:06 am

Mauler wrote:
Dave Cahill wrote:Increased back up to pre-'crash' levels
Looks like a very significant deal for Leinster, considering that less than 12 months ago Dublin GAA signed a deal with AIG for €4M over 5 years or €800k p/a http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic- ... 45434.html compared to €1.2m p/a for Leinster from BoI

Yeah, though the GAA don’t have to pay their players obviously. They genuinely do invest in grass roots. Personally, I coached minis/underage for years and the investment of resources never really happened. We were always struggling for equipment and pitches, we basically bankrolled the club via mini subs and kit purchases and the only thing we really got from the IRFU was a mini course before starting when the lads were U-7’s. I really hope for rugby’s sake that we continue to stay connected to the grassroots and build communities rather than go the way that professional soccer went wherein funding just goes straight to the pockets of the elite players.

the spoofer · Post by **the spoofer** » August 27th, 2014, 9:25 am

Flash Gordon wrote:
Mauler wrote:
Dave Cahill wrote:Increased back up to pre-'crash' levels
Looks like a very significant deal for Leinster, considering that less than 12 months ago Dublin GAA signed a deal with AIG for €4M over 5 years or €800k p/a http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic- ... 45434.html compared to €1.2m p/a for Leinster from BoI
Yeah, though the GAA don’t have to pay their players obviously. They genuinely do invest in grass roots. Personally, I coached minis/underage for years and the investment of resources never really happened. We were always struggling for equipment and pitches, we basically bankrolled the club via mini subs and kit purchases and the only thing we really got from the IRFU was a mini course before starting when the lads were U-7’s. I really hope for rugby’s sake that we continue to stay connected to the grassroots and build communities rather than go the way that professional soccer went wherein funding just goes straight to the pockets of the elite players.

That's surprising because most clubs have a CCRO that is part funded (50% by Leinster Branch). It's not huge but its still something.

wixfjord · Post by **wixfjord** » August 27th, 2014, 10:38 am

Anyone know how this compares to the other provinces? Was there any figures around the last BOI Leinster & Munster deals?

goreyguy · Post by **goreyguy** » August 27th, 2014, 10:54 am

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/muns ... 31963.html

600-700k a year with bonuses depending on performances...

cormac · Post by **cormac** » August 27th, 2014, 11:10 am

Interesting to see that BOI now feel confident enough to let this information out to the public. Seem to recall that no details of the last renewal were made public.

sheepshagger · Post by **sheepshagger** » August 27th, 2014, 12:10 pm

Dave Cahill wrote:Increased back up to pre-'crash' levels

Just about out of state ownership too...

Keith · Post by **Keith** » August 27th, 2014, 12:33 pm

Any chance of getting any other sponsors on the jersey? Or is it part of this deal that we can only have BOI on the jeresey?

sheepshagger · Post by **sheepshagger** » August 27th, 2014, 1:34 pm

Keith wrote:Any chance of getting any other sponsors on the jersey? Or is it part of this deal that we can only have BOI on the jeresey?

Without seeing the contract would say it includes exclusivity.

Why would you want (or care) if there are more names on a jersey ?

Flash Gordon · Post by **Flash Gordon** » August 27th, 2014, 1:36 pm

sheepshagger wrote:
Dave Cahill wrote:Increased back up to pre-'crash' levels
Just about out of state ownership too...

Well, as a Leinster fan I'm delighted with the deal but if I was BOI customer facing the squeeze, a business or house buyer refused a loan so they can boost their bottom line I think I'd be asking questions about the deal! Sponsorship properties do two things - 1. Drive awareness - everybody's heard of BOI 2. Drive affinity to the brand - is there anyone at all out there who loves or could love Boucher's BOI???

TerenureJim · Post by **TerenureJim** » August 27th, 2014, 1:38 pm

Keith wrote:Any chance of getting any other sponsors on the jersey? Or is it part of this deal that we can only have BOI on the jeresey?

Do we really want to go down the "we don't want a title sponsor route more a series of engaged partners" in the manner of the wishes of Mark McCafferty's hugely successful campaign of ditching of Heineken only to find there's no one really out there willing to sponsor the EPRC....

LeinsterLeader · Post by **LeinsterLeader** » August 27th, 2014, 2:10 pm

At the risk of starting a holy war over 'who deserves what', but does anyone know how this compares with BOI's sponsorship of other provinces?

deco · Post by **deco** » August 27th, 2014, 2:12 pm

TerenureJim wrote:
Keith wrote:Any chance of getting any other sponsors on the jersey? Or is it part of this deal that we can only have BOI on the jeresey?
Do we really want to go down the "we don't want a title sponsor route more a series of engaged partners" in the manner of the wishes of Mark McCafferty's hugely successful campaign of ditching of Heineken only to find there's no one really out there willing to sponsor the EPRC....

You could have a main sponsor and also some minor sponsors advertising on the sleeves etc which I suspect is what Keith was asking. I expect, like Sheepshagger, that the BOI deal includes exclusivity in this regard.

goreyguy · Post by **goreyguy** » August 27th, 2014, 2:13 pm

LeinsterLeader wrote:At the risk of starting a holy war over 'who deserves what', but does anyone know how this compares with BOI's sponsorship of other provinces?

Munster get 6-700k a year without the performance bonuses factored in.

blockhead · Post by **blockhead** » August 27th, 2014, 2:20 pm

goreyguy wrote:
LeinsterLeader wrote:At the risk of starting a holy war over 'who deserves what', but does anyone know how this compares with BOI's sponsorship of other provinces?
Munster get 6-700k a year without the performance bonuses factored in.

So that would be 6-700k a year then.

domhnallj · Post by **domhnallj** » August 27th, 2014, 2:31 pm

blockhead wrote:
goreyguy wrote:
LeinsterLeader wrote:At the risk of starting a holy war over 'who deserves what', but does anyone know how this compares with BOI's sponsorship of other provinces?
Munster get 6-700k a year without the performance bonuses factored in.
So that would be 6-700k a year then.

As Deco would say, they merely have to turnip for their games.

Keith · Post by **Keith** » August 27th, 2014, 2:44 pm

deco wrote:
Keith wrote:Any chance of getting any other sponsors on the jersey?

Do we really want to go down the "we don't want a title sponsor route more a series of engaged partners" in the manner of the wishes of Mark McCafferty's hugely successful campaign of ditching of Heineken only to find there's no one really out there willing to sponsor the EPRC....
You could have a main sponsor and also some minor sponsors advertising on the sleeves etc which I suspect is what Keith was asking. I expect, like Sheepshagger, that the BOI deal includes exclusivity in this regard.

Yep, that is what I meant. Looking at the French jereseys I don't think having a few sponsors on the jersey looks too bad at all and it is an easy source of income. Unfortunatley we have to now look at every way of squeezing out as much money as we can from sponsors. Of course if BOI is the only sponsor allowed on the jersey then there is nothing they can do.

Babbling 'brook