Liberty Insurance expected to replace Guinness as hurling sponsors

Guinness has ended its 18-year association with the All-Ireland Hurling Championship but will remain a “proud partner” of the GAA.

A new deal with American company Liberty Insurance is expected to be announced in the coming weeks to add to the deals already in place with Etihad and Centra under in the multi-sponsor model adopted by the GAA.

Liberty Insurance took over the existing business remaining from the sale of Quinn Insurance and have invested heavily in marketing and advertising in the Irish market, including sponsoring The Late Late Show.

Liberty were mentioned as a possible sponsor of Cork GAA before the Rebels agreed a deal with Chill Insurance.

The GAA announced that Guinness will become ‘proud partner’ to both the GAA and Croke Park Stadium, where they hold the pouring rights for the venue’s bars and restaurants.

Commenting on the new agreement, GAA commercial and stadium director Peter McKenna said: “There is no doubt that the GAA has benefited enormously from the marketing expertise of one of the world’s most creative companies. We appreciate that all sponsorship has a natural time span, and we are pleased to be taking our association with Guinness in a new direction”.

The end to the Guinness sponsorship of the All-Ireland Hurling Championship comes against the backdrop of a proposed ban on drinks companies sponsoring sporting events.