New sponsor energiser for league

THE LEAGUE of Ireland acquired a new title sponsor and another new name yesterday with an expanding energy provider stepping in to back what will now be known as the Airtricity League. The company is reportedly set to spend something in the region of €750,000 per annum in connection with the deal during its three-year duration. However, it’s not yet clear how much of that will make its ways to the depleted coffers of the FAI and how much will go on related advertising and promotion.

Whatever the former figure, FAI chief executive John Delaney didn’t sound yesterday as though it would be enough to maintain prize-money for the clubs competing in this year’s championship at last year’s record levels. “We’ll see about that,” he said when asked whether the top 22 clubs would still be competing for a fund of just over €1 million as they did in 2009. “Obviously clubs’ budgets have dropped,” he continued, “and the board of the FAI will discuss that next week. We’ve put a lot of money into it over the last few years, not just in terms of prize-money but from a marketing perspective and compliance auditors and all that come with that. We’ll look at our overall budget in terms of what it costs to run the league next week.”

The prospect of another drop in their revenue is bound to cause some dismay amongst the clubs and it will represent a significant setback to an association that had trumpeted the considerable rise in the pool over the couple of years as one of the major benefits of its closer involvement with the league.

Clearly, though, there will be relief, too, that a major company like Airtricity have chosen to become involved with the league at what is clearly a terribly difficult time for the senior football in this country. “We’re all very pleased,” said Delaney, “that a bluechip company with a strong brand name has decided to come on board. It is something very positive for the league and it gives people involved in the game, and their clubs, a boost at an important time.”

Asked if he had had any qualms about hitching his company’s wagon to the league, Airtricity managing director Kevin Greenhord admitted that he had, at least initially. “To be honest, yes, we did have some concerns,” he said, “but when we sat down with John and the FAI, had a look at the blueprint for the future, I have to say those qualms were gone. The blueprint is good and the league is only going up so it’s a fantastic time for sponsors such as us to get in there.”

The comments might be taken as a new sponsor’s variation on the expression of hope by St Patrick’s Athletic skipper Damien Lynch earlier in the week that the collapse of Cork City represents the league hitting rock bottom. Certainly, everyone involved in the game is likely to be relieved to see the return next week of some football after what has been a difficult close season.

Delaney expressed the hope that clubs will make some progress on the financial front as long as the “change in culture,” he says the association is trying to generate, continues to take hold and that owners, like those recently departed from Derry and Cork City, stop running in a “cavalier” manner.

Asked about events in Limerick where the club’s licence was granted to a different company to the one that held it last year without the majority shareholder in the previous company being informed that his firm had not applied, he claimed the matter was “between the individuals” concerned.