Business

Aviva in talks with IRFU and FAI to renew stadium naming rights deal

Aviva has held the naming rights since 2010 and is in exclusive talks to renew for another five years

Insurer Aviva is in exclusive talks to renew its naming rights deal with the IRFU and the FAI for the stadium on Lansdowne Road. Photograph: James Crombie /Inpho

Ciarán Hancock
Mon May 27 2024 - 05:45

Insurance company Aviva is in exclusive talks with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) about renewing its naming rights sponsorship for the Aviva Stadium in Ballsbridge, Dublin.

Aviva has held the naming rights for the 50,000-capacity Lansdowne Road stadium since its reopening in May 2010 following a €410 million refurbishment of the arena, which included a €191 million grant from the State. That was a 10-year deal that was renewed in 2018 for a five-year period beginning in July 2020. The deal is believed to be valued at about €4 million a year.

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The current contract will expire in the middle of next year and it is understood that Aviva has a period of exclusivity to renew the naming rights, which is expected to be for another five-year period.

If no deal is agreed, the sponsorship would then be offered to the market. However, Aviva is thought to be keen to secure an extension of what is considered to be one of the most effective sports sponsorship deals in the Irish market.

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In an interview with The Irish Times earlier this month, Declan O’Rourke, the chief executive of Aviva Insurance Ireland, described the naming rights deal as “one of the best sponsorship assets in the country”.

“It’s known by everybody in the country. It is brilliant for building awareness as well as allowing us to do things with our customers, like getting tickets for different things,” he said.

The proceeds of the sponsorship are divided equally between the IRFU, the FAI and New Stadium DAC, the company that manages the arena. Latest accounts for New Stadium, which were signed off on May 14th, show that the IRFU and the FAI paid €8 million in fees to the company for the use of the arena in 2023, up from €7.1 million a year earlier.

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New Stadium pays the IRFU €750,000 a year to lease the land for the arena. The Aviva last week hosted the Uefa Europa League Final between Atalanta of Italy and German champions Bayer Leverkusen. Under Uefa rules, the Aviva branding could not be used for the final with the stadium known as the Dublin Arena for the match.

The stadium will also play host to pop stars Pink and Taylor Swift this year.

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock

Ciarán Hancock is Business Editor of The Irish Times

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