Bord Bia takes on tasty role for Straffan feast

Golf: The void in Ireland's elaborate corporate sponsorship package for staging the 2006 Ryder Cup at The K Club - created last November when Aer Lingus was forced to withdraw as one of the event's co-sponsors - has been filled with Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board, replacing the troubled airline.

When Ireland secured a deal at Valderamma in 1997 to stage the Ryder Cup - originally scheduled to take place here in 2005 but put back a year after the September 11th attacks in the United States - it meant paying the European Tour about €9.22 million (£7.25 million) over eight years.

This money was guaranteed by the Government, but Bord Fáilte - who were asked to manage the event on the Government's behalf - then negotiated a separate deal whereby 50 per cent of their outlay would be underwritten by commercial partners: Allied Irish Bank, Waterford Crystal and Aer Lingus.

The deal required each company to come up with €1.53 million (£1.2 million) each, so the withdrawal of Aer Lingus, halfway through the process, created a shortfall of €764,000 (£600,000).

Bord Bia has stepped into the breach created by Aer Lingus's withdrawal - and the delay in getting a replacement was caused as much by Bord Fáilte having to ensure that the new partner didn't create any commercial conflict with the original companies, including Aer Lingus, as any other factor. The new co-sponsor also had to receive the approval of the European Tour.

However, when further marketing and promotional campaigns are added on to the shortfall figure left by Aer Lingus's withdrawal, Bord Bia's contribution will be well in excess of €1 million by the time the best European and American golfers get to go head-to-head in Straffan.

In revealing the new co-sponsor yesterday, Dr McDaid, the Minister for Sport, said the promotion of Ireland as a food island was a perfect replacement for Aer Lingus.

"I recognise the very important role Aer Lingus has played over the past few years in bringing the 2006 Ryder Cup matches to Ireland and very much regret their understandable decision to withdraw from this sponsorship," he said.

"However, I am pleased that Bord Bia have come on board and look forward to their full participation in maximising this opportunity to promote Ireland to the world - not only as a golfing or tourism destination, but also as a food island."

Joe Walsh, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, said that sponsorship of the event would "offer a prime opportunity to project and enhance Ireland's food industry as a successful competitor on the world stage."

The chief executive of Bord Bia, Michael Duffy, said he was enthusiastic about being involved in bringing the most prestigious team tournament in golf to Ireland.

"The benefits and opportunities this offers the Irish food and drink industry are enormous and consistent with Bord Bia's strategy to build the 'Ireland, the Food Island' brand. This is one of the world's top three sporting events," he said.

Indeed, in terms of global television coverage, it ranks only behind the World Cup and Olympic Games.

Duffy added: "This provides us with an unrivalled opportunity over the next four years to promote Ireland as a source of high quality food and drink and to develop business relationships with trade customers."

Niall Reddy, acting chief executive of Bord Fáilte, remarked: "The promotion of Ireland as both a premier tourist destination and an island with top quality food is an ideal and logical fit. The message that Ireland has top quality food as well as top quality places to visit will enhance the image of Ireland being portrayed worldwide."

The manner in which Ireland set out to win the right to stage the Ryder Cup here for the first time was very much a business programme from the start, aided in no small way by the way that the European Open - staged annually at The K Club - was built into one of the European Tour's flagship tournaments. "Imagination is the oxygen of business," is how Michael Smurfit spelt out Ireland's successful bid in the face of opposition from, among others, Scotland.

And, consequently, many outside observers believed that as, great a coup as getting the Ryder Cup for The K Club was for this country, the ancillary promotional and marketing attachments which the Irish negotiators managed to obtain, with Ireland having a significant presence at many European Tour events - including tee-box advertisement hoarding - was probably as significant and confirmed the entire business nature of what the Ryder Cup had become.

Since the deal was signed in 1998, and up to the time it is actually staged here, Ireland will have enjoyed unparalleled exposure on the European Tour as a golfing destination. Not surprisingly, Bord Bia now see it as the perfect tool to get across its message too.