SPONSORSHIP OF HURLING AND FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS: THE GAA finally confirmed the new multi-sponsor championship packages yesterday.

After months of negotiations the football championship will be sponsored by Toyota, Ulster Bank and Vodafone, while the hurling championship retains its association with Guinness along with new partners Etihad Airways and RTÉ.

The football agreement is for three years, but the hurling is only a two-year deal. GAA commercial director Dermot Power explained the different contract lengths were reached to avoid a pile up of renegotiations over the same period.

In 2008 alone, the GAA have had to cope with concluding the sponsorship deal, television rights and the player grants issue.

Unlike the previous arrangement, no sponsor will have naming rights as the multi-tiered model, similar to the Uefa champions league, has now been adopted. "Ownership of the All-Ireland championships reverts to the GAA," stated yesterday's Croke Park press release.

"The biggest departure is the new sponsors will also become the event sponsors for live broadcasts of games," said Power. "There will be less branding evident around the stadia as a result and none in Croke Park - other than the three partners. Obviously some local sponsorship will be maintained in provincial grounds."

The football sponsors will pay around €1.5 million each but the hurling deal is reported to be a reduced figure with RTÉ and Etihad Airlines paying around €1 million and Guinness slightly more. Etihad airlines are the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, based out of the capital, Abu Dhabi.

The continued sponsorship by Guinness has raised concerns about the GAA's relationship with alcohol promotion, while RTÉ's branding of the hurling championship may be seen from a TV3/Setanta Sports perspective as an unfair advantage regarding future bids for live coverage of the championship.

"The other channels were only disappointed that they didn't get the television rights but they were briefed about the RTÉ sponsorship," explained Power. "This is a commercial departure. RTÉ wanted to be involved in hurling and that can only be a positive for the game.

"To be fair, Guinness and the GAA have always had a responsible attitude to sponsorship of alcohol and its marketing. There has been a long-term relationship there between Guinness and hurling, dating back to 1995, so it was appropriate to continue the partnership under the new arrangements."

Vodafone's association with the All Stars is now over and a new sponsor is currently being sought ahead of this year's awards and next January's annual trip.

Commenting on the announcement, GAA president Nickey Brennan said: "While the All-Ireland intercounty hurling and football championships stand to benefit from the heightened profile and exposure that the new commercial partnerships will bring, the true beneficiaries will be grassroots GAA where the sponsorship revenues will be channelled for the continued development of our games.

"I am also pleased to announce that the GAA will be investing in a major marketing support campaign to promote the championships which will include a comprehensive advertising, PR and promotional drive throughout the duration of the competitions."

Professor Tony Meenaghan from the UCD Smurfit school of business, who acted as an advisor for the GAA throughout the process, added: "The multi-sponsor model represents a significant landmark in terms of sponsorship in the Irish market.

"It embodies important lessons from international sponsorship practice, yet is tailored to suit the GAA, its structures and its ambitions while simultaneously delivering value and protection to its partners.

"In short, the new sponsorship model is comprehensive and integrated in terms of the elements of the sponsorship package, it is business-like in terms of the delivery systems which have been put in place and is both challenging and yet hugely rewarding for both sponsors and the GAA and its games"

With the overall investment now totalling around €7.5 million, there is also a significant increase in revenue compared to the reported €2.3 million paid by former title named sponsors, Guinness and Bank of Ireland.