Tyrone eye ‘six-figure’ new sponsorship deal

Tyrone are in discussions with several large companies outside of the county and are confident they can secure a six-figure annual sponsorship deal.

The likelihood of the county staying with a locally-based sponsor is slim after ending a three-year arrangement with Fermanagh transport company Target Express, who ceased trading on Monday.

All indications are that Tyrone are thinking big and they believe they have the product to back that up.

County spokesman Damien Harvey hinted last night that the new sponsor will be an instantly recognisable brand and said they hope to have a new contract in place before Christmas.

“Local sponsorship puts pressure on local companies and we might well be casting the net a bit further afield this time,” said Harvey.

“Sometimes these big companies have their own marketing budgets in place and are easier to deal with.

“There are only so many county teams a big company can go for and we are in the market.

“The feelers are out and we have had some encouraging discussions so far.”

Harvey also insisted the £30,000 (€38,000) figure reported as being the annual deal with Target Express is wide of the mark.

“We had a six-figure arrangement with them, and we feel confident of obtaining that again.

“When we entered into a deal with Target Express, we were heading into Division Two. Now we are looking forward to being back in division one and with an exceptionally strong U21 team to look forward to.”

Target Express took over the sponsorship of the Tyrone team prior to the 2010 Ulster championship, following a six-year arrangement with Rocwell.

The Red Hands had no sponsor in the spring of 2010 and are determined to avoid a repeat of that scenario.

“There was a period of uncertainty at the start of 2010 which we don’t want to happen again.

“We knew earlier this year that Target Express would not be sponsoring our county teams next year and we have been working on a new sponsorship deal for the last six to eight weeks.”