Rebels must phone a friend as O2 end 15-year relationship

Cork County Board chairman Bob Ryan expects to secure a new jersey sponsor in the “not too distant future” after O2 ended their 15-year association with the county.

It is understood the telecommunications company signalled their intentions to the board back in February but the news was only confirmed yesterday.

Cork will be keen to have a new jersey unveiled in time for the Christmas market and are expected to be ready to make an announcement possibly before the end of month.

“We would hope to have a sponsor secured as quickly as possible,” said Ryan. “We’re already talking to interested parties and we would be progressing as far as possible with them. We hope to reach an agreement in the not too distant future.”

Seen as one of the great GAA brands, Ryan has no doubt Cork will land on their feet.

“In our term with O2, we won about 46 Munster titles and 26 All-Ireland titles, so that would be unrivalled by anybody.”

Onside Sponsorship managing director John Trainor claims their research shows Cork enjoy the largest GAA fan-base in the country with approximately 500,000 associating themselves with the teams.

“On an annual basis when we review the sponsorship industry from a general public perspective and test the most appealing sponsorships, Cork and O2 have figured in the top 10. There are a relatively limited fixed supply of premier, quality properties in the market and Cork is certainly one of them in the wider Irish industry.

“We have done studies on Ireland’s most admired teams at various levels and their performance in terms of volumes of those who admire the team is around half a million people.

“In a relative context, that outstrips the level of admiration for the bulk of UK and Premier League soccer teams. Cork are a local team that delivers outside of the county and there would be a large amount of people who identify them as their most admired them who aren’t living in Cork. They have a footprint that stretches beyond Cork.”

Trainor also states brand promotion will be significant for Cork’s new backers due to the affiliation made between supporters and the jersey.

“What we found is a particularly strong pride in the Cork jersey, people who articulate their support of the team by wearing the jersey. Willing to put the shirt on your back is one of the strongest manifestations of supporting a team and Cork have an above average expression of that.”

Cork’s next sponsor will be their third in total following Barry’s Tea (1991-’97) and Esat-Digifone who were later bought by O2 (1998-2001, 2002-’10).

O2 announced their last contract renewal, a three-year deal, four days before Cork beat Down in the 2010 All-Ireland final.

In a joint statement released with the Cork County Board yesterday, their marketing director Eugene Mitchell said: “On behalf of O2, I would like to extend our gratitude to the county board officers, to the players, team managements and supporters. We wish continued good fortune to all Cork teams and their loyal fans for the future.”

Although Cork aren’t expected to be without a sponsor for too long, they join Down, Kildare and Tyrone as counties currently seeking a deal.