Allianz and the GAA remain one of Irish sport's most powerful partnerships.

'Having been sponsors of the Allianz Leagues for the past 29 years, we’ve never had to rely on the strength of our relationship with each other as much as we have in the past 12 months'

Sat, 01 May, 2021 - 00:00

Michael Moynihan

Next weekend’s commencement of the National League throws the spotlight on the lengthy commercial relationship between the GAA and Allianz, sponsors of the leagues.

The length of that relationship has helped both parties in the challenges of the last couple of seasons, with Valerie Hedin, marketing communications manager of Allianz Ireland, saying that despite the uncertainty created by Covid, “we certainly weren’t going anywhere and neither were the GAA”.

“Having been sponsors of the Allianz Leagues for the past 29 years, we’ve never had to rely on the strength of our relationship with each other as much as we have in the past 12 months,” said Hedin.

“Over the years a strong sense of partnership has been formed and there is a loyalty built between us. When being thrust into such a level of uncertainty as we all were, and continue to be living and working in, you can quickly find out who is in it for the long term. We certainly weren’t going anywhere and neither were the GAA. I think our two teams have come together during what has been a very difficult time for businesses of all shapes and sizes, and we will come out stronger on the other side because of that.”

The first lockdown put the brakes on last year’s league in mid-gallop, which Allianz describes as “the responsible decision for the GAA to make”.

“As we all know too well, Covid-19 has impacted every aspect of society in Ireland since March last year,” says Hedin.

“Once we entered into the first Covid-19 lockdown, we knew we had to immediately change our plans for the Leagues which were in full swing at the time. With the seriousness of the pandemic, working with the GAA, we made the decision to pause our activity to focus on supporting our customers throughout lockdown.

We wholeheartedly felt that pausing the Leagues was the responsible decision for the GAA to make — putting the safety of players, teams, fans and all of those who work to bring the Leagues to life first and we fully supported them in that choice.

“As life returned to a level of normality over the summer and case numbers remained low, we were thrilled to be able to close out the Leagues in October 2020, albeit with restrictions, bringing a sense of excitement to the country — which I think we all greatly needed at the time.”

Next year marks three decades of Allianz’s involvement with the leagues. As with any thirty-year partnership, there have been changes over that period.

“The partnership we have with the GAA has definitely developed. Gone are the day when your brand name is printed on a few programmes and that’s the job done.

“For us our sponsorship portfolio is a key aspect of how we engage directly with our customers.

Declan Hannon of Limerick lifting the cup following the Allianz Hurling League Division 1 final in 2019

“Our aim with all of our sponsorships, be it the GAA, Paralympics Ireland or Cumann na mBunscol, is to open them up for our customers and work with our partners to ensure we can offer the best access and experiences to our customers.

“The GAA have always stepped up to the plate in that regard and been willing to work with us.”

The relationship was extended in 2020, Hedin adds: “We were thrilled to confirm a five-year extension of our partnership with the GAA as title sponsor of the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues.

“Encompassing the 2025 competition, the extension will bring our sponsorship of the Leagues up to 33 years, making us the longest committed supporter of the GAA. Something everyone at Allianz is extremely proud of.

“Last year we launched our GAA affinity scheme offering all GAA club members and supporters exclusive discounts on their Allianz home and motor insurance, with a donation going to their local club when they purchased or renewed their policy with us.

“We hope to build on this offer this year and beyond, allowing us to give back in a significant way to clubs at grassroots level.

“Engaging our customers and building rewards and experiences for them throughout the upcoming seasons will also be central to what we want to do.

We are extremely excited about the possibilities once we reach the point where we can all safely return to grounds across the country and step back into the community which ultimately the GAA is.