Waterford close to Huawei jersey and stadium sponsorship deal

HOW ARE WE?: Waterford GAA are in advanced talks with multinational telecommunications company Huawei about a sponsorship agreement for their county jersey and the newly redeveloped Walsh Park. Pic credit: Bryan Keane, Inpho.

Waterford GAA are in advanced talks with multinational telecommunications company Huawei about a sponsorship agreement for their county jersey and the newly redeveloped Walsh Park.

There are high hopes a deal, which could be as long as five years, might be agreed in the coming days and possibly announced before their Allianz Hurling League Round 3 game against Cork on Sunday week.

It is believed Waterford officials have had several discussions with the Chinese tech firm about succeeding TQS Integrations as their main backer. The Lismore-based company had been sponsors since the start of the 2018 season having taken over from 3, who had been associated with the team going back to 2010.

Waterford’s agreement with TQS/Cognizant concluded at the end of last season and their hurlers and footballers have worn sponsorless jerseys in the first couple of rounds of their respective competitions.

Speaking at annual convention in December, county chairman Seán Michael O’Regan confirmed the executive were seeking new sponsors as well as the sale of naming rights to their Waterford city venue.

“We have to get a new tier one sponsor. I can’t say much at the moment but all I will say is I’d be very confident that in the very near future we will be adding to our list of sponsors.”

He added about the stadium: “It was always the intention to get Phase 1 done and turn Walsh Park into a revenue generating stadium. With that, comes additional signage and naming rights. Quite simply, we are looking at naming rights for Walsh Park.”

Phase one of the venue’s redevelopment was completed last year with the opening of the new uncovered 3,404 seated north stand and repairing of the roof on the main south stand.

In December, it was announced that the board had secured €3.3m in Government funds towards the second phase of the project having initially received €3.753m in state backing in 2020.

The board also hope to secure funding from the immigrant investor programme having made their application before it was closed 12 months ago.

Phase two of the works will focus on the Keane’s Road. Upon completion of the three phases, it is expected the final capacity will grow to between 14,000 and 16,000.

Due to the building, Waterford’s senior hurlers played home championship and one league game outside the county last year but Walsh Park will be the venue for their opening two Munster SHC fixtures against Cork and Tipperary on April 21 and May 4 respectively.

Huawei sponsored Dublin club Cuala for four seasons from 2019 to ’22 and in late ’19 agreed a three-year contract with the GAA to develop Croke Park into a “smart stadium”.

Cavan were the first county to combine shirt and stadium sponsor in 2003 when Kingspan secured the naming rights to Breffni Park having featured on the county jersey since 1995.

They are among four other counties who have such arrangements. Laois Hire are principal sponsors of Laois GAA and also have the naming rights to O’Moore Park in Portlaoise.

Glenisk are linked to Offaly and Tullamore’s O’Connor Park as Glennon Brothers are to Longford and Pearse Park.