FAI strike deal with eircom

THE FAI will today announce an enhanced sponsorship deal with eircom that will be worth almost €3m extra to the Association over the next five years.

Eircom are in the middle of a 10-year deal with the FAI and the partnership's success caused both sides to strengthen their ties.

Unfortunately for the FAI, the main element of the original contract was the naming rights to the proposed stadium at Citywest, which was going to be called Eircom Park.

Eircom had agreed an €11m deal for 10-year naming rights to the stadium but that element of the contract had to be scrapped when the FAI opted instead to back Government plans for a National Stadium at Abbotstown.

The original contract also included a €1m subvention for the National League and €5m for international team shirt rights.

Today's enhanced contract for the remaining five years will see the Association receive almost €1.5m per year from eircom.