FAI-Umbro deal ‘largest in Irish sport’
The deal, heralded as “the largest in Irish sport” by the FAI, is worth a minimum of €16 million and runs until 2014.
Bonus payments based on the senior international team’s success in European Championships and World Cups could see the figure rise to a maximum of €21m.
But it is the grassroots of the game which will benefit in particular from Umbro’s sponsorship of 16 national competitions at junior, schools and colleges/universities levels.
The deal also includes the provision of just under €5m worth of kit for all international teams and FAI development officers.
The new sponsorship agreement represents an increase of €5m on the previous Umbro deal and was warmly welcomed yesterday by FAI chief executive John Delaney.
“The unique aspect of the Umbro agreement is the ability it gives us to provide long-term sponsorship for the grass roots of the game,” he said. “We’ve been exploring ways of creating a new overall sponsor for the non-senior parts of the game in Ireland and in Umbro we have found a true friend of football who is investing heavily across the board.”
Meanwhile, the FAI boss declined to comment in detail on the latest eircom League crisis ahead of today’s meeting of the league’s board of control, at which the decision to order the replay of the contentious Bohemians-Shelbourne game will be discussed.
Derry City, Shelbourne and Bohemians are all watching the situation closely amid speculation that the issue will have to go to arbitration.
However, Mr Delaney did say that he hoped such problems would “subside” when the FAI take over the running of the National League next year.
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