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GAA Fans and Sponsorship

8/10/2013

2 Comments

 
By John Considine
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In his book on the economics of the GAA, GAAconomics, Michael Moynihan devotes a chapter to sponsorship.  Central to this chapter is an interview with John Trainor of Onside Sponsorship.

Trainor outlines the way his company operates with potential clients and GAA partners.  He sees the role of Online Sponsorship as a conduit between a potential sponsor and the GAA entity.  Trainor also outlines how their business model is based on research.  One of the more interesting piece of data is the way fan support for counties can come from outside the county.  Trainor points out that 28% and 20% of the support for Cork hurling and football teams comes from outside the county.

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While the Cork teams draw fans from outside the county they are outshone by the Kilkenny hurlers.  Figure 1 presents the data for individual county team fans from GAAconomics.  It shows that Kilkenny hurlers have 339,000 fans despite the county only having a population of 95,419.  Players like Shefflin, Walsh and Delaney command national appeal.

Dublin footballers are the most popular GAA team and second only to Manchester United in the list provided by Trainor.

Trainor thinks the GAA is not getting close to what can be done commerically.  He sees plenty of room for growth in GAA commercial revenue.  The widespread appeal of the GAA is one of its greatest strengths.  Onside Sponsorship research shows that the GAA has a broad national footprint with 55% of the population interested in GAA to some degree.  There can also be a local element to the sponsorship.

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The sponsors of GAA counties show some interesting similarities.  The counties of Down, Leitrim, Sligo, Westmeath, Wicklow and London are sponsored by hotels.  The respective sponsors are Canal Court Hotel & Spa, Bush Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, The Annebrook House Hotel, Brennan Hotels.com, and Moran & Bewley's Hotel Group.  Two of the Ulster counties are sponsored by Concrete Companies.  Creagh Concrete sponsor Antrim while Tracey Concrete sponsor Fermanagh.  Neighbouring Leinster counties, Kildare and Offaly, are sponsored by Brady's Family Ham and Carroll's Quality Irish Hame, respectively.  The market leaders in hurling titles (Kilkenny) and football titles (Kerry) are sponsored by Avonmore and Kerry Group.

In the 2013 gaelic football championship Meath played Tyrone.  The Tyrone jersey carried the Hunky Dory sponsorship while the Meath jersey carried a logo for Tayto Park.  In the battle of the crisps, the Hunky Dory players came out on top.

2 Comments
ciaran mckinley
25/11/2013 11:32:19 am

I look forward to getting a.look at this book. How well does it consider potential risks to the gaa associated with increased commercialisation?

Reply
John
27/11/2013 03:52:18 am

Ciaran,

While the book is more about how the GAA "is" rather than how it "will be", Michael does consider some of the issues the GAA could face. Probably the best example is his Kerry Packer scenario. In a discussion with Donal Og Cusack they wonder what would happen if someone with deep pockets decided to fund a team.

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