FOLLOWING EIGHT YEARS as the title sponsor of the All-Ireland U21 Hurling Championship, Bord Gáis Energy were today announced as a new sponsor of the senior version.
The company joins Centra and Littlewoods — who came on board before Christmas — as the GAA’s featured hurling sponsors.
Etihad Airways and Liberty Insurance will not be involved in 2017, with the pair ending nine and five-year deals with Croke Park respectively.
Bord Gáis Energy are already involved in a number of other sponsorship deals including the naming rights to the former Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin and the Irish Book Awards.
Last year, BGE announced they would continue their sponsorship of the U21 hurling championship until the end of the 2020 season, the same year their new deal with the senior championship runs out.
Speaking at today’s announcement, Dave Kirwan of Bord Gáis Energy said:
“This is a very proud day for everyone at Bord Gáis Energy and I would like to express my sincere thanks to all at the GAA and on the Bord Gáis Energy team who made today’s announcement possible. It really is a landmark day for our company.
“This work will go hand in hand with our sponsorship of the U21 Championship and the Legends Tour series and we’re very excited about having that link to hurling at all stages in the life-cycle of players.”
While the president of the GAA, Aogán Ó Fearghaill added:
“Bord Gáis Energy have been a loyal and committed sponsor to the GAA for many years and we now welcome them on board as a sponsor of our showpiece hurling competition, the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship.
““We’ve seen the transformative effect Bord Gáis Energy has had as sponsor of the U21 Championship.
“From attendances at games to live television coverage, from all they do on match-day to add to the supporters’ experience to the introduction of the Team of the Year, we have seen fresh ideas, innovation and dedication and we’re excited about now seeing how that will transfer to the senior grade.”
