THE 2021 ALL-IRELAND camogie championships will have no title sponsor to replace Liberty Insurance, who ended their eight-year association with the competition earlier this year.
Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland championships — which begin this weekend — the Camogie Association President Hilda Breslin said they are looking to secure a new sponsor of “three to five years”.
She also insisted that the absence of a title sponsor this year will not have an adverse financial impact on the Camogie Association.
“Liberty [Insurance] signified last year that that was going to be their last year,” she explained to the media over a video call.
“It was really a change in focus for Liberty themselves and a change in their business model.
“Sponsorship takes about a year to 18 months to put in place. I suppose last year being a Covid year, we weren’t probably in the best place for a commercial sponsorship. We are ongoing looking at that, but the Camogie Association has taken a view that we’ve had very successful sponsorships in the past between Littlewoods and Liberty Insurance.
“We’re looking at a sponsorship of three to five years. And we’re looking to tie that up at the best time for camogie. So, bearing in mind that this is a Covid year and we were aware of that, what we will be doing is ensuring that the sponsorship that we do sign lasts us long in to the future.
“So, rather than find a short deal, what we’re looking to do is put a partnership in place similar to what we’ve had before where we’re moving on women’s sport. That’s a five-year partnership. So, we’re not rushing to do anything that’s going to tie our hands because the future of the game is far more important than one season. So, we’re looking at a partnership of three to five years to move the game on.
“That’s the goal. It’s not necessarily monetary value, it’s the value that we can progress the game and women’s sport.”
A Government grant of €15 million was issued to the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association last year to assist in the running of their respective championships during the Covid-19 pandemic.
All three associations were forced to stage their games behind closed doors which in turn impacted the revenue they would normally receive from gate receipts.
Breslin says that this injection of funding support will enable them to survive the 2021 season until they can arrange a new title sponsor on a more permanent basis.
“We were exceptionally lucky I suppose, in fairness, and very grateful to the Government last year that they supported us so strongly, and all sports. That, combined with reserves that we have prudently built up over a couple of years, will see us through any period of time.
“That’s the main thing. It won’t impact on our game, and it won’t significantly on our bottom line. But, in order to get the deal that is best for camogie, we’re in a particularly good place this year that we can do that.”
Littlewoods Ireland currently sponsors the camogie National Leagues. When asked if the association considered expanding that sponsorship across their championship competitions for 2021, Breslin replied:
“We’ve looked at many different options I suppose. We’ve looked at long and short-term options. We may be announcing something in the future but at the moment, we won’t be having a title sponsor for the championship.
“We are obviously very supported by Littlewoods and they’ve been very good to us in our National League. They also sponsor the GAA championship, so to be very fair to Littlewoods, they’ve invested heavily this year in camogie and over the last couple of years.
“Their resources are allocated probably early on in a year, so we have looked at all out eventualities but in terms of an ongoing relationship with Littlewoods, the National League is there and will continue as it always does.”
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