Ireland

The Irish sponsorship market should brace itself for a 6-per-cent contraction in 2010, according to consultancy Onside Sponsorship.

The British economy has been boosted by £405 million thanks to the emergence of Andy Murray as a potential Grand Slam winner, according to research.

Ireland-based bookmaker Paddy Power lost $2.1 million (£1.3 million) on Sunday due to Tiger Woods’ shock loss in the final round of the PGA Championship.

Carling has signed a three-year deal with the Irish Football Association (IFA) for the title sponsorship of Irish football’s top-tier Premiership.

Irish public-service broadcaster, RTÉ, agreed a three-year deal with the Association of Irish Racecourses for the rights to show live Irish horse racing until 2011.

Platinum One signed up the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) in a partnership that will see the agency identify and secure new sponsorships on behalf of the GPA.

Mobile phone company 3 are set to announce a three-year deal to sponsor the Irish Open, according to the BBC.

Shareholders in Irish pay-television broadcaster, Setanta Sports, have poured an additional €5.5 million into the company, according to The Post.

Irish pay-television broadcaster, Setanta Sports, has acquired the rights for the World Series of Golf event.

The Gaelic Athletics Association (GAA) and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB) are partnering on Cúl Green (Green Goal) which sets ambitious environmental targets for iconic Irish stadium Croke Park.

Sports retailer, JJB Sports, has agreed a one-year deal with the Irish Football Association (IFA) to sponsor the new 12-team IFA Premiership, which starts on Saturday.

Irish telecommunications group, Eircom, will end their sponsorship of the Irish domestic football league at the end of the current season, according to RTÉ Sport.

Irish commercial television broadcaster TV3 and pay-television sports broadcaster Setanta Sports acquired the exclusive media rights in Ireland for the Uefa Cup in three-year deals with TEAM Marketing AG, covering the seasons 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Irish pay-television broadcaster, Setanta Sports, has extended its deal with the Scottish Premier League for the rights to show live SPL matches for a further four years, from 2010-11 to 2013-14.

TV coverage of Champions League football in Ireland will be split between commercial broadcaster TV3 and public-service broadcaster RTÉ during the seasons 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Cricket Ireland agreed a deal with RSA to sponsor for the country's national teams.

Rally Ireland attracted the biggest television audience for a World Rally Championship event in 2007, with 62 million viewers in over 180 countries.

Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) president, Nicky Brennan, has said that it is the role of the Irish government and other agencies – not the GAA – to take responsibility for the issue of alcohol-related sports sponsorships.