Permanent TSB, the retail banking arm of Irish Life & Permanent, decided not to renew its 10-year association with the Irish Rugby Football Union. Its current four-year deal, believed to cost more than €1m a year, runs out at the end of this season’s Six Nations tournament.
A three to five-year deal is expected to be inked by the IRFU and O2. The sponsorship will cover the prestigious Six Nations championship and Ireland’s series of autumn internationals.
The company’s logo will also feature on team shirts at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, although organisers of that event make it hard for team sponsors to leverage their association with countries to avoid conflicts with official tournament sponsors.
Ireland’s Six Nations games regularly attract more than 600,000 viewers and are among the most watched television programmes each year.
O2 has a long-standing association with rugby, both in Ireland and elsewhere. It is already the official mobile telecoms supplier to the IRFU and sponsors Shannon rugby club, the reigning All Ireland League champions.
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The company has been the “elite” sponsor of England’s rugby team since 1995, renewing its deal in August 2004.
O2 also last week signed up as an official sponsor of the Ryder Cup at the K-Club in September. It also backs Cork’s All-Ireland winning hurling team and the county’s Gaelic footballers.