Airtricity League

[Mark]

[UNATTRIBUTED ARTICLE (http://foot.ie/content/126-Foot-ie-Rules)]

[Ash]

Another set of sleeve patches to be ironed on so ...

[Grasshopper 99]

Were going to have little cute wind turbines on each flood light pole in the League now, could save the clubs money on electricty bills

[Mark]

Any title sponsor is better than none at all. The amount isn't disclosed in that press release but I'd say is big considering the size of the company

[Grasshopper 99]

Any title sponsor is better than none at all. The amount isn't disclosed in that press release but I'd say is big considering the size of the company

yeah that is true, will they release the figures i wonder though, or will we find out at the end of the season when all the prize money is added up?

[Mark]

It will probably leak out at some stage soon! These things always do. I don't think that Airtricity have any big deals (if any at all) with other sports so from that point of view its a good deal for the FAI to secure.

[Dodge]

WOnder will the clubs be offered a deal on electrical bills to switch? Electricity is a huge cost in the LOI

[Macy]

yeah that is true, will they release the figures i wonder though, or will we find out at the end of the season when all the prize money is added up?
It'll probably not impact on prize money or financially for the league, just more cash to the general FAI coffers.

[Danny]

Pats already have a deal in place with bord gais for electricity. hope this doesnt affect that..... remember the pete briquettes afair....

[Mark]

I agree with Dodge there. There should be some deal for clubs out of this. Though I also remember the peat briquette thing very well! The Smart Telecom deal was in place when the league was the Eircom League - was there any conflict over that?

[Dunny]

http://www.fai.ie/images/stories/Sportsfile_Photos/384645.jpg

[Jicked]

Aitricity League? ffs. Absolutely awful, the Airticity League of Ireland would be slightly less embarassing. Yet again the FAI bite the hand off anyone waving around a fiver and continue to let the general impression of the League go to the dogs. Somethings are worth more than an initial lump sum, giving an impression of professionalism and not making the league look like an amateur competition is one of them if anyone was willing to take a long term look approach.

I see they didn't even bother to register airticityleague.ie yet.

[Dodge]

The Smart Telecom deal was in place when the league was the Eircom League - was there any conflict over that?

yeah, the club ahd to argue that the league was sponssored by a telephone company and Smart were a broadband providor (or something like that)

[Dodge]

Pats already have a deal in place with bord gais for electricity. hope this doesnt affect that..... remember the pete briquettes afair....

I think that has run out

[seand]

I don't have a problem with a title sponsor but surely it has to be Airtricity League of Ireland, let's try and build the League of Ireland brand, crap and all as it is.

[marinobohs]

WOnder will the clubs be offered a deal on electrical bills to switch? Electricity is a huge cost in the LOI
Good call and possibly a chance for the clubs to get a collective deal on one of the major outlays ? Surely potential for a group deal with the company now sponsoring the League.

[Dodge]

Agree with that seand 100%

[Soccer Mom]

... will be renewed for a further year, subject to continued FAI management.

I wonder whose finger prints are on this?

[marinobohs]

I don't have a problem with a title sponsor but surely it has to be Airtricity League of Ireland, let's try and build the League of Ireland brand, crap and all as it is.


100% agreed. I believe the most unique selling point our league has is the Irishness. Would love to see that reflected in the title.

[osarusan]

I don't have a problem with a title sponsor but surely it has to be Airtricity League of Ireland, let's try and build the League of Ireland brand, crap and all as it is.
Absolutely.

Whatever sponsor's name there is should be followed by "league of Ireland".

[Mark]

I wonder whose finger prints are on this?

I don't know but Pat Kenny and Des Cahill have just discussed this on the radio.

[Magicme]

Brilliant news. Had heard that something was in the pipeline and knew it was big but this is incredible.

[Buile Shuibhne]

The partnership deal, which was signed today at the D4 Berkeley Hotel in Ballsbridge for an undisclosed sum, will see the competition renamed the Airtricity League for the next three years. The agreement will cover the remaining two years of the FAI's management of the League and will be renewed for a further year, subject to continued FAI management


2 Questions

Is the amount too embarrassingly small to publicise?

Are the FAI considering opting out of involvement with the League of Ireland in 2 years time when the current agreement ends. And if so why are they taking the sponsorship with them?

[sixesandsevens]

Great news to have a major sponsor on board alright. Think we'll all get used to it being just called the Airtricity League instead of the Airtricity League of Ireland.
Maybe it was an attempt by the FAI to approach the Irish EPL fan in a different way. I know when I mention the words 'League of Ireland' to most of my Premier League supporting friends they become instantly negative towards the product, dropping the 'of Ireland' part is worth a shot, even if it does turn out to be unsuccessful.

[Schumi]

Are the FAI considering opting out of involvement with the League of Ireland in 2 years time when the current agreement ends. And if so why are they taking the sponsorship with them?

Do the clubs have the option of breaking away again after the agreement ends?

[SeanDrog]

wording would seem to indicate that but I doubt they would. Personally I hope not, I know people have been frustrated with the FAI but IMO they are getting there. Feeling very positive about the league at the moment, I am sure there will be more pain and bad news but the end rsult will hopefully be a league operating within its means and a level playing pitch - this canonly be a good thing.

I am just throwing this in there but maybe in the future part of licencing might require clubs to have a min. % of the club ownership in a supporters co-op type grouping.

[dahamsta]

I didn't like calling it the Eircom League and I won't be calling it the Airtricity League. The forum name won't be changing.

[pineapple stu]

I am just throwing this in there but maybe in the future part of licencing might require clubs to have a min. % of the club ownership in a supporters co-op type grouping.

I think Bohs have shown that doesn't necessarily help. Other clubs (like Stockport, for example) have shown it's not a perfect structure either.

I think BS might have a point about the "undisclosed" sponsorship, but feck it - money for nothing really.

[sixesandsevens]

wording would seem to indicate that but I doubt they would. Personally I hope not, I know people have been frustrated with the FAI but IMO they are getting there. Feeling very positive about the league at the moment, I am sure there will be more pain and bad news but the end rsult will hopefully be a league operating within its means and a level playing pitch - this canonly be a good thing.

I'd agree with that completely. Its essential that the FAI stay involved and despite the negatives surrounding a lot of clubs the association are making good headway with league standards. It would be a real disaster for the league if the FAI were to pull out in two years time.

[Dotsy]

Not really bothered what it's called. The important thing is getting the sponsorship. I can't imagine many were lining up to provide it given the profile of the league at the moment and the recession. Also not sure how valuable the Ireland brand is when trying to attract further money and supporters into the game. It doesn't appear to have much of an impact historically.

The important thing going forward is to get the structure of the league correct and have clubs operating in a sustianable way. That and improvements in the grounds and match day experience will be what attracts new fans and not what the name of the league is.

[Brusher]

I'm delighted with this news, as it's a hopefully an expanding company who would have wanted their name "Out There" in the public arena so to choose our League of Ireland has to be positive. After all they could have gone running to Croke Park with their cash ! Although it'll always be the League of Ireland to me a fan of over 30 years !!

[Sam_Heggy]

I didn't like calling it the Eircom League and I won't be calling it the Airtricity League. The forum name won't be changing.

Spot on too.
People are still calling it the Eircom League, including some managers recently.

On the other hand, it's all very positive to get a new sponsor onboard, let's hope now we all get free electricity with our season ticket purchase.

[dahamsta]

Is the amount too embarrassingly small to publicise?Whiel they - and we - can't complain about getting any sponsor on board with the economy as it is, I'd say yes, it's probably embarassingly small.

[prodsc]

I see they didn't even bother to register airticityleague.ie yet.

When I try to log on to LOI site I get redirected to:

http://www.airtricityleague.com/index.php

but have problems loading the page because the server can't be found!!

[OneForTheFuture]

Whiel they - and we - can't complain about getting any sponsor on board with the economy as it is, I'd say yes, it's probably embarassingly small.

Ah come on now....sure it will go towards another few seats in the new Landsdown stadium ;)

[passerrby]

in line with all electricty companies billing system the prize money will be estimated

[OneForTheFuture]

in line with all electricty companies billing system the prize money will be estimated

*Thanks*

[pineapple stu]

Hate to see what Bohs will estimate in their budget.

[Macy]

Maybe it was an attempt by the FAI to approach the Irish EPL fan in a different way. I know when I mention the words 'League of Ireland' to most of my Premier League supporting friends they become instantly negative towards the product, dropping the 'of Ireland' part is worth a shot, even if it does turn out to be unsuccessful.
I don't get your logic, it's not that long ago it was the "eircom league" and they still came up with the same bull excuses.

Very disappointing the FAI didn't bother getting it the "Airtricity League of Ireland".

And btw, did people miss the fecking around with Licences, when they came to the conclusion that the FAI are doing such a good job and it's so imperative that they stay involved?

[A N Mouse]

When I try to log on to LOI site I get redirected to:

http://www.airtricityleague.com/index.php

but have problems loading the page because the server can't be found!!

It's redirecting to fai.ie now - which, i haven't been there in a while - seems to have been redone in a loi.ie stylee

edit: from fai.ie there's airtricity league under grass root points to loi.ie, but redirtects to airtricityleague.ie, which is mostly same as before - except for the branding - scomplete with last season's fixtures

[Schumi]

When I try to log on to LOI site I get redirected to:

http://www.airtricityleague.com/index.php

but have problems loading the page because the server can't be found!!

It's working for me now anyway.

[dahamsta]

It's the Oirish way: we have our own top level domain (http://www.iedr.ie/), but sure shtick onto a dot-com, it'll be grand. :rolleyes:


When I try to log on to LOI site I get redirected to:

http://www.airtricityleague.com/index.php

but have problems loading the page because the server can't be found!!

[SeanDrog]

Looks a pretty decent site - maybe in time they create a better domain name

[OneForTheFuture]

Looks a pretty decent site - maybe in time they create a better domain name

Is it not just the LoI site rebranded?

[Scrufil]

Its a terrible name to start with. Secondly they are off to a bad start showing Cork City in the premier, Kildare County still there, no Salthill Devon etc!

[Soccer Mom]

Is the amount too embarrassingly small to publicise?

I must be missing something here. I thought that the whole idea of sponsorship was 1) the financial value to the Sponsoree 2) the PR value to the Sponsor. A major announcement without stating the amount seems pointless. We know what Airtricity is getting out of it but not what the League of Ireland is getting. Strange - to say the least.


Are the FAI considering opting out of involvement with the League of Ireland in 2 years time when the current agreement ends. And if so why are they taking the sponsorship with them?

My take on that is that it is a bit (and the bit depends upon the financial value of the sponsorship) of a threat / inducement to the clubs not to try to break away from the FAI in two year's time.

[Boo_Boy]

airtricityleague.com is the exact same site as loi.ie was. Just the banner at the top has been changed from League of Ireland to Airtricity League.

[Dodge]

I must be missing something here. I thought that the whole idea of sponsorship was 1) the financial value to the Sponsoree 2) the PR value to the Sponsor. A major announcement without stating the amount seems pointless. We know what Airtricity is getting out of it but not what the League of Ireland is getting. Strange - to say the least.

Maybe its strategically important to the league not to announce it (and its by now means the only sponsorship deal not to announce figures - usually as they're low)


My take on that is that it is a bit (and the bit depends upon the financial value of the sponsorship) of a threat / inducement to the clubs not to try to break away from the FAI in two year's time.
Wow, you've learned a lot in the last week seeing as you claimed to have no interest in the league?

[Fester]

Is it not just the LoI site rebranded?

Looks like it to me!

[mr.untitled]

christ lads, almost 3 pages of mostly moaning, dont like the name, why is it not .ie, amount must be embarrassingly small, Its a veiled threat from the FAI.... jaysus. Fact is, a league that is in awful shape has managed to get sponsorship in an economy that is in awful shape. that is a monumental achievement. A 'glass half full' approach is badly needed.