Sport scores despite the recession

Sports nut and Thinkhouse Director David Coyle jotted a few words on sports and sponsorship for Marketing Magazine last month, here is a little snippet...

Brian O’Driscoll lifting the cup celebrating Ireland’s 6 Nations win against Wales marked the end of the recession in Ireland. Leinster’s recent win against Leicester to become Heineken Cup Champions surely marks the beginning of Celtic Tiger Part II? Well, ok, that’s a stretch – but rugby is going some way to give Irish sports fans a form of escapism they so desperately need when times are tough.

Remarkably, despite the economic climate, big brands are spending big money on rubbing shoulders with some of the best sporting teams and individuals in the world. Major visible deals like Leinster’s sponsorship of Bank of Ireland are supplemented with a number of additional off-the-pitch sponsorship deals that stack up to make sport the business to be in. It’s not just teams that are cashing in. Ireland’s rugby stars are individually benefiting from brands that want to be associated with winners. Brian O’Driscoll has deals with among others Gillette, Paul O’Connell with O2 while the younger generation of players such as Rob Kearney have deals with brands Nike, Audi and Glanbia Nutritionals.

Read the rest over here.