Could Wexford’s idea for funding work in Waterford and in other codes?

Last year, the GAA passed a motion whereby the names of two sponsors could appear on GAA jerseys. The main Sponsors name would appear where it currently lies, while the name of a secondary sponsor would appear on the back of the shirt, in an area possibly over the number shirt that the player is wearing.

I must admit, I have not attended many games yet this year, therefore I have not noticed if many counties have taken up the idea of a second sponsors name appearing on a shirt and as a result, bringing in much needed funds for what are in most cases cash strapped County Boards.

The Wexford County Board recently announced a sponsorship plan for Businesses whereby they could sponsor an individual player on the County Senior Hurling panel and in return have the name of the company on that player’s shirt.

With thirty members in the Senior Hurling panel and with sponsorship set at €1,000 per player, simple maths show that this will bring in €30,000 for the county board. If the County Board were to extend the idea to the County Senior Footballers, then what could be brought in could be nearly doubled.

For the €1,000 sponsors would get membership to Club Wexford, a signed photograph for the sponsor with their Companies name clearly indicated on the player’s shirt, they would have access to that player for two promotions in the year and a pass allowing free access to all adult and county games in Wexford for the year.

It was further decided that player allocation would be by an open draw. The thirty sponsors name would go into one bowl, the thirty players names would go into another bowl.

This put be thinking. Could the same work here in Waterford? I am sure it could. Could it be done maybe for our Intermediate Ladies Football and Camogie teams? I know that each team had a sponsor, but I am sure they could do with some extra revenue as money in both games is tight and players often make sacrifices in order to save their respective county boards money.

Both the ladies intermediate panels at a guess would have about 30 members. If individual membership of a player was set for €150 it would bring in the respective county boards in the region of €4,500. In the men’s game such a figure would appear to be a small amount of money, but in the ladies game, it would be seen as a substantial amount of money.

Similar terms to what is on offer in Wexford could be agreed.

Players would be asked to help out with any promotion or advertising that their sponsor are doing.

If Waterford were to reach an All-Ireland Final (Ladies football or Camogie as the case may be), maybe it could be arranged that the sponsor would get two tickets to the game.

Again a draw could take place to see what company gets what player.

Maybe it could be arranged before a draw that in Camogie a sponsor from Lismore would get a Lismore player, a sponsor from the Butlerstown/Tramore area would get a Butlerstown player, or a sponsor from the Dunhill area could get a Saint Anne’s player.

The same would apply in Ladies Football. A sponsor in Ballymacarbry would get a Ballymacarbry player, a sponsor from Abbeyside would get an Abbeyside player etc. with any with other sponsors and players drawn for in both codes.

The respective County Boards could also arrange for its County Final to have a hand out/Programme done up for patrons attending the games in which a list would be included of the county panel with the name of sponsors name along side them.

It could also be arranged maybe for any victory banquet that the county board maybe organising that the sponsors if interested would either get complementary tickets to, or tickets at a reduced rate to which others attending would pay.