Sport for Business
Sport for Business
Aviva Extends Its Stay
Let us know what’s on your mind
The headline reads like a simple renewal, but the story goes much deeper: Aviva is staying on Ireland’s biggest stage, and we unpack why that matters for fans, partners, and the future of Irish sport. We sit down inside the stadium with the FAI’s Head of Commercial, Sean Kavanagh, and Aviva’s Head of Sponsorship, External Communications and Sustainability, Brian O’Neill, to explore how a naming rights deal became cultural shorthand for big nights in Dublin 4—and how the partnership now stretches from elite fixtures to the kids lacing up their boots.
Sean pulls back the curtain on the FAI’s priorities: making every match feel bigger, smarter, and more welcoming. From dynamic LEDs and smarter in-bowl moments to fan surveys that shape pre-game and halftime, the focus is on engagement that families, new supporters, and die-hards can feel. We get into EURO 2028 and the “Dublin Arena” rules, how category exclusivity keeps partners aligned, and why the League of Ireland is riding genuine momentum—sell-outs, LOITV records, and clubs at the heart of their communities. The women’s game features strongly too, with targeted growth plans and fresh approaches to matchday that meet a different demographic where it is.
Brian charts the evolution from pure brand awareness to measurable value. He explains how social content, competitions, and broadcast reach tie directly to retention and acquisition across general, life, and health insurance. We talk third-party valuations, UK audience spikes for marquee games, and why heritage assets—Aviva’s yellow, the stadium itself—matter for recognition. The sustainability thread runs throughout: recycled materials, water systems, biodiversity around the ground, and programmes like In Her Boots that support girls through the teenage drop-off years. COVID stress-tested the partnership; delivery by the FAI and IRFU, and mutual trust, set the stage for a fresh five-year commitment.
If you care about sport business, fan experience, and how partnerships can drive real community impact, this conversation is a masterclass. Follow the show, share it with a friend who loves Irish sport, and leave a quick review to tell us what you’d like us to explore next.
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Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Podcast. I'm your host, Rob Hartness, and today we are diving into a very topical news story. The news that Aviva has decided to renew its sponsorship of the stadium that bears its name in the heart of Dublin 4, as well as its relationships with the Irish Rugby Football Union and the Football Association of Ireland. It's one of the biggest sponsorships in Irish sport. And we are delighted today to be talking to two of the principals behind this big breaking news.
SPEAKER_00:I guess there's an affinity for our brand that we have to do sponsorship. And that notwithstanding the people are good by particularly generators, we know that customers who engage with the sponsorship are more likely either to stay with it or to do business with it.
SPEAKER_02:Those are the words of Brian O'Neill, the head of sponsorship, external communications and sustainability at Aviva. But before we chat to Brian, we were joined in the stadium by Sean Kavanagh, the head of commercial at the Football Association of Ireland, who are just off the back of a successful domestic league season, just ahead of welcoming a packed Aviva Stadium for the visit of Portugal this week, and who is perfectly happy and willing to speak about this important renewal. So we're sitting here in the dressing rooms in the Aviva Stadium, switching between rugby and football at breakneck pace over this week. But we're talking longer term because it's been announced that Aviva are going to continue as sponsors of the stadium for another five years. How important is that from a football point of view, Sean?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, extremely important, Rob. Aviva plays a pivotal role in what we try and do here at the stadium. They've been with us from the very get-go, and to commit to another five years across football and rugby is really important, particularly from our perspective. As you say, we're sitting here in the changing rooms after the Sports Rec Cup final. And to have it here at the Aviva with again over 35,000 supporters and fans of both clubs coming in is amazing. And we have a quick turnaround. We go again on Thursday night against Ronaldo and friends, which will be obviously a tall order, but something that we'll embrace and really take on. And you know, to have a packed out Aviva Stadium has been amazing. And we know, you know, in terms of the atmosphere atmosphere that's generated here in the stadium, it's second to none. So really excited and very grateful for Aviva support, both here at the stadium but across our men's and women's international teams, and then also in grassroots with the Aviva in our boots program is really important in terms of trying to get more girls playing the game and particularly staying in the game when they come to those teenage years. So Aviva play a pivotal role in Irish football.
SPEAKER_02:Certainly one of the biggest sponsors in Irish sport, and this has been a key part, but I'm old enough, unfortunately, to remember back to when the stadium was being built and when the announcement came out that it was going to be called the Aviva Stadium. And there were a lot of people who perhaps were closer to my age than I am now then, and they were saying, Oh, that's rubbish. Sure, it'll always be Lansdown Road. It'll be Lansdown Road forever. And sure nobody will or could be even considering calling it by a sponsor's name the Aviva Stadium. And yet you just referenced in the conversation, as we all do all the time. It's it's not even the Aviva Stadium anymore, it's the Aviva.
SPEAKER_01:Absolutely. And I'm similar vintage to yourself, Rob. So so I remember Lansdown Road well. Um but I think you know Aviva have done a great job in terms of getting that name across, and it it is now known as the Aviva, and I think pretty much everybody has embraced that. Um and they're actually quite proud of it as well. You know, it is the spiritual home of football and rugby, um, and we're delighted that it's working really well for Aviva so that they can commit to a further five years. So it seems to be working for all parties.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, from a uh a kind of a technical behind-the-scenes perspective, what is it that the FAI, as as you can answer for, but also the IRFU, what's the relationship like with a naming right sponsor who comes into a stadium? They have you know, they're an insurance company. Online is driving their business at the moment, so they are very acutely aware of metrics. We're obviously doing something right in sport that those metrics are indicating to them, yep, you go again. So the last renewal was for five years after the initial ten-year period of time. But that's that's a big investment and it's a long-term investment, and it's not being made just on the back of an envelope.
SPEAKER_01:No, a a lot of work goes into it from all sides. Um, and we did do between us a lot of um consultancy, we got a lot of insights in terms of you know, we we need to make sure that this is a good investment for Aviva as a brand and make sure it resonates with their consumers. And I think that's the most important point. Everyone's living very busy lives and sport and entertainment, it's really escapism. Um and to come to the Aviva Stadium, whether it's football, whether it's rugby, whether it's American football, whether it's concerts, um it's a great way for people to enjoy their life. And we see that, you know, we've a full house here on Thursday against Portugal. As I mentioned, we had over 35,000 here yesterday at the cup final. Um, we've had the women's national team here on five occasions. I think it's about 130,000 uh supporters went to those games. So it gives people a great release from the day-to-day grinds that we all go through. And those real magical moments like we had the other night with rovers obviously winning the double, or whether it was the women's team um obviously qualifying and into group A and getting an automatic place in a World Cup, that inspires the nation. You know, we we talk about the famous quote, but it genuinely does. And if we can have more boys and girls playing the sports, being involved in the sports, parents being involved, uh, we're seeing that also that we're getting record family ticket sales as an example. I know you bring your kids to a lot of sporting events, and it's a great way for parents to connect with their kids and vice versa as well. It's not easy to do that in a in a busy um um workplace. So to have that inspiration of the great athletes that we have across the different sports, and also to have that, whether it be family time or whether it be friendships, um it plays a pivotal role now in people's lives and they want to be at the best events. Um hence we're sold out on Thursday nights and you can't get a ticket for love and our money. So that obviously taps into you know people's emotions and that connection then with Aviva as a brand.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, and when it is, when it's done in a stadium and every image and every mental image does have the Aviva branding somewhere in the background, it it certainly works from a business point of view. The stadium itself has changed almost immeasurably from 2010 up un up until today. There were the investments in lighting, there's the LED boards, which were only a kind of a an a notion in somebody's mind back when the stadium was being originally built, but which now are very much a part of it. Is that matchday experience, that matchday programming of imagery and video and moving pictures on the LED boards as opposed to the fixed boards and that that would have been the case here in 2010? Is that all important as well when it comes to selling the idea of sponsorship for both the association and also for Reviva as the as the big big name?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we're very lucky. It's it's a modern stadium. Now it is in its teenage years, so we need to make sure that we keep it up as a best in class facility, and obviously had a stadium here of a brilliant team on the ground that that run it every every day. Um, but absolutely we need to embrace technology, we need to embrace fan engagement. We did a recent fan survey just to get some feedback from our last men's international game as well. We want to be constantly listening to the fans because as they come to the Aviva, you know, they expect more and they want more, and we want to make sure that we're able to deliver that. So whether that's singers of the national anthem or whether that's getting some fan activity going on board, and also the evolution of uh digital technology and and how you know we and our brands can talk to consumers as well, that plays a vital role in what we're trying to do on the match day. And especially now that we've got different types of audiences, because if you look at the Sports Rec Cup final versus we uh we obviously had an SSE game uh here earlier on in the year as well, which was which was a record-breaking, the first time we'd ever brought a league game to the Aviva Stadium. And then also, if you look at our international teams, the women's demographic is very different to the men's uh demographic. So you might have seen we had belters only as an example uh for a recent women's game against Belgium. So we're constantly trying new things. We won't always get them right, but we will constantly try them. Then we'll get the feedback in terms of what the fans and also our partners want to do as well. Sky, we're very active here with some fan engagement um again at the recent women's game and are going to do the same at the men's game. So we'll we'll test and learn. We'll also borrow with pride as well in terms of what other sports are doing. Um, we did see some of the activations that were going on at the AFL this year to think about right, how could we make that relevant for our fans? Um so constantly trying to make sure that we're adding value to our partners, both Aviva and across the portfolio partners, and also doing what's right for us as well as a brand.
SPEAKER_02:Okay, so we could see a little stage in the corner, maybe, with a live band playing at maybe there's a few less breaks in a in an international or an FAI Cup final match than there would be in the NFL. But you mentioned there about partners and coming into the Aviva Stadium, you're coming into an area which is heavily branded and which is owned by the sponsor because that's what you paid the big bucks for. How how comfortable is the relationship, which I guess it's grown up over a number of years now? But the FAI has got some great partners. You've got Sky, you've got Nissan, you've got DHL, you've got Sports Direct, you've got SSE Atricity, who were, as you say, here when Bose beat Shamrock Grovers earlier on in the uh in the season. But how comfortable is that to actually fit all of those partners to all get equal billing and the kind of coverage that is going to make it make sense for them?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, the first thing to say, I suppose, is they're all aware of Aviva and Aviva being the title partner of the stadium. So they're aware of that when they come into a partnership with ourselves. But we also have exclusive categories. So, you know, clearly with Aviva, we don't do anything else in terms of that insurance base. Then when it comes to making sure that they have their own kind of runway for want of a better term, um, that's working with them individually and again understanding what they want to get out of a partnership. For some, it might be about branding and making sure that they've got a really strong presence in terms of the LED. For others, it might be about activating and being seen to be on the ground, and they absolutely have opportunities to do that as well. And others might be engagement prior to the game. So as the build-up comes up, you know, obviously you'll see a lot of advertising in terms of out-of-home, and we see that Sky have obviously done an amazing job there as well. And then more recently, DiAsia with Carlsburg and Roxhore have obviously been very proactive. Carlsburg with International and Roxhore in terms of um League of Ireland. Um, so they they all have their own areas. We work with them very closely, and ultimately we want to understand what they want out of a partnership. And as I mentioned, some will be very much about branding, but then others will be about that connection to the community or connection to the fan, and then we build plans accordingly to make sure that they get what they need out of the partnership.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. We've got Euro 28 kind of looming on the horizon as well. I'm guessing that because of the different regulations around international stadium naming rights and everything like that, that it's going to revert to the Dublin Stadium as opposed to the Abiv just for those games. Was that part of the conversation about this where when the eyes of the world are going to be most focused on the stadium, that the brand won't actually have its name on board?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, well, firstly, Euro 2028 is drawing ever closer and it seems to be coming at pace and it's something we're really conscious of. And, you know, from it from an association perspective, we want to make sure that we have really great plans in terms of the build-up, obviously, when when the tournament arrives here, and then the legacy thereafter. And ultimately, we want more boys and girls playing the sport in a positive environment in great facilities. So that's really key to it. Um you're right, it will obviously be called the Dublin Arena. That will be the official title of the stadium. Aviva, we're 100% aware of that and very um very supportive of it as well, to be fair. They know when it comes to international tournaments that are run by UEFA, there will be a change, just like there is with all the other stadiums that we'll be hosting. But they also know that they'll get a knock-on benefit as well. And equally, we said it at the start, it's known as the Aviva. And, you know, from an Irish context and even from a UK and Ireland context, I still think the vast majority of people are going to be calling it the Aviva and potentially not the Dublin Arena. Um, so they know that they'll get that coverage. And then also it goes back to the conversation we've just had, how they then maximise their partnership because they're not just a stadium gaming partner, they are also a key partner for our men's and women's international teams. So again, they can activate around that and making sure that they're really promoting that partnership and really getting behind by both the boys and girls in green as well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, very much so. And great to actually have it for five years. So you don't need to worry now. It doesn't need to be a little shadow in the back of your mind that this needs to be renegotiated just at the end of that Euro 28 period. But you never know, it might even sneak into some newspaper columns that it's going to the Aviva Stadium, even in the case of Euro 28. Um yeah, congratulations on on getting this one over the line. You've mentioned Sports Direct, the FAI Cup concluding at the weekend with a, you know, with a final and a and a great win for Shamrock Rovers. It's been another year of really, really not even steady, but at times quite visceral growth within the League of Ireland. Um, you know, amongst the fans, amongst the clubs, the way the stadia are coming to the fore, the fact of playing a match in here was uh was great this year. Uh uh we're gonna miss it. We're gonna miss it then for the next couple of months. But already we're starting to talk, you know, clubs and fan groups are already talking about players here, players there, and things like that. How exciting has that been for both the association, for the clubs, for SSE attricity as the as the principal sponsors on that, that we have continually seen over the last three to four years it just getting more and more and more exciting?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it's been unbelievably exciting. And I think we both witnessed the league, you know, uh yesteryear when it maybe wasn't as uh popular as it is today. So, you know, and a lot of that is down to the clubs and the work that the clubs are putting in, and and they're really now being, you know, the vast majority are at the centre or very close to the centre of their communities and really building up that community spirit. Um and we have sold out stadiums uh across the country, which is really, really positive. Also, to be fair, I'll have to call out uh Mark and the League of Ireland team have done a phenomenal job as well, supported by other functions in the FAI as well. But there has been real synergy across the clubs and the League of Ireland team and and and the wider association as well. So that's been really positive. Um I think they'll welcome a break because obviously it's been such a busy season, so I'm I'm sure they'll appreciate. Um I won't say a few weeks off because that will do them a disservice because they're already into planning for next year, but just the the craziness of week in and week out, and that is one of the um massive positives about the SSE League that um it is week in, week out, and it's February through to November, and it has really built up the cult status. Um, and I mentioned earlier about the international teams and more families, we're seeing that as well. But in particular for youth males, um, it's something that we think is a real positive, where you know there's not a huge amount of outlays um for them to get involved in, and again, it's become a real passion play, and that really drives the atmosphere. Again, we saw it here yesterday at the at the cup final. Um, it's hard to know where the ceiling is with the league because you've got this huge momentum uh coming through. We've got government investments now from for for the academies on a on an annual basis, which is a really, really positive step forward as well as we the clubs and and um and ourselves look to help to grow the talent base here in Ireland, which is really important. And obviously, we see the under-17s doing really well at the World Cup, and long may that continue. Um, but from a league perspective, it keeps on gathering momentum, and we've seen as we've seen more broadcast coverage, higher numbers ever before. LOITV are gonna have record numbers as well. Uh, we've had great support from Virgin Media in the league. We've had brilliant support from RTE when it comes to the cups. Uh, Premier are obviously now running our LOIT platform. More people in grounds, you know, just mentioned it. We had over 35,000 people here. We're looking to do more big marquee events into the future as well across the league. So we're extremely lucky and extremely fortunate that we've got brilliant clubs uh within the league. We still have some work to do, women's in particular, you know, from both from a League of Ireland perspective and also from an international. We need to keep on building that support base and and making sure that we we overinvest in that area, which is really important. But yeah, the sky's the limit at the minute with with the league, and and we need to keep on pushing it. And and thankfully, also I mentioned it earlier, our partners have been amazing in that space. SSE have been with us for such a long time um and they've really helped us. And then new partners coming on board as well at the same time. So um so watch this space when it comes to the League of Ireland. It's it's very exciting.
SPEAKER_02:I'm already looking forward to February when we can be chatting again about the uh the prospects of the uh the forthcoming season for for 2026. That mention of partners, it is really important. I I was I I dropped by into the electric vehicle show in the RDS on Saturday afternoon, and their front and centre stage was a big FAI presence as part of Nissan's reach out to an event that attracted 25,000 people in through the doors. So catching people in an environment where they're unaware is great, and actually having that out there. So it's a another example of the way of working effectively with partners. Um look, it's been great talking to you. Um congratulations on getting the Aviva deal over the line. We'll give full credit to the IRFU and to the stadium partners, obviously, as well, for the part they played. But um congratulations on the season just done. The very best of luck for Portugal and Hungary over the coming days as well. And then the excitement starts all over again with the League of Ireland, with the Women's World Cup qualifying group as well, France and Netherlands. Maybe they'll be coming into the Aviva Stadium as well, who knows? And Poland as well, of course. We'll get a great uh uh away attendance for that. But for the time being, anyway, Sean Kavanaugh from the FAI. Thanks very much for your time. Thanks, Rob. Appreciate it. And I'm delighted now to be joined in the stadium again by Brian O'Neill, who is the head of sponsorship, external communications and sustainability at Aviva. I guess sustainability is an interesting word because this will now bring the Aviva sponsorship of the Aviva Stadium to 20 years.
SPEAKER_00:It will indeed. And in and in and in fairness, way before sustainability or climate was worried about, this stadium was built with recyclable uh concrete. The water to uh water the pitches is recycled. There are otter holes around the stadium, there are bats in the stadium, they've signed up to a net zero by 2050 commitment. So the stadium is aligned with what we're doing in the area of sustainability and climbs.
SPEAKER_02:And the evidence, yeah. That it was there 15 years ago when the original deal was signed was ahead of the curve.
SPEAKER_00:I was just I was just reminiscing about it. I wasn't here but in the company, but I I obviously studied the history of it. And I think most folk uh over the over a certain age would remember a famous insurance company called Hibernian, and maybe even Norridge Union. And that was the catalyst for doing this because Aviva was a new brand back in 2008, because it had merged uh commercial union, Norwich Union, Hibernian, and uh uh it decided uh at group level to come up with the one brand name, and this became the opportunity to uh promote Aviva as a brand. And if you look at where we are today, where everybody in the country knows the brand name Aviva, it's evidence of the success of the sponsorship. But it's be it to you know it's evolved, it's become about so much more, and we get so much more in different areas uh from it, including on the sustainability side, the diversity, equity, and inclusion side of things. You know, 15 odd years ago, where was Irish women's soccer, where was Irish women's rugby? They're both now major parts of the IRFU and FAI, and we're delighted to be um a supporter of both. And a lot of people think it's just our name on the stadium, but uh the partnership and the sponsorship comes uh with both you become a sponsor of Irish rugby, Irish Soccer, as well as uh sponsor of the grassroots programs and mini rugby for uh the IRFU. It used to be called Soccer Sisters, and that's now expanded greatly as part of uh to into In Her Boots, which is a new expanded program for for young girls, uh, and about giving them the supports uh to stay in the game because as has been highlighted in recent months, you know, there's a big drop-off in the mid-teenage years in girls in uh uh all sports, including uh sports like GA, rugby, soccer. So it's about trying to get their parents involved, coaches involved, to up that game so that they will stay in the sport and enjoy the sport.
SPEAKER_02:It is always really important, with particularly a longer-term sponsorship, that you are always looking at how it can change, how it can evolve, how it can be different. Let me let me come back to that. But just before we we kind of move on from the actual stadium naming rights, I'm I'm old enough, as I've just spoken about with with Sean to remember back in the day when Aviva was announced as the stadium sponsor and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth and conversations that it will never be called anything other than Lansdown Road, and nobody in their right minds will do this. And I can remember certain media outlets as well that said, no, we're not going to be calling it this because it is messing with tradition. You've already moved quite quickly within the space of these from it not only being the Aviva Stadium, but now it's colloquially known as the Aviva Stadium.
SPEAKER_00:Aviva. That's exactly that's true. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:Does that play into the sort of the softer side of what it takes for you to make a decision to say, we've done 10 years, we renewed, we put on another five years, and now in 2025, going into 26, we're going to put on another five years as well. You as a company would be very driven by measurement and metrics.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, and I I think um it's very interesting. If you take the first phase was about brand, brand awareness. Uh and then the last preceding years about is commercialising it more. And um you're probably aware that uh sponsorship valuation has come on in leaps and bounds. Um we have got it uh a significant agreement with the IRFU and FAI, which obviously stipulates every single benefit. And it's far more than just tickets. Um, it's everything from the LEDs and the stadium and the branding in the stadium, and and you'll see as a result of this new deal, we've upgraded that in the stadium. But also uh the advent of uh the much maligned social media, but digital gives you a huge opportunity to engage both with new customers and existing customers and use content, video footage. Uh, and that we can measure the impact of that on our brand, and it can all it also we can measure the impact it has on new business. We use research um uh metrics as well. We know that um uh I guess there's an affinity for our brand as a result of this sponsorship, and that notwithstanding that people are looking good for good value, particularly in general insurance, we we know that customers who engage with the sponsorship are more likely either to stay with us or to do business with this in the first place. So, you know, we use the opportunity to engage with them, send out, you know, we'll run competitions online, we'll send out content uh which may not appear elsewhere, whether it be an interview with the players or some action. And that's all, you know, this is the great thing about as we know anything online now is measurable, both in terms of you know the impact it has, but also who who is actually engaging with it. So the sponsorship has become much more sophisticated and measurable from that sense. So it's it's not just about people knowing the brand of Eva. It's do they know that we're a general insurance company? Do they know that we're also a life insurance company? And of course, now we've a new business, a joint venture business level health, uh, which is new uh incumbent at the health insurance market, and we've used the stadium as an opportunity to promote that and launching that new challenger brand in the Irish Health Insurance. Um in coming into the negotiations, there are now companies that we would work with who will help us with the valuation such that you know exactly what you're getting from it, and you're sitting down and you're working with that with the RFU and the FAI and the stadium on that valuation. So you're all, as it were, singing off the same hen sheet, you know what the valuation of it is. What's generating the most valuation or the most value? Things like TV rights are extremely important. And we'd cite the example, obviously. Um you know, when Ireland plays England here, uh and you will have a say a million plus TV audience in Ireland, that's very, very good. But you could have six, seven, eight million people in the United Kingdom and elsewhere watching the game. And we're we're a UK company, um, you know, so um our group supports this sponsorship and they see the value of the sponsorship. Uh and um obviously, as well as a match like Ireland versus Portugal on Thursday, there would be a significant uh audience for that again, and that that that generates significant value as well. So yeah. UK companies still with roots in Norwich of things from old, which is who then another connection to the if you look if you look at the uh logo, and uh we did some research a couple of years ago about what we call uh sacred brand assets. The three most recognizable assets were uh the yellow, um the Aviva Stadium, and then the steeple from the Marriage Union logo. That little pointy bit you might see it, oh it's gone, but you'll see it on our logo. So that's very, very recognizable. So that's sort of a a part of our ancestry. Um I mean we've been Aviva has been in Ireland since 1780. Yeah. I mean, that's you know that's a while. That is a hell of a while, you know. And you talk about sustainability 30 years on the sponsorship, but you're talking about in excess of you know 200 years in this market, and we're very much, you know, committed to the market. There's been uh lots of movement in financial services businesses coming in, coming out, but we are committed to the Irish market. And so for us, I mean, it uh you know for us having done that work, so it wasn't an intuitive decision, it was a decision formed by you know how we measured the impact of it. The other piece is that I've mentioned is the grassroots side, rather than just looking at it from a commercial perspective, it's about you know looking at it more from a sort of philanthropic perspective. What can we do to give something back? Uh both in terms of you know to communities and to grassroots. So, you know, that that that of itself does not generate huge publicity, but it's it's doing the right thing. And uh we light up the stadium every year. I think I said that too when I last met at Pride Colours. Um we would uh You know, we have I think we launched, I think we've done a number of our Pride launches in the stadium here. Um we're now secondary sponsors of the Irish women's national team on the soccer side. Um we're looking to do more in that area with the IRFU as well.
SPEAKER_02:Okay. So it is one of the most vivid images in my own image bank of the the lit up stadium for for June and for Pride as well. Does the does the the five years of the of the Aviva Stadium deal, does that roll through as well? So is that the same, the partnerships with the FAI and with the IRFU? They're all tied together in the same way.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so essentially um it's a three-way partnership insofar as the stadium is obviously owned by the IRFU and the FAI, and then it is managed by the stadium management company, which is a company they both own. So they're the three parties that we're effectively contracting with. Um and we have done since the the start of the agreement in 2010. Uh we obviously renewed in 2020 and we're going again for a further five years. And as we all, you know, as we know, the last five years uh was tumultuous. We had COVID, we had the stadium shut for a while, we when it reopened, it was playing too empty uh no spectators. So that was a test on the partnership because obviously you've got you know, uh sponsorship is an asset. If you know you've written a big check and if nothing is going on, so that that created challenges, notwithstanding that everybody was in a hold uh mode. Yeah, you know, but COVID went on for two years in its entirety, so and obviously uh it was that that many more challenges on in terms of mortality and other areas, but uh from a sponsor's perspective it was challenging, all right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:But isn't it a measure of the fact of the decisions that were taken then in this crucible of pressure that they were well enough thought through and well enough tested so that now, five years on, you're still able to come back and say, Yeah, these are people that I continue to want to do business with. Absolutely.
SPEAKER_00:And there is a respect between the parties. Um and um what what I like about the IRFU and the FAI, and um as we we we've done other sponsorships and we do do other sponsorships, they're they're you know, they're very professional in terms of their approach to their sponsorship. They know, you know, they they know what they're doing, you know, you know who you're dealing with, and you can have credibility that if you agree something, it will be delivered. Uh and we've looked at lots of different sponsors, uh sponsorships across different sports, culture, everything. And there are lots of there are lots of entities that want sponsorship and they're very they're they're very clear in what they want from you, but they're not very clear on how they can deliver it. Okay. And when I'm talking, particularly to smaller sponsors or people approaching me about sponsorship, and I'd say to them, is you know, when you ask somebody for sponsorship, it's help help them to help you, you know, because be be very clear how you can help them, because sometimes people will come in and say, We're a great organization, we do X, Y, and Z, but they don't they don't articulate how what they're looking for can assist, complement, add value to the entity that they're seeking for money. Because you're the guru of sponsorship, but you know that there's a difference when a kid calls to your door seeking uh 20 euros because he's doing a 10k rub, and it call it's called sponsorship, but that's not sponsorship because sponsorship is you give something and you get something in return of equal value.
SPEAKER_02:I'm delighted to hear you say that because it's my it's my first quarter call whenever anybody asks me to look at a sponsorship deck or a proposal. I mean, we work with we've we've got 40 odd sports national governing bodies as part of the membership, but I always ask them, I say, have you put yourself in the shoes of, in this case, Brian O'Neill, who is looking at this from a Viva's perspective? Because all of you are doing great work, and all of you have got great programs that can come to life through sponsorship. But what can you do for the person you want to sponsor you? Very, very important. Um just looking out at out at the at the stadium as we sit here now. Uh we've moved up into the uh into the IRFU suite and the stadium is dark. But one of the changes, the developments, the evolutions in the stadium has been the lighting, the LED screens. You've mentioned that part of this deal is the continual upgrading of that. From a a commercial point of view and from a the visual perspective of a commercial point of view, it must be very, very encouraging to see what the stadium looks like in a game day experience now and how it can present the Aviva brand and the level health branding and all of the rest of it in a way that would otherwise have required the manufacture of boards and the tacking of them on to different areas of the stadium.
SPEAKER_00:And and that's I mean, the LEDs are tremendous because they do work, they do they they're dynamic and they do grab the eye. Um and you know, you'll have an ad at half time up on the board, the screen there. You have you'll have a whole host of different uh benefits um in terms of branding, so that people are very clear. Uh when it's a when it's an in-scope uh event, there are some events as you know here where the branding is reduced because the stadium is effectively being rented either to the ERC or to one of the concert providers. Um or indeed to UEFA when it comes to UEFA 28. Yeah, you know, so I think I was asked earlier on well what happens then. Well, because they've got because when they rent the stadium, they've their own suite of sponsors, so they they won't honour our naming rights. But our position is that people will still call it the Aviva. Yeah. You know, they're not going to call it the Dublin arena for the two or three weeks that the uh championships is on. In fairness, when Taylor Swift comes to town, you don't have a ton of uh uh uh Aviva branding. You'll have some, but I mean everybody's very aware uh you know where they are in that night. And I mean those those concerts were incredible in terms of the atmosphere and the feel-good factor, and and and it's great. It's always great that people enjoy themselves at the venue and uh have a memorable night.
SPEAKER_02:Hitching yourself to the tea taste hours, not a bad deal, uh, even if we might be slightly out of the demographic of that particular fan base. Just before I let you go, um you mentioned the fact that the company in its various guises has been here in Ireland since 1780. Doing the sums in my mind as I was listening to you answering the question, that means that in 2030, which will be the date of let's be optimistic and say the next renewal of the stadium, um, it'll be 250 years. I hadn't actually thought of that.
SPEAKER_00:Uh thank you very much indeed.
SPEAKER_02:And maybe we could have Taylor Swift doing a concert and introducing the greats of Irish football and greats of Irish will be to help you celebrate that.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. Well, as you're probably aware, they're looking, I mean, the the stadium management company and indeed the RFU FAI are looking to expand the number of events. Um, you know, you have college football comes teams and lots of we've had Heineken Cup finals or what it's called the E or C final, I should respect. Uh and others, but yeah, no, look from from our perspective, and as I said, it gives us an opportunity to um uh you know bring our best customers along. We can provide them with a good experience both in in our box and in the other seats. Uh as I sit here, I've uh whole load of calls coming in for the game on Thursday in particular, the iron important uh the Ronaldo factor is incredible. It's huge. Uh you know, um and you know, because you don't tend to see that sort of demand uh, you know, for um you know most of the international games, but I mean this one got everybody wants to go, everybody's looking for a ticket.
SPEAKER_02:So uh probably best to give a voicemail message which says that you're out of reach until Friday morning and that you'll get back to the case.
SPEAKER_00:Well, that the worst of all I was with Taylor Swift. You know, I had uh we were inundated uh with people looking for tickets for Taylor Swift. Thankfully, I I remember saying when it was announced that Oasis are going to play in Croak Park, I said, thank God. But uh yeah, we've got uh obviously we've got Ireland Australia on Saturday night, and then we've ironed South Africa. Um and uh you know, so it's been a good old run in we'd Ireland Japan here. I was lucky enough to be in uh soldier field, so God was a disappointing game, but uh does show you though we need to get things right, you know, the uh issues with the announcement the announcer, things like that. Attention to detail on a sporting event.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:And the and boy, do the Americans know how to normally know how to do it, attention to detail and experience. And I know some people have issues with the experience here because but you talk to the guys in the IRFU and FAI, but in the IRFU you're trying to get the experience right such that people who attend a modern sport event are obviously expecting a good event, but they're also expecting entertainment, and that means obviously access to alcohol as long as it's not infringing on other people's uh entertainment. But uh yeah, it's uh Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:Well, I was I was lucky enough to be in here for the Sports Direct FA Cup final on Sunday as well. I was here, yeah. And again, you know, very different, but very lively, uh very smoky. Um I'm not sure that we're allowed to reference the fact that there were the occasional flares.
SPEAKER_00:But a great atmosphere and a good game and very good football.
SPEAKER_02:Fabulous atmosphere. It's one of the best days of the year.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely, and and you see firsthand because you're what you know, you're I'm used to watching a lot of soccer on the TV, but I was I was also at the game in Lisbon uh and and the amount of running these guys do. I know you read it on the stats, but they're in constant motion. Yeah. Uh you know, I mean one of the challenges with rugby, I'm I'm not a rug, I I'm I'm from a rugby background, there's a lot of stop start now in the modern game. So uh and you heard that number of people after the all blacks game, you know, because it was a big American audience in for the game, and we were surrounded by Americans and they couldn't understand. I know people say, well, American football is stop start, but it's very clear why you're stopping first down, second down. Yeah. Whereas he all the time you're saying, What was that for? What was that? Oh, it's a penalty, he knocked it on, oh he went in offside, you know.
SPEAKER_02:That can be a very clear, but also within each 30-second spot, there will be a programming element which will allow somebody to come onto the pitch or to come onto the sidelines and entertain you. And that's the key to it. Entertain me. That's what we want when we come to a stadium, even one as brilliant in every other facet as the Aviva Stadium. So um, thanks very much for an additional.
SPEAKER_00:Lovely to have the opportunity again, Rob.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, welcome. Great to chat to you. Um so it's a date then for 2030 that we'll come here for the big 250th anniversary seven of the years. Brilliant. Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you very much for the biggest.
SPEAKER_02:Brian O'Neill of Aviva. Thank you so much. Cheers. So there you have it, straight from the sponsor's mouth and indeed the rights holders. Our thanks to Brian O'Neill from Aviva and to Sean Kavanaugh from the FAI for joining us in the Aviva Stadium, which will be bearing that name for the next five years at least. The relationship has also been extended between the insurer and between the FAI and the IRFU. So, all in all, a very positive development for Irish sport. If you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from. We also publish a The Sport for Business Daily podcast, a read-through of one of the main stories which appears on the Sport for Business website, which you can access at www.sportforbusiness.com. We publish a twice-a day news bulletin, Monday to Friday, which covers advocacy, sponsorship, government relations, funding, financing, and all the things that happen once the final whistle has blown. Thank you for allowing me to take up some of your time today listening to this Sport for Business podcast. We will be back next week and indeed every morning with Sport for Business Daily. Thanks very much and have a great rest of your week.
