Ireland’s largest independent energy supplier agrees three year deal as league’s title sponsor

Friday, February 26th, 2010: The Football Association of Ireland and the country’s leading renewable energy supplier, Airtricity, are today delighted to announce a three year title sponsorship for the now former League of Ireland.

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. The first round of the new Airtricity League kicks off next Friday night, 5th March.

Announcing the sponsorship, Airtricity Managing Director Kevin Greenhorn said that the company is proud to have come in as title sponsors for the league. “Airtricity is extremely pleased to have come on board as title sponsors of the Airtricity League. This title sponsorship provides Airtricity with an outstanding opportunity to extend our market and brand awareness in keeping with our exciting expansion plans. With over 450,000 active participants, football reaches into every community and at all age levels making it one of the nation’s most popular and passionately-supported sports. As the most-rapidly growing energy company in Ireland, this sponsorship represents a very real opportunity for Airtricity to build on our core Group values to forge stronger and lasting connections with real football fans at a grassroots level in communities all over the country.

“At the same time, we are very pleased to be making an extremely important financial contribution to one of the country’s leading sporting competitions, which is a significant vote of confidence and investment in the future of the Airtricity League. As an Irish-grown brand and a leader in the energy market, we feel that we have a perfect fit for this league and along with the clubs and the FAI we look forward to collective growth in the coming years. Our attention now turns to kick-off next Friday night and the commencement of what I am sure will be an exciting and eventful Airtricity League."

Welcoming the sponsorship, Eamon Naughton, Chairman of the National League Executive Committee, said: “We are thrilled to be teaming-up with a company of the stature of Airtricity. The decision of Airtricity to come on board as title sponsors of the Airtricity League is a strong endorsement of our league and a huge boost to Irish football. Together with our existing sponsors, Airtricity will help us grow and develop the league. As a league which prides itself on producing top quality young players, we are delighted to be working so closely with one of Ireland’s top, young companies.”

In addition to title sponsorship, Airtricity will also have marketing, promotional and branding rights arising from the deal. It will also be the preferred energy partner of the FAI.

About Airtricity:

Airtricity is Ireland’s largest independent energy utility and is the No.1 supplier of cheaper and greener electricity. Airtricity offers domestic and commercial customers an electricity supply that is not only low-cost (up to 13% cheaper, percentage discount based on ESB kilowatt hour rates) but that is also the greenest in the market, significantly reducing carbon emissions (79% of generation from renewable sources). Unlike other competitors whose maximum discounts are only available to the less than one-third of Irish households with a gas supply, Airtricity’s up to 13% savings are available to every household in the country, making Airtricity the better switch for every home in Ireland and the country’s cheapest standalone electricity supplier.
Airtricity now supplies over 150,000 electricity customers in Ireland, making it the largest independent energy supplier in the country, and is on target to supply over half a million customers in Ireland by 2013. Airtricity has been recognised as the leading greener energy supplier in Ireland, winning the 2008 Green Energy Award and is a finalist for the upcoming 2009 Green Awards. To make the better switch to energy made better from Airtricity, visit www.airtricity.com.
Airtricity is a wholly-owned division of the FTSE 100-listed SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy plc) Group, the broadest-based utility in Ireland and the UK. SSE supplies electricity and gas to over 10 million homes and businesses.

Further information from:

Jason Cooke, Airtricity, 086 264 6710, jason.cooke@airtricity.com
Eugene Hogan, FD, 087 2497290, eugene.hogan@fd.com
Peter Sherrard, FAI, 086 048 5812, peter.sherrard@fai.ie