After some recent worrying, late-night press releases from the FAI, the news emerging from Abbotstown this past fortnight has been much more welcome.
On 20th January, SSE Airtricity renewed their sponsorship of the League of Ireland for another two years, while also backing the Women's National League for the first time. The announcement was much welcomed by all involved in the domestic game. SSE Airtricity’s sponsorship initially expired in 2019, and had to be persuaded to stay on for 2020 amid the aftermath of John Delaney’s departure. There were also concerns over Christmas that SSE Airtricity would step away from the league, hence the relief when the deal was announced, worth an estimated €340,000 per year.
FAI CEO Johnathan Hill said “the double sponsorship announcement today is testament to the future direction of our domestic game and a significant boost for our League football infrastructure".
More news emerged this week with the FAI announcing the 2021 League of Ireland relief package, designed to mitigate the effects that Covid-19 will have on clubs. The €3.6 million package includes a minimum of €215,000 for each Premier Division club, and €50,000 for each First Division club. The First Division prize money was also raised to €600,000, while other youth and travel grants will be made available to clubs. While the package is a step in the right direction, reaction to it was mixed with some clubs feeling that the funds fall short of what is needed to compensate for the lack of attendances this season. Clubs were also told by the FAI to budget for the season as though no supporters will be attending games. With the league almost 6 weeks away, it remains to be seen how some clubs will manage without sufficient financial support.
In more positive news, yesterday, Bank of Ireland were announced as associate sponsors of the League of Ireland. While the funding figures are yet to be announced, the three year deal covers the Men’s leagues, Women’s National League and the FAI Cup. The new “More Than A Club” programme was also announced, designed to “help clubs becoming increasingly more relevant in local communities, deliver social programmes and enhance growth.” Similar programmes by Bohemians and Cork City FC have been very successful in recent years.
Minister for Sport Jack Chambers has also voiced his support for the league this week. Chambers met with the FAI to discuss the association and the impacts of Covid-19 on the game. With the Covid-19 relief package already announced, the Minister said "I made clear the Government's support for the return of the League of Ireland. It’s important for the football community that our national league commences. I also provided assurances that we will provide additional support in the period ahead".
Lastly, after recent concerns that the “commercially unsuccessful” WatchLOI service will continue next season, some news emerged yesterday about its future. The42.ie reported that “while nothing is agreed yet, one potential option is a mix of some games broadcast as they were last year, with the rest to be streamed by clubs themselves”. With no sign of supporters returning to grounds anytime soon, the FAI must ensure that most, if not all games are made available to watch. The remaining broadcasting arrangements are still yet to be announced, with the League of Ireland kicking off in 6 weeks time.