Sol_ie wrote: I'd hope that Murray Timber aren't the main shirt sponsor. No offence to them, but bit of a step down to go from a worldwide car brand to a local business. "

From Connacht Rugby FB page:
To clarify, this partnership is not for the main shirt sponsor position.
Like · Reply · March 3 at 2:24pm

I wouldn't worry overly about the bragbet wording, that's just marketing. If Connacht had a sponsorship deal with a betting company and didn't mention themselves in the blurb some people would be wondering why they've suddenly turned into an advertising outlet for them.

As they are a sponsor of Connacht, then if you use Bragbet then you are, in a certain sense, supporting Connacht. Because you're giving money to Bragbet and Bragbet fund Connacht as part of their sponsorship deal.

'sall good, dudes.

I'd hope that Murray Timber aren't the main shirt sponsor. No offence to them, but bit of a step down to go from a worldwide car brand to a local business.

No idea on the bet thing, mind. Would be interesting to see if they get a cut, or it might just be that Bragbet can get them to advertise certain events.

Alot of movement on sponsors lately but nothing was reported here. extremely quiet week here so might give us some thing to talk about.

this is reported 'major' new sponsor. people on another forum was saying it was our title sponsor but someone replied saying it wasnt the main sponsor. this people must of been from the group or connacht rugby. it was there first post!

Major New Sponsorship Deal for Connacht Rugby
03rd March 2014

Connacht Rugby is proud to announce a new and exciting partnership with well-known Irish company Murray Timber Group.

The family-run business has agreed terms on a comprehensive three-year official partnership to begin in the summer of 2014. As part of the deal, the Murray Timber Group logo will appear on Connacht Rugby playing shirts.

Established in Ballygar, Co. Galway and now based in both Galway and Carlow, Murray Timber Group is one of the largest, most progressive and flexible providers of timber in the country. The Group’s products can be seen in Builders Merchants throughout Ireland and the UK under their own distinctive trademarked SNR (Sustainable Natural Resource) brand.

They have their own dedicated and professional forestry division to offer free forestry management advice and thinning and clear-fell services to forestry growers throughout the country.

The realm of rugby is not unfamiliar to Murray Timber Group who also sponsor Roscommon-based Junior Club Creggs RFC and this new venture with Connacht reinforces their backing of the sport across the province.

Connacht Head Coach Pat Lam and local-born Connacht players John Muldoon, Ronan Loughney and Denis Buckley were all on hand at the Sportsground in Galway today to launch the partnership with Managing Director Paddy Murray and his son Patrick Murray, Sales Director.

Commenting on the new partnership, Patrick Murray, Director of Murray Timber Group said:

“We are extremely honoured to partner with Connacht Rugby. All of us at Murray Timber Group are big supporters of the team and indeed rugby across the province.

“Last month, when the Connacht Rugby senior squad arrived at Creggs Rugby Club for an open training session, we were also there and we witnessed something special.

“With rugby enthusiasts from 18 local schools waiting to meet their heroes, we were heartened to see the way in which the players and staff interacted with the young children. They took the time to talk to each and every one of them and were genuinely excited to take part in the games. That day confirmed to us that this was a brand we wanted to be associated with.

“As a Connacht based company, we are really looking forward to supporting our provincial team and helping them to build on recent success.”

Connacht Rugby’s Head of Commercial Marketing & Alex Saul also welcomed the announcement:

“We are delighted to welcome Paddy and the team in Murray Timber Group on board and wish them every success over the next three years and beyond.

“From our very first meeting with Murray Timber Group, we have been impressed with their professionalism and attention to detail. Like Connacht Rugby, they have a vision for the future. Their ambition and drive are qualities that are shared with us here at Connacht.

“It was fantastic to have so many of the Murray Timber Group team down here at the Sportsground today. They are a proud, family-run, indigenous business and are extremely passionate about what they do. We’re thrilled to have them on board as a partner of Connacht Rugby.”

Connacht and city link. seems like they have given the book to farrell travel?! city link did drop them up to dublin airport last game. i cant speak for the team but i think farrell completely failed the supporters for away travel. (cant copy connacht statement due to google resaerch wont link to article due to the connacht poor website)
Also deal done with deep river rock water, i think thats the same as last year, nothing big

City Link transport for Connacht Rugby
GALWAY ADVERTISER, FEBRUARY 13, 2014.
Connacht Rugby has agreed a new two-year partnership deal with Irish Citylink which will become its official coach partner.

It comes a week after Deep RiverRock became the official water and hydration partner to all Connacht representative teams until the end of the 2015/16 rugby season.

Citylink will provide coach travel for the Connacht professional teams and all Connacht representative teams, while also providing preferential rates for all rugby clubs in Connacht.

The deal will see a new Connacht Rugby and Citylink co-branded coach on the roads. When not being used by the team, the Connacht bus will commute between Dublin airport and Galway.

David Conway, business operations manager of Citylink, is delighted to join forces with Connacht Rugby.

“ Our top-of-the-range luxury coaches and frequent direct services are a perfect match for a top class rugby team. We look forward to welcoming the team and supporters on board.”

Connacht Rugby commercial and marketing executive Eoin Banahan added:"It is great to develop another official partnership with a company based here in Connacht. The professional team has 12 return trips to the airport per season, so it is essential to have a bus which is both spacious and modern."

at this stage we all seen connacht rugby push and advertise bragbet, an online betting site.
if they were a sponsor, fair enough but what gets me is this line.
Support Connacht while having a punt on Cheltenham.
anyone know hows this? does connacht get some of the profit?

Agree that Mazda would be disappointed with recent results but I wonder what their realistic expectations were. In some areas we have exceeded them. Exposure to 3 HK cup campaigns. At local level their logo on increasing numbers of fans shirts. I suppose if this doesn't translate into in increased car sales then nothing else matters.
I agree that going with BOI or BT are poor options.
I wonder if the Comer brothers would be interested. The are sponsoring Galway FC to the tune of 1 million over next 3 seasons. They also sponsor Meath GAA.
Personally I would be quite happy to swallow my pride and have the INM/Denis O'Brien combo as shirt sponsor/sugardaddy
:woohoo:

ConnachtCows wrote: Definitely wont be Mazda. They cant wait to get out of the deal. Fiona Keys did a great job signing them up, and she's gone these days.

From talking to the PGB before the Toulouse match, they dont expect to get anything close to the deal we got off of Mazda. We should take the best offer out there, regardless of who it is.

Jimmy Staunton was promising that Elverys would be the new sponsor on the flight home from Toulouse. He was very very drunk though

The positive is that if BT are in the market it sparks some competition. But they will be looking at the Irish provinces as a whole, in that if they don't get Leinster or Munster (they already sponsor Ulster) they are unlikely to want us alone due to our limited TV profile.

With Mazda, a fourteen game losing run in the first season and a nine game run this season despite all the fanfare of the Toulouse game will probably dissuade them from continuing though they may extend for a year to see where Lam takes the team and to make the most of the current kit deal with BLK.

But the bottom line is that we can't go running back to BOI with hand in cap, the money they contributed (if true as reported below by John Fallon) was welcome but pitiful when compared to that received by the likes of Leinster.

Connacht have parted company with their long-time sponsors as they strive
to move into line with the other provinces following their elevation to the Heineken Cup.

Bank of Ireland, their sponsors for the past 14 seasons, has lost out to Mazda to be the main backers of Eric Elwood's men as they finally make their debut on the elite Euro stage. Bank of Ireland had hoped to continue as title sponsor, but Connacht secured a more lucrative offer from the Japanese car manufacturers in what is believed to be a three-year deal.

Bank of Ireland came on board as Connacht's sponsor shortly after the game went professional and the deal, worth an estimated €100,000-a-year with extras, was renewed several times.

The new deal with Mazda is believed to be worth considerably more.

Bank of Ireland, which announced its previous three-year deal with Leinster as a €6m package, renewed its sponsorship deal with the Blues earlier this year but did not disclose the sum involved. The bank has a year to run on its deal with Ulster

Elvery's will only stay on a a retail partner/sponsor. There's limited benefit to them in spending more without Rugbytech being the kit manufacturer...

Definitely wont be Mazda. They cant wait to get out of the deal. Fiona Keys did a great job signing them up, and she's gone these days.

From talking to the PGB before the Toulouse match, they dont expect to get anything close to the deal we got off of Mazda. We should take the best offer out there, regardless of who it is.

Jimmy Staunton was promising that Elverys would be the new sponsor on the flight home from Toulouse. He was very very drunk though

Would prefer anybody but them. Would the IRFU have an input as to who gets the deal in the end?
If they do they might be able to come up with a better deal from somebody else. Don't know if anybody could match the money BT would be throwing around.

Can't like it, on mobile but seen article that bt sport is an advance talks to the irish province to be the main sponsors. Think this would be a disaster giving them a strong hold ie all this Heineken cup talk

They already sponsor the 2Scottish teams

With the Mazda deal coming to an end at the the close of this current season will Connacht retain the Mazda sponsorship with a few extra euro thrown in or will we have attracted possibly more lucrative sponsors with the big Heineken upset against Toulouse. It created a rugby media storm and might have opened a few eyes to what the team are capable of and where we are headed.