New Era for GAA and Guinness

The GAA and Guinness® today announced a new agreement which sees Guinness become 'Proud Partner' to both the GAA and Croke Park Stadium. As a result, Guinness will move from its current position as a sponsor of the Hurling Championship.

The partnership marks a new era in the long-standing relationship between the GAA and Guinness and reflects the commitment of both to extend that relationship into a third decade.

The new position of 'Proud Partner' of the GAA and Croke Park Stadium was awarded to Guinness following a competitive tendering process. The new arrangement will provide opportunities for the GAA, Croke Park and Guinness to innovate together on new business and marketing collaborations.

Guinness has been a long-standing supporter of the GAA and its competitions. It first took over title sponsorship of the Hurling Championship in 1995, and over the past eighteen years has invested significantly in supporting the Championship. Award winning campaigns such as 'Not Men but Giants', 'The Stuff of Legend' and the most recent campaign "The Power to Lift us All', played a significant role in elevating the game of hurling and as a consequence, growing audiences across the country. Five years ago Guinness moved to become one of three sponsors of the Hurling Championship.

Commenting on the new agreement, Commercial and Stadium Director of the GAA, Peter McKenna, said: "There is no doubt that the GAA has benefited enormously from the marketing expertise of one of the world's most creative companies. We appreciate that all sponsorship has a natural time span, and we are pleased to be taking our association with Guinness in a new direction".

On behalf of Guinness, Rory Sheridan, Head of Sponsorship, Diageo Western Europe, stated: "We are delighted to continue our successful relationship with the GAA. Our new partnership with both the GAA and Croke Park stadium further strengthens our long commitment to Gaelic Games, which goes back even further than our sponsorship of the Hurling Championship. Our relationship has been an evolving one and the new partnership will create exciting new opportunities for both of us, based on the spirit of collaboration and innovation that has worked so well to date".

Centra and Etihad are the current sponsors of the GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship and the GAA expects to announce an additional hurling sponsor in the near future.