O2 Ireland Becomes Official Sponsor Of Irish Rugby Team

30/05/2006 -- The Irish Rugby Football Union today announced that O2 Ireland is the new official sponsor of the Irish national rugby team from tomorrow. The sponsorship commences prior to the team’s departure to New Zealand and Australia for its summer tour and will run for the next six years to the conclusion of the 2011/2012 season.Today’s announcement follows news that O2’s new Czech Republic business is adopting the O2 brand and builds on a number of recent interactive partnerships. These include O2 UK’s existing, long-standing agreement with the England Rugby Union team and its ongoing partnership with Arsenal Football club as well as O2 Germany’s deal with the BMW Sauber F1 Team. In addition, O2 UK and O2 Germany are both working with AEG - a leading entertainment company - to build world-class music and entertainment arenas supported by exclusive mobile content.

Andy Crawford, President, Irish Rugby Football Union, said: “We would like to formally welcome O2 Ireland as our new official national team sponsor. O2 is a successful and respected brand that has supported Irish rugby at various levels including international, provincial and club since 2002 when it became official mobile communications sponsor for the IRFU. We are proud to further consolidate our partnership with this new agreement and look forward to enjoying many successful years ahead with O2 and the Irish team.�

Within the new agreement, O2 Ireland will have the rights to place its logo on all Ireland senior international and Ireland A team playing and training kit and team related IRFU merchandise. The partnership will also give O2 Ireland key sites on advertising hoardings surrounding the pitch at home matches.

Danuta Gray, chief executive officer at O2 Ireland, added: “O2 Ireland has been committed to Irish rugby for a number of years with our sponsorship of Ireland Schools, Shannon Senior Rugby and our endorsement of Brian O'Driscoll and Eddie O'Sullivan. We are delighted to be sponsoring the team at a time when Irish rugby is so strong. Ireland’s tremendous impressive performances in the Six Nations and its achievement in winning the Triple Crown are testament to the skill of today’s players and the successful structures put in place by the IRFU. The current level of professionalism in Irish Rugby points towards a positive and exciting outlook in the years ahead.�

O2 Ireland plans a number of exciting initiatives to support its sponsorship of the Irish national team. O2 customers will have exclusive access to a selection of interactive services on i-mode on their mobile phones such as player diaries, as well as text alerts with the latest news and scores. They will also be offered a preferential rate for membership of the Ireland Rugby Supporters Club. In addition, as part of the new sponsorship, O2 Ireland will introduce a specially commissioned Ireland supporters handset.

O2 also sponsors the West stand at Lansdowne Road and has a sponsorship agreement with former Irish international star and Shannon coach, Mick Galwey.

O2

O2 comprises mobile network operators in the UK and Ireland, along with integrated fixed/mobile businesses in Germany, the Czech Republic (Cesky Telecom) and the Isle of Man (Manx Telecom). It also owns 50% of the Tesco Mobile and Tchibo Mobilfunk joint venture businesses in the UK and Germany respectively. In addition, the group includes O2 Airwave, which supplies secure digital communications to the emergency services and other public safety organisations.

O2, a Telefónica company, is headquartered in Slough, UK, and has more than 35 million mobile and fixed customers across Europe.

Source: O2