The Perfect Christmas Box - Handle With Care!
Talking Balls
News has emerged this week that the GPA has retained the services of Platinum One to help the players’ organization with its ongoing marketing activities. Dessie, Donal Óg and the fellas will be very pleased with themselves altogether. Could we see an outbreak of Beckham style endorsement deals from the GAA? Will your Christmas ads feature a familiar face or worse?
Oh how times have changed since Galway hurler Joe Cooney stood astride a worried looking sheep in a grainy television ad extolling the virtues of Nilverm.
Nowadays Sean Cavanagh never leaves the house unless he’s wearing something by Puma and driving a tasty brand new Opel motor as GPA player of the year. We had Seán Óg and Paul Codd with their Paddy Power branded hurleys back in the old days a few years back when these things were more frowned upon. Colm Keys in the Independent recently reminisced about the Kerry squad endorsing Bendix washing powder, even though its unlikely any of them even knew what a washing machine was or looked like.
Colm also lists an extensive range of GAA amateur players lifting a decent wadge from their celebrity. He points out that the players promoting and attending the GAA’s Cúl camps sponsored by VHI can lift a handy €3000. The 10 players in the Club Energise TV ad earned €7,000 each. If they are used in local billboards they get an additional €2500. Lucozade sport is endorsed by the likes of Eoin Kelly, Oisin McConville and Brendan Cummins. Powerade have Padraig Joyce on their books.
It goes on - the Vodafone All Stars tour is worth around €2000; the All Ireland winning captain gets a wad of euros in promotional fees; for a basic appearance the GPA recommended fee is in the region of €1000.
Former GPA guru Donal O’Neill has suggested that such is the popularity of the GAA that it could only be a matter of time before the likes of Seán Óg with his uber image can earn €100,000.
We may live in interesting times. Talking Balls reckons the new generation of endorsements could come from a more unexpected source. Step forward Ricey…