*Pictured at the unveiling of the new naming rights deal, Head of Manufacturing with Zimmer Biomet, Michael O’Malley, Clare players Cillian Rouine, Louise Griffin, Tony Kelly, Clare Hehir and Clare GAA Chairperson Kieran Keating. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
CLARE GAA have said details of their naming rights deal with Zimmer Biomet will not be disclosed.
Cusack Park is to be renamed Zimmer Biomet Páirc Chíosóg as part of a three year deal with the global medical technology leader. Facility upgrades and improvements to Cusack Park including efforts to increase the capacity beyond 20,100 are planned as a result of the income generated from the deal.
Since her appointment as Head of Operations with Clare GAA in September 2022, Deirdre Murphy has led efforts towards securing an anchor sponsor for Cusack Park, the fruits of this are the deal with Zimmer Biomet.
No details on the financial aspects of the deal between Zimmer Biomet and Clare GAA have been released.
Responding to queries from The Clare Echo regarding the value of the new partnership, Clare GAA PRO Aaron Carroll stated, “In agreement with Zimmer Biomet, we will not be disclosing the specific details of the sponsorship deal but rest assured it is a considerable support to all stakeholders in Clare GAA. We are thrilled with the partnership and excited about the opportunities it brings for our county”.
The Clare Echo has learned that in pitches made to numerous companies over the past year that Clare GAA were trying to secure a five year deal worth €500,000 for naming rights of Cusack Park. The current deal with Zimmer is for three years with the option of extending for a further two.
Announcement of a new naming rights deal for Cusack Park came as a shock to the majority of elected officers of Clare GAA, very few of whom were consulted or briefed on the Zimmer Biomet deal. A number of officers have confirmed to The Clare Echo that they were kept in the dark until Friday morning when the deal was announced.
“All elected officers of Clare GAA have for many months, and at numerous meetings, acknowledged the opportunity naming rights at Páirc Chíosóg presents Gaelic Games in Clare. They have supported this and were informed of the completed deal before press release on Friday,” the PRO commented.
He continued, “a lot of the negotiations for such have to be conducted in the background. Not all personnel on the executive board can be informed of the exact particulars involved in a sponsorship deal before its official announcement due to confidentiality concerns. Sponsorship agreements often involve sensitive negotiations, financial terms, and strategic considerations that must be protected to prevent any risk of jeopardising the deal”.
Interests of Zimmer had to be protected while negotiations were ongoing, the Cratloe clubman detailed.
“The trust we place in our elected officers is undoubted. We are similarly conscious that the risk of any premature disclosure can lead to interference from competitors, potentially altering the terms or even causing the sponsor to withdraw from supporting Clare GAA. As an elected officer myself, I would concur that the nature of these two-sided negotiations often necessitate a limit to the number of individuals with access to the information to protect the interests of all involved. This is a significant support and a good news story for Clare GAA. I’m sure and hopeful all officers see it that way,” he added.
