ONSIDE, Ireland’s leading sponsorship consultancy firm, today announced the key findings from its Q2 2025 Quarterly Sponsorship Review, highlighting exceptional growth and evolving trends in the Irish sponsorship landscape.
The review provides leading analysis into consumer interest across Irish sport and non-sport sponsorship. The latest insights have revealed a dynamic and significantly expanding Irish market. The first half of 2025 has been a period of unprecedented activity, with Q2 emerging as the most active quarter on record since ONSIDE began tracking in 2017. This surge saw the overall volume of sponsorship deals increase by nearly half compared to the same period last year. The growth was particularly pronounced in the sports sector, which experienced a substantial jump in deal volume, while non-sports deals also saw strong increases.
Gaelic games built on a busy first quarter, with notable new partnerships and strategic renewals including Toyota’s landmark partnership with the Camogie Association, GAA, and GPA, and Allianz’s extended commitment to the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship.
ONSIDE’s review also highlights an increased appetite from sponsors for cost effective county-board and regional assets. There is also a growing emphasis from brands on supporting the women's code alongside the men's. In response to this many rights holders are unbundling assets necessitating sponsors to acquire multiple assets to strengthen their presence.
Q2 2025 saw a shift in the 'most appealing sports sponsor' ranking. Vodafone, a long-standing IRFU partner and main sponsor of the Irish Rugby men's team, secured first place. Guinness, the Q1 leader, remained a strong contender in second, while Lidl held third for its impactful LGFA sponsorship. Beyond the top three, other prominent sports sponsors included rugby partners Bank of Ireland, Aviva, and Aldi, alongside GAA sponsors AIB and Allianz, and FAI sponsor Sky. This widespread appeal is clear, with an impressive 86% of Irish adults recalling an appealing sports sponsor.
The non-sports category saw consistent appeal, with Three, Electric Ireland, and SuperValu retaining their top three positions from Q1. A new segment of the Q2 review specifically explored public sentiment towards cause-related and community support sponsorships. In this area, Lidl emerged as the clear leader, driven by its impactful 'We Care Back' campaign for Family Carers Ireland, with supermarkets dominating the top rankings.
"The first half of 2025 has set a new benchmark for the Irish sponsorship market, showcasing not just record growth but a significant evolution in how brands and rights holders are forging connections," says Kim Kirwan, Director of Intelligence & Insight at ONSIDE. "From GAA's continued strength and Vodafone's strong appeal in sports, to the clear public preference for cause-related initiatives like Lidl's 'We Care Back' campaign, these findings underscore the increasing value of partnerships that are both strategic and deeply authentic to the Irish consumer."