Dear God, fix BOD

Last Sunday my wife commented after she had dropped me to a pub to watch the opener of the six nations that driving up to Dundrum felt like the Danny Boyle film, 28 days. There was a surreal atmosphere on the streets as everyone parked themselves in front of their televisions to watch the men in green play in Cardiff.

This weekend the game will be brought to Croke Park and to say this is a sell out is an understatement. Soar Communications have said that half page colour ads in the programs cost about €2,250,  a great deal for companies who want to be part of this historic event.

As you can imagine, all television space is fully booked – this being where the major exposure is -  and RTE television will broadcast a specially  commissioned half hour programme entitled “Croke Park”, which is expected to attract the biggest ever audience for a sporting event in Ireland. According to  sponsorship expert Nigel Currie, chairman of the European Sponsorship Association: “Ireland’s rugby team is a hugely undervalued brand. It’s a unique property, close to the nation’s heart which, unlike the GAA and the national soccer team, genuinely competes on the world stage.”

Come Sunday, the likes of O2 will be wringing maximum value from their €2million a year positioning on 15 green shirts. Let’s just pray that Brian O’Driscoll will be pulling on the number 13 . . .