Energise Sport, the number one Irish produced sports drink, and Ballygowan Mineral Water, Ireland’s number one bottled water brand, both owned by Britvic Ireland, are delighted to announce a four-year deal to become the Official Hydration Partner of the Football Association of Ireland.
The exclusivity of this partnership comes at an exciting time in the Irish sporting scene. With Britvic Ireland, the largest manufacturer of soft drinks brands in the Republic of Ireland, and the FAI, the governing body for Irish football and the Republic of Ireland National Teams, now set to align towards building and empowering community and connections in the country. This ties in perfectly as Energise is 100% produced in Dublin Ireland, and Ballygowan Water is bottled at source in Newcastle West Limerick. Both brands are part of Love Irish Food.
The deal will see Energise Sport and Ballygowan Water supporting both the Ireland Men’s and Women’s National Teams, with the Men’s National Team kicking off their UEFA European Championship 2024 Qualifiers and the Women’s National Team getting set to play in this summer’s FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Ireland Men’s National Team players Jamie McGrath and Jason Knight took a break from training to help launch the new partnership in the FAI National Training Centre in Abbotstown, ahead of Ireland beginning their much-anticipated EURO Qualifier against France in the Aviva Stadium this Monday evening. The Ireland Women’s National team are gearing up for a double header against world number one USA as they continue preparations for FIFA World Cup 2023.
As part of this partnership deal Energise will ensure the Ireland National Team players are supplied with the optimal balance of water, carbohydrates and electrolytes to hydrate faster for training and match endurance.
Ballygowan will be supporting the partnership with 190,000 bottles of Ballygowan water each year to ensure players have the optimal water intake to maintain a normal water balance during training and matches. All bottles are now made from 100% recycled plastic and are 100% recyclable.
Ireland fans will spot this new partnership at the Aviva Stadium during Monday night’s EURO qualifier against France, and over the next few years with Energise’s Energise your Everything campaign, which gears up in the coming months through advertising, digital and social media activations, PR and retailer execution.
Kevin Donnelly, Managing Director of Britvic Ireland, described FAI as a superb partner for Britvic Ireland.
“We are proud to collaborate with the FAI and to support our national soccer teams, men and women, with Energise and Ballygowan, trusted quality brands made in Ireland, delivering hydration and energy in fully recyclable packaging.”
Commenting on the partnership agreement, FAI Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Hill said: “We are delighted to partner with Britvic Ireland across the Energise Sport and Ballygowan brands at what is an exciting time for Irish football. Britvic have a strong reputation as a renowned stable across soft drinks in Ireland and will help to keep our National Team players hydrated and in peak condition as they take on some big games across both men’s and women’s football.”
