FAI Sponsorship renegotiation: Less than two years after it last renegotiated the terms of its deal with kit manufacturer Umbro and more than three before that contract was due to expire, the FAI yesterday confirmed they have extended and significantly enhanced the terms of the sponsorship.

The sportswear firm has committed itself to backing the association to the tune of at least €16.35 million between now and 2014 and will, from next summer, become the title sponsor of 16 cups and other competitions, mainly at the junior and schoolboy end of the game.

The deal, flagged by both parties as the largest in the history of Irish sport, is worth around €2.3 million per year in cash and product to the association with €11.55 million being provided in the form of straight financial support over the course of its duration. The total annual value is around 15 per cent higher than the contract signed at the start of 2005 which had been due to expire in 2010.

Bonus payments could potentially bring the total value of the deal to around €21 million although achieving this maximum figure would, as usual, require the national team to win every major tournament between now and the expiration of the deal.

Of the guaranteed amount, around €1.75 million will go directly into the 16 competitions earmarked for specific backing. These include the Kennedy Cup (in which Umbro already has an involvement), the FAI Junior and Intermediate Cups as well as the new Colleges and Universities League.

"This deal, like all sponsorship deals, is important to the FAI," said the association's vice-president, Maurice Fleming. "But the reality is the money will make a very real difference to the way the schoolboys' association, the junior council and the other affiliates due to benefit directly will be able to go about their business."

Umbro Ireland managing director John Courtenay said his company's motivation for expanding the scope of the sponsorship was a desire to deepen its involvement with the grassroots of the game.

"We've had the glamour side of the game since late 1994 when we first became involved with the senior national team. With this we wanted the football side of the game too."

And FAI chief executive John Delaney welcomed the deal as something that would provide long-term stability for a range of competitions that are of considerable importance to the organisation.

Asked about the impending end of Carlsberg backing of the FAI Senior Cup, Delaney said only that that there would be "three or four significant announcements regarding sponsorships over the next couple of months".

He declined to comment on the suggestion the association had requested permission from the GAA to play a training game at Croke Park between the senior and B international teams during the build-up to this month's qualifier against San Marino.

GAA sources have confirmed, however, such a request was made but it is unlikely the ground will be available as work to install floodlights will be in progress at the time.

On the present difficulties being encountered by the Eircom League, Delaney said the situation tended to underline the need for the FAI to take over the organisation. He said that he would not comment on the specifics of the current situation but emphasised a good deal of work is currently being done on getting all aspects of the new competition right.

He effectively acknowledged, however, that too long had been taken to deal with the problems that arose out of the league game between Bohemians and Shelbourne observing, "We will ensure that there are speedier processes in place to deal with situations when they do arise."