The Event:
Polo is one of the oldest, most exclusive and visually exciting sports on Earth. From September 11-14, 2003, for the first time in the sport’s history, international teams will converge on a beach to play high level polo for a number of tournaments. The beach is set in one of the most spectacular landscapes in Ireland and close to one of the world’s most hospitable towns – Dingle. The standard of polo will be high and the interest from the polo media is already frenzied.
This will be the second year
that this tournament has been run on Inch Strand. In 2002 four Irish teams competed. In 2003 the festival will make the record book as the largest polo event in the world and secondly as the first International tournament played on a beach using proper grass rules, as opposed to Arena. Never before have so many countries met at one location to play polo.
With a year still to go, over 20 teams have already entered from South Africa, Argentina, India, Spain, Germany, France, the UK and Ireland. Media coverage will place sponsors wishing to be associated with polo firmly in the limelight. This is your chance to promote your company’s goods and services to a range of audiences including international high net worth individuals to racing and sports horse fans everywhere.
Opportunities
In addition to the opportunity to place your products and services before an exclusive international audience, companies aligning themselves with the first International Inch Beach Polo Festival can also benefit directly from international media coverage and corporate entertainment events.
The tournament set up costs are low because the venue is public property, insurance is covered by the governing body of polo – the Hurlingham Polo Association, and the competitors, while world class, are all amateurs. This is therefore a unique opportunity to be involved with an exclusive sport for a very modest outlay.
Press Coverage
A full time PR drive is in effect for this event, with an emphasis on the generation of international media coverage for this event. The primary emphasis of this drive will be to attract international and domestic television to cover this event from sports and tourism perspectives. The PR team will also work closely with sponsors to generate coverage within specific trade media and regional publications.
Inch Polo Festival 2002 was covered by the following publications:
Irish Examiner
Kerry Eye
The Corkman
The Irish Times
Polo Quarterly
Irish Field
Inch Polo Festival 2002 was covered by the following TV Networks
TV3 -
RTE
In 2003, the following publications have pre-registered for press attendance:
Irish Times
Sunday Times
Irish Independent
Irish Sun
Irish Examiner
irish Field
Horse & Hound Magazine
Horse Magazine
Daily Telegraph
In 2003, the following TV Networks have either pre-registered for press attendance or wish to receive library footage/syndicated content
RTE1 - Nationwide - News -
TV3 - Sportsnight - News
TnaG - News -
Euronews -
Sky Sports - (Coverage under discussion)
Channel 4 - the festival will be the subject of a half hour program in the series POLO:UK on Channel 4 (available UK Terrestial and European Digital)
America One Network – Horse TV. Available throughout the USA on Digital Satellite, Digital Cable & Cable networks
Equdia TV. Digital Satellitle Channel available in France to approximately 6 million households
Ten Sports – Taj TV. Dedicated sports channel broadcast in India and Pakistan to approximately 25 million households.
Viasat Sports – Swedish sports channel.
Sentanta Sport -
ESPN Sur (Argentina)
Showtime Sports (Middle East)
Other
Crowd Attendance
With the anticipated advertising and PR spend, the attractions of the venue and the dates concerned it is hoped to attract over 10,000 spectators.
Types of Sponsorship
Exclusive Sponsorship
This is a non-profit event, however, there are some unavoidable costs and some activities we would like to carry out that require financial support.
So we would expect our exclusive sponsor to:
1. Help us advertise. Annex A
2. Help with printing costs – namely a ‘recruiting’ brochure. Annex B
3. Provide a trophy for the winning team, and you may want to supply individual prizes for the eight players in the finals and the umpires and goal judges (3/2).
4. Sponsor one team – that team to be chosen by yourselves. Annex E
5. Help with Festival souvenirs if you want your logo on them.
6. Contribute towards the publishing of an official souvenir programme, either by meeting costs or advertising within.
(Estimated price (less prizes €12,000)
In return we would take a flexible approach to the organisation of the tournament allowing (yet not limited to):
1. The inclusion of the “your company name” in the title of the Festival and the main international match.
2. Full editorial input and sign off in all published material and press activity
3. Your name and the nature of your association in all published material and press relations
4. Unlimited advice about polo and polo tournaments to help you expand and benefit from this event.
5. Free rein for corporate hospitality, either sharing the costs of using the organiser’s own catering units or organising your own.
6. Veto power on other sponsors and corporate endorsements
7. Hoardings and outdoor advertising (with due regard for local government and council restrictions) ((and the tide)).
8. Unlimited passes for your guests into the Inch & Limerick Polo Club pavilion and priority tabling to the Inch Polo Ball on the Saturday Night.
Tournament Sponsorship
Although this will be the world’s largest polo tournament, it will not only be the main International event that is important in polo circles, or newsworthy in general. Within the tournament are opportunities for many other competitions - best Irish teams – best ladies teams – best tourist teams – best UK team – winning European – best playing player – best playing pony – a celebrity match between Hurlers and Jockeys – a celebrity match – player with most falls – best turned out team etc – which may appeal to local and international companies.
A trophy sponsor would be expected to:
1. Provide a trophy for the winning team, and may want to supply individual prizes for the eight players in the final and the umpires and goal judges.
2. Contribute to the costs of hosting the match (€2,000)
In return trophy sponsors can
1. Erect hoardings and outdoor advertising (with due regard for local government and council restrictions) throughout the festival.
2. Have unlimited passes for your guests into the Limerick & Inch Polo Club pavilion for the entire Festival.
3. Have guest seating for matches being played for your trophy, accessible to badge holders.
4. Have free rein for corporate hospitality, either sharing the costs of using the organiser’s own catering units or organising your own.
5. Name the trophy they sponsor and be mentioned in all promotional activity.
6. Free 1/4 page advert in the souvenir programme
Team Sponsorship
The costs of getting teams to overseas matches is high. To make this event a success, the organisers feel that entry should be free, the standard high and teams who travel from overseas should be supported. Therefore we have arranged ferry and airline sponsorship for some overseas teams, namely Argentina, South Africa, France, Spain, Germany, The USA and the UK. Teams will arrange their own accommodation and meals, ponies and equipment.
A team sponsor would be expected to:
1. Pay the teams entry fees for the Festival. This covers the teams insurance costs, and contributes towards the set up costs of the festival.
2. Provide team colours for the players and ponies. Each team is comprised of four players and a minimum of eight ponies. This involves 4 polo shirts, eight saddle cloths, eight sweat rugs and eight sets of leg bandages. Colours can be designed by sponsors and logos or trademarks can be incorporated. Sponsors might also wish to kit their teams out in team helmets and fleeces but that is between the sponsor and the team.
In return, team sponsors can:
1. Erect hoardings and outdoor advertising (with due regard for local government and council restrictions) throughout the festival on a first come first served basis
2. Have unlimited passes for their guests into the Limerick & Inch Polo Club pavilion throughout the festival
3. Have free rein for offering corporate hospitality, either sharing in the costs of the organisers own catering units and marquees or organising thier own
4. The team will incorporate your organisation’s title in all lead-up publicity and throughout the tournament.
5. Free 1/4 page advert in the souvenir programme
Corporate Entertainment
Companies that sponsor a match or a team are entitled to establish there own hospitality events at this festival on the private land above the high water mark. Which might come as a relief. The organisers will provide security and permission from the land owner to use whatever space is needed. The organisers - Inch Polo Club - will retain caterers throughout the Festival. Sponsors might like to share these caterers or provide their own. Inch Polo Club is also hiring a marquee. Sponsors may either share this or arrange their own marquees if they require.
Throughout the festival, Inch Polo Club and Limerick Polo Club will be offering badge holders (sponsors, guests of sponsors – players and their guests) use of this club house with its free bar and snacks available throughout.
Annex A – Advertising
2 inserts with Polo Quarterly Magazine in Spring and Early Summer – cost €300 each
Localised advertising to generate spectators and local support – cost c €1000
Annex B – Printing
35,000 A5 colour brochures for insertion with Polo Quarterly magazine - €2,000 (see attachment)
Annex C – Match Souvenirs
Promotion / souvenir gifts for all participants – could be baseball caps – puffa jackets – fleece jackets etc. (dare I say it – wet weather gear / umbrellas)
Total – will depend on final entry levels – but around €25 per player. The organisers will be doing something here regardless as a thank you to all competitors. Last year it was baseball caps and Polo shirts.
Annex E - Team costs
Tournament Entry Fees - €1,000
Team Liveries - (polo shirts to your design x4 – sweat rugs x8 – bandage sets x8) - €1,000
Total €2,000
Contact Details
www.inchpolo.com
email: info@inchpolo.com
Organisers
Media Officer
Mark Selway
Office +353 22 48052
Mobile +353 87 206 0510
Email: mselway@inchpolo.com
Lucinda Blyth
Administration
Office +353 22 48052
Mobile +353 87 606 1740
Email: lblyth@inchpolo.com
Mark Hayes
Web and Sponsorship
Office +353 22 48052
Mobile +353 6492878
Email: mhayes@inchpolo.com
Major Hugh Dawnay
Match Controller
