The deal is part of a re-vamp of the Gaelic Athletic Association’s sponsor model for the 2008 Summer GAA All-Ireland Senior Football and Hurling Championships.
Etihad joins Guinness and the Irish broadcaster RTE as exclusive sponsors of one of Ireland’s greatest sports series.
In addition to the new multi-sponsor approach to hurling, the GAA football championship will be sponsored by Toyota, Ulster Bank and Vodafone. Each deal is expected to net the association an estimated €1.5m per year.
GAA president, Nickey Brennan, said: "While the All-Ireland inter-county hurling and football championships stand to benefit from the heightened profile and exposure that the new commercial partnerships will bring, the true beneficiaries will be grassroots GAA where the sponsorship revenues will be channelled for the continued development of our games.
Etihad’s deal gives it branding at all All-Ireland Hurling Championship games, including the final played at Croke Park. Etihad will also feature regularly in match day programmes and other GAA publications as well as in some consumer and corporate promotions amongst the local community in Ireland.
Etihad’s sports marketing portfolio includes partnerships with London-based Chelsea Football Club and Harlequins Rugby Football Club, a three-year sponsorship of the Ferrari F1 racing team and title sponsorship of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from 2009.
