Sligo Rovers have officially unveiled Connolly Volkswagen as their new sponsors in a deal said to be “the best sponsorship deal in the history of the club”.
So says Bit O’Red chairman Michael Toolan, who was present at the launch of the two-year venture along with a number of current Sligo Rovers players at the Showgrounds earlier today.
Connolly Volkswagen is a family business, headed by brothers Neil and Kevin Connolly, who both represent the third generation of the Connolly family involved in the motor trade. Their grandfather, Thomas Connolly founded his successful business in Ballina in 1939, five years after Rovers entered the League of Ireland.
The company expanded into Sligo in 2007 and Neil Connolly spoke of his delight about their tie-in with the club for the next two years.
“I am delighted with our sponsorship of Sligo Rovers, we are a local business and are so pleased to have the opportunity to sponsor our home club,” he said.
“Both the staff and the customers of Connolly Volkswagen are avid fans of Sligo Rovers and we look forward to the season ahead.”
Simon Elliott, Group Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Ireland added: “We are so happy to be sponsoring Sligo Rovers as this is a road we have wanted to explore for some time now. We are confident that this partnership will be very successful and we are fully behind the players, supporters, committee and board members at Sligo Rovers.”
Sligo Rovers chairman Michael Toolan said: “I’m thrilled to welcome our new association with Connolly’s Volkswagen today. We set our sights on a sponsor that is enthusiastic about evolving the club and there is no doubt that Connolly’s Volkswagen is just that; an energetic and thriving company.
“They share in our ambitions and respect the tradition and history of Sligo Rovers. I think that it is an association that our supporters will get really excited about.”
Mention Volkswagen and sport in the same sentence and you’d normally be talking about golf, but the car brand will be more associated with soccer from now on, at least in Sligo for the foreseeable future.
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