BASKETBALL:Basketball Ireland received a rare double dose of positive press this week. First, the sport's poster boy, Kieran Donaghy, rejected the GAA All Star trip to Dubai in order to play in the Superleague Cup final at the National Arena next Sunday, while on Wednesday Minister for Sport John O'Donoghue announced an increase of €100,000 in the Government-funded grant scheme.
Donaghy did state the decision to stay home was as much down to conditioning himself for the upcoming National Football League with Kerry as it was to helping the Tralee Tigers to try and deny the UCC Demons a fourth Cup title in five years. The Tigers are seeking a second success in three trips to basketball's blue riband event.
All the trimmings are now in place for a momentous collision of the Superleague's in-form sides.
"I have missed a lot of sessions as I've been training with Kerry so the Americans (Dave Fanning and Wilder Auguste) just see me out on the court," said Donaghy ahead of tomorrow's Superleague Kerry derby against St Paul's in Tralee, where he will feature.
"I have been with the Tigers for four years now and it was a big part of my life before I played for Kerry.
"I think my time on court will be limited. I can be used to give the Irish lads like John Tehan and Micheal Quirke a break. Maybe only for four or five minutes."
Don't believe him. Donaghy is a big game player, whether it be on grass or an indoor hardcourt.
"The broader benefit is his name is currently on the tip of everybody's tongue but we realise this is on the back of his football achievements," says Basketball Ireland CEO Debbie Massey.
"His presence will help the television viewing figures but we won't be using him in any extra promotional capacity in the lead up to the finals. Kieran has enough commitments of his own."
RTÉ will be broadcasting both the men's and women's (UL Aughinish v Glanmire) finals live on Sunday week from the National Arena in Tallaght.
This is basketball's best opportunity to market their brand, and seek a major sponsor to carry the sport forward in the current ultra-competitive market that is Irish sport in general.
ESB pulled the plug two years ago but the going rate for an all encompassing deal with Basketball Ireland starts at €400,000. That would include naming rights for the National Arena, national team sponsors and title sponsors for both Superleagues - the men's competition is currently sponsored by Nivea for Men on a short-term basis.
"We are offering a clutter-free environment where the sponsor would hold virtual ownership of the third largest participation sport in the country, behind Gaelic Games and soccer," added Massey. Around 180,000 play basketball in Ireland - with a 52 to 48 percentage spread in favour of woman. Around 50,000 are officially affiliated at secondary school level, while 3,500 primary schools are actively involved in competition. The rest are attached to clubs.
Roughly €400,000 of the Sports Council's €639,032 grant goes into administration fees with the rest partially covering the cost of eight regional development officers who came on board in the last 12 months.
Donaghy's presence will ensure the media limelight stays firmly fixed on basketball this month and the Government continues to support the governing body's strategic planning.
Now all they need is the big fish to bite down on the sponsorship bait to sustain the present feel good factor throughout 2007.
