The FAI announced earlier today that they had terminated their partnership with JACC Sports, bringing to an end one of the most long-standing sponsorship deals within the association.
Acting as the distributors for New Balance and Umbro in this country, they had supplied the Republic of Ireland with kits from those manufacturers for the last number of years.
The FAI would go on to thank JACC Sports and 'wish it all the best in the future'.
Speculation is already underway as to who could be the next manufacturer of the Ireland kit, with a number of possibilities available. However, it seems as though the situation with their current partner may not be resolved as of yet.
JACC Sports seek legal advice after end of FAI partnership
The FAI had a deal in place with JACC Sports that was set to run for a number of years, making today's announcement all the more surprising. It also seemed to catch the company involved off guard.
In a statement released this afternoon, they said that they were informed by the FAI this morning that the partnership was being terminated. However, they did not agree to such an arrangement. They are now taking legal advice and have heavily criticised the conduct of the Association in this matter.
This morning at 9.02am JACC Sports received a letter via email from Roy Barrett, chairman of the Football Association of Ireland, informing us of their intention to terminate the contract between the Association and JACC Sports.
At 11.46am we replied stating the following to Mr. Roy Barrett: "We refer to your letter of 24th October 2022 with reference to a supposed termination of the Sponsorship Agreement between the Association and JACC dated 8 January 2020 (the Sponsorship Agreement) and the Variation Agreement to the Sponsorship Agreement dated 3 August 2021 (the Variation Agreement). We reject fully any purported effort by the Association to terminate the Agreement, which termination is rejected".
We find it highly irregular and unwarranted in terms of any working, that the Association's longest standing, most loyal sponsor, and the sponsor which has contributed more financially than any other sponsor to the Association would be treated this way. The fact that Roy Barrett and the FAI have chosen to go public with something that we have rejected seems agenda fuelled at best and malicious at worst.
We are taking legal advice and will not be making any further comment at this time.
Strong words.
It will be interesting to see how the situation develops from here.
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