Occupation: Sponsorship, Merchandise and Events Manager, Cork City FC

Background: Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the club have been crowned league champions, and promoted back to the Premier Division.

This will be an extra special evening at Turner’s Cross when Cork City FC complete the final game of the season, multiple points ahead of the nearest competitor. 

Now heading back to the Premier Division for next year, the memories of falling out of the top flight in 2023 after a turbulent season that concluded with a play-off defeat to Waterford are safely in the rear-view mirror. “Obviously being relegated last year was a big disappointment for everybody, both the players and club administration as well as the fans,” said Matthew Coughlan. 

Getting back up to the Premier Division at first attempt has really energised the club and there is a real excitement for next season and what that will bring to Cork City FC.

While attendances have hovered around the 2,800 mark, the move to the Premier Division in 2025 will impact favourably in this key area. “You are always going to have lower attendance for First Division games, and so we look forward to this figure increasing in the season ahead. Cork City fans are amongst the most loyal regardless of who we are playing, but the kinds of clubs we’ll be playing next year would have sizable fan bases of their own and will be bringing up to 700 and more of their fans down with them.”

Cork City FC employs up to 40 people and includes the Men’s and Women’s senior football teams, seven Academy teams for developing players, and the Amputee team. Having appointed Matthew as Sponsorship, Merchandise and Events Manager to work with the Commercial Director, this makes it one of the few clubs in the country to have two roles in the commercial side of the business. This is enhanced by team merchandise that is now seen daily across the streets and neighbourhoods of the city.

“By general agreement, the look and design of Cork City jerseys is really top class, and it is great to see them so visible everywhere while walking around the city. This is bound to grow further when we move up to the Premier Division, added to with the higher club profile through televised matches and the associated exposure that will come from that. 

General merchandising will certainly increase with the promotion back up to where the club belongs.

Sponsorship is a key element underpinning the club’s financial viability and includes Zeus Packaging, UCC, Bons Secours Hospital, EZ Living Interiors, Audivox, Hennebry Financial Services, Affidea, in addition to OCE Electrical, Everseen and Sonas Bathrooms. 

“We have strong relationships with very good companies here in Cork, and certainly the support we get from Brian O’Sullivan and his team at Zeus is massive. And that is also backed by the club’s long-standing relationships with UCC, EZ Living, Bons Secours Hospital, Everseen and others who are all partners contributing significantly to the success of the club. 

"While we highly value the support we already have, we are always looking at getting new partners and sponsorships on board, and that is what is going to take us to the next level.” 

Matthew adds that the benefits accruing from these partnerships include the development of young Academy players and coaches, improved amenities at the home ground of Turners Cross and helping to achieve CSR responsibilities. Earlier this year Cork City FC confirmed they will continue to support The Crann Centre as its charity partner in 2024. 

The club made the announcement as it presented Crann with a cheque for €25,000, the proceeds of its fundraising efforts in 2023 which included collections from matches in Turner’s Cross and support throughout the annual Walk n’ Roll event. 

Dermot Usher, owner of Cork City FC said: “The Crann Centre provides so much support to families across Cork and the Munster region and we are honoured to be able to assist them in whatever way we can.”

In February, Cork City FC launched the Rebel Army podcast featuring weekly previews and reviews on matches, in addition to insights and updates across all the teams within the club. 

“The audience is 83% composed of the age group 23 to 60, so is attracting quite a wide range of listenership that is ever growing upwards from 800 weekly. Those listeners are really highly engaged fans, and is something that we really want to get sponsorship on. It is 85% male, and for the right brand would be a perfect fit.” 

As part of the Cork Podcast Festival held in September, legends of the club over the decades were interviewed, including John Caulfield, Dave Barry, Stuart Ashton and Trevor Welch, followed with a panel discussion on the club’s modern operations with Gearóid Morrissey, Pat Dolan, Ruairi O’Hagan and Alan Bennett. 

“Seeing the future plans for the club was certainly part of the reason I was happy to join it as Sponsorship, Merchandise and Events Manager,” Matthew explains. 

“It is all about growing it commercially on and off the field and is certainly a very exciting time. We are working to make Cork City FC a brand in itself. You have Rebel Army clothing and events, in addition to the Rebel Army podcast, as we try to reach people of all age groups and demographics outside of those just going to weekly matches.” 

While Turners Cross will always be the core heartbeat of Cork City FC, future plans may well see those familiar Rebel Army emblems being waved proudly in visits to other famous sporting arenas. 

The possibility of leasing SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh for potential future matches may well be a reality down the line. “We’re trying to think outside of the normal,” Dermot Usher told The Rebel Army Podcast. 

“Access to Páirc Uí Chaoimh to put on big games potentially down the road is something that would be of interest. There is a very good relationship between ourselves, the GAA, and Munster Rugby. If we can do things that are outside of normal match days, I think that helps everybody.”