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Sport for Business
Sport for Business
Government Funding - The Sport for Business Daily
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What if public funding for major sporting events isn’t a gamble at all, but one of the smartest economic levers a country can pull? The core question remains the same: when do headline costs translate into visitor spending, tax receipts, jobs, global visibility, and a lasting legacy for participation?
We unpack why critics conflate two separate debates—event underwriting versus core domestic sport funding—and show how keeping those ledgers clean actually strengthens both.
Ireland’s edge is cultural and practical: a natural affinity for sport, cities that events can truly take over, and a hosting reputation that turns first‑time visitors into repeat travellers.
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Hello and welcome to the Sport for Business Daily. My name is Rob Hartnett and I'm your host. Sport for Business is all about the commercial side of sport in Ireland and stretching wider into the outside world as well. We publish daily news bulletins and a substantial amount of content on the website at sportforbusiness.com. And we also have an established podcast series of interviews with leaders in the world of business and sport. I hope you enjoy the Sport for Business Daily. If you want to get in touch, you can do so at rob at sportforbusiness.com. You can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or listening in at sportforbusiness.com on a daily basis. Thanks very much for taking the time to be with us today. The narrative continues in certain spaces of public debate that the 10 million euros which the government contributed to bringing the NFL to Dublin this year was a quote waste of money. The same whinging, as described by government sources, has already begun over the Ryder Cup at Adair Manor in 2027, the UE for Euro 2028 finals, and the 2030 Cricket World Cup. On the day of the Irish 2026 budget, it is worth a quick revisit. We have previously written about how this attitude reveals a profound lack of understanding of the fundamentals of economics. Investing in areas where tourism, local spending, tax revenue and international visibility are all expected to increase significantly makes pure economic sense. That is, regardless of whether the government then diverts a proportion of that increased revenue into domestic sport. It is a different argument. We will continue to revisit this debate in the coming months, and it remains relevant today as we examine Gulf England's efforts to secure twenty million pounds in government assistance from the UK government in a bid to stage the 2030 Solheim Cup. This is an event, the female equivalent of the Ryder Cup, that we have previously staged in Ireland at Killeen Castle, and we may hope to do so again. However, the costs of international events are rising as the revenues associated with them do so as well. England Golf is seeking the UK government backing to stage the Solheim Cup on English soil for the first time, with a 30 million bid to host the 2030 tournament at the Grove in Hertfordshire. Only one-third of the required funding is currently secured, and England Golf has requested that the UK Treasury underwrite the remaining 20 million to keep the bid alive. Chief Executive Jeremy Tomlinson said the event would deliver substantial economic returns, create jobs, and provide legacy benefits, familiar arguments, while also showcasing women's sport at a pivotal moment for gender equity in the sport. Again, a familiar touchstone. He pointed to recent examples where the UK government has invested in global events such as women's rugby and athletics, arguing that the Solheim Cup represents incredible value by comparison. It is said that talks with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in London have been described as positive but urgent, with IMG, the rights holder, requiring confirmation by the end of this month. A government spokesperson said that future event support would depend on their social and economic impact, noting the UK's world leading reputation for hosting major sporting events. Interestingly, the fact that England has never hosted this prestigious global event is seen as relevant. Perhaps we may face similar conversations around the men's rugby world cup in time. In Britain, then, despite its ten times larger population and funding capacity, the same arguments are being made. Where Ireland can excel in these areas is that our natural affinity for sport, combined with the genuine ability of an event to take over a city and a region, makes it a better experience for visiting fans, teams, and leagues. Once the thumbs add up, which is always paramount and which anyone who actually looks at them can verify or critique, the investment in major sporting events makes perfect sense. Elsewhere on Sport for Business this morning, we are looking back on the pre-budget submissions of the Federation of Irish Sport and Ireland Active, a refresher on the day that their success or otherwise will be revealed. We have also had a look back on what last year's budget produced, the concern over the slower than expected rise in core funding, which is needed in order to deliver all of the programs and make the most of all of the capital investment expenditure. And we are also looking at how Irish Sailing is ready for its season finale at the 49ers World Championships taking place off the coast of Sardinia. If you want to know more about what sport for business does, you can do so at www.sportforbusiness.com. My name is Rob Hartnett, and we will be back with you tomorrow morning.
