Sunday, December 22, 2024

‘Celtic Tiger on its way back?’ – fans react to price of new Ireland football jersey

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The new kit marks the first time in nearly five years an Ireland jersey has had a sponsor since a deal with mobile network 3 expired.

A deal with Sky, who have sponsored the women’s team for two-and-a-half-years, has been expanded to include the men’s side and extended to 2028.

Supplier Castore’s second kit comes almost a year to the day after the first Ireland jersey made by the British company was released.

Released alongside a new range of training gear, an adult jersey is priced at €95, a jump from €80 for the shirt worn by Ireland at the World Cup in Australia. Kids’ sizes are priced at €75.

A “pro” version of the kit, offering fans the same thing the players wear on the pitch, will cost €140, up from €110. Shorts are priced at €40 and socks at €18.

Fans are not pleased with the jump in price and have questioned why the prices are so high with the Sky sponsorship now in place.

“Celtic Tiger on its way back lads? You’re off your heads with that pricing,” one fan said on social media.

“Absolutely horrible prices when ye haven’t won a meaningful game in about 4 years,” another said.

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“Despite the poor quality and extortionate pricing, the worst thing is that the FAI have such staggering disdain for Irish football fans,”

“Paying through the teeth for the privilege of being a walking billboard for a corporate behemoth.”

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A number of fans replied to the kit unveiling on X, formerly Twitter, saying they would opt to buy a counterfeit version of the shirt on DHGate, a popular China-based website known for selling sport merchandise for as little as €20.

Some took aim at the slogan for the new kit – “Worn with Pride” – while criticising the FAI of price gouging and pricing fans out of the game.

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