Waterford, Ireland – December 5th, 2024 – Hess Sports Group and Waterford Football Club are thrilled to announce their partnership in establishing Waterford Women’s, the first-ever Women’s Premier Division female football club in Waterford.
Emily Edmonstone, Director of Hess Sports Group, expressed her enthusiasm for this groundbreaking venture: “I am very proud to be adding football to our sports portfolio. We believe in empowering women, and having the opportunity to start a female football club in Ireland does not only fill me with joy, I am immensely proud. I want to make sure we do the ladies playing justice, but of course also the community in Waterford and Ireland as a whole. Empowering the community and enabling the community to be involved is incredibly important to us. I look forward to working together with the people of Waterford to make sure this new team will be an inspiration to Waterford and that the people of Waterford are as proud of it as we are.”
Group CEO, Steve Curwood, also spoke on his delight about this latest historic news for the club: “This is the first women’s team for Waterford FC. Historically, teams like Benfica W.S.C., based in Waterford, significantly contributed to women’s football by competing in national tournaments and raising the sport’s profile in Ireland during the 1980s and 1990s. Now, the formation of Waterford Women’s marks an exciting new chapter. It aims to inspire future generations of female footballers while reinforcing the clubs community wide commitment to women and girls football. This milestone represents a pivotal step in the club’s evolution, positioning it as a key contributor to the growth of the women’s game.”
Under this new agreement, Hess Sports Group will hold a majority stake (75%) in the newly formed company created for the team with Power Grade Limited (owners of Waterford Football Club) owning 25%.
Media contact Waterford FC:
Killian McHale
Media Officer
[email protected]
Commercial contact Waterford FC:
Tony Kelly
Commercial Manager
[email protected]
Media contact Hess Sports Group:
Janine Hess
Head of Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
About Hess Sports Group
Hess Sports Group, a subsidiary of Hess Enterprises, and is engaged in women’s professional sports through Hess Cycling Team and Hess Football. Dedicated to promoting and supporting various sports disciplines worldwide. With a focus on empowering athletes and fostering community engagement, Hess Sports Group is committed to excellence in sports and female empowerment.
For more information, please visit www.hesssportsgroup.com.