MEET OUR SPONSORS - CICO Sports

From a college business project to supplying sports clubs across Ireland and beyond, CICO Sports has grown into one of the region’s most recognisable sportswear brands in just five years.

What started as a one-person operation in 2020 has expanded rapidly. Today, CICO Sports employs eight full-time staff and has built a customer base that stretches far beyond Cavan.

“We’re not only working locally now,” founder Conor Madden says. “We’ve worked with clubs across Europe, as well as teams and clubs in the UK, US and Australia. Word-of-mouth and referrals have been massive for us. A lot of the time there’s a local connection somewhere.”

He highlights the importance of local support in helping the business grow: “People are often willing to give a local business a chance when they know you’re creating employment in the area.” Trust that needs to be earned: “You only keep those customers if your quality and service are good enough.”

Drawing from his own sporting background and a strong interest in sportswear, Gowna native Conor identified what he believed was a gap in the market for a local teamwear supplier that could offer a more personal service to clubs and organisations.

Having studied HR and business in college, Conor always had this business in the back of his mind.

The business came to life in the Local Enterprise Office digital hub during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Covid allowed me more time to really focus on the design side of things and the materials. It was probably late 2021 before the business really started getting going properly.”

Although Gaelic games remain a major part of the business, the company has diversified significantly: “Along GAA and LGFA teams, CICO Sports now works with soccer, rugby, boxing, taekwondo, golf, badminton and basketball clubs, to name a few. Originally, I probably thought it would mainly be GAA, soccer and rugby, but now, on any given week, we’re dealing with all sorts of sports that I might never have known much about before.”

The company which operates on the Ballinagh Road just outside of Cavan Town, has also expanded into schoolwear, becoming a PE uniform supplier for numerous primary and secondary schools across Cavan, Longford, Leitrim, Monaghan, Meath and Dublin. Conor describes this as a major growth area for the business. “Schools want reliability, good quality and strong communication, and we’ve worked hard to provide that.”

More recently, the business has moved into the corporate branding sector, supplying workwear and branded clothing for companies looking to strengthen their professional image. “It’s not necessarily sportswear,” Conor explains. “Businesses want their brand represented properly, whether that’s through jackets, workwear or other products.”

Competing in a market traditionally dominated by larger brands was always going to be a challenge. However, Conor believes CICO Sports has carved out a niche through customer service, flexibility and attention to detail: “What separates us from the bigger companies is the local connection and the level of service. A lot of smaller clubs felt they weren’t getting the same attention from the larger companies. For us, those clubs are our bread and butter.” He believes the company’s bespoke approach has been key to building long-term relationships: “When a club contacts us, they usually want to see designs quickly. We work closely with them through revisions and changes. It might be tweaking colours, adding commemorative details or adjusting layouts. It’s a much more personal process.”

Part of that customer-focused approach is their online club shop, which allows people to order their gear during designated windows, simplifying the process. “It saves clubs a lot of hassle,” says Conor. “Members can place orders themselves, while clubs can also benefit from rebates or credits generated through sales, which support them financially.”

While most of the company’s products are manufactured overseas, Conor says building strong supplier relationships and maintaining quality standards are hugely important to the business. “I’ve visited factories personally and worked closely with suppliers over the years. Understanding the quality, production standards and reliability behind the products is very important to us.”

That demand can often intensify during finals season, when clubs need gear delivered at short notice: “County finals season can be hectic,” he laughs. “Teams don’t want gear arriving after the final!” While still in a growing stage, Conor has a clear vision: “We want to continue building the brand, expanding our product offering and hopefully, down the line, manufacture some products locally as well.” Becoming involved in the Community & Sports Awards was a way for the company to recognise achievement across the county, reflecting the diversity of talent across Cavan: “We’re seeing that firsthand through the clubs and organisations we work with at just how many different sports people are excelling in within the local region.”