CPA (Club Players Association)

Started by ck, October 18, 2016, 12:02:38 AM

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Syferus

Keep fighting the little man on all fronts, Zulu warrior.

Zulu

Quote from: Syferus on January 13, 2017, 02:56:59 PM
Keep fighting the little man on all fronts, Zulu warrior.

Does that make sense in your first language?

magpie seanie

Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:53:16 PM
Quote from: magpie seanie on January 13, 2017, 10:10:45 AM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on January 13, 2017, 02:07:31 AM
Quotewhat exactly does the GPA stand for and who is it supposed to benefit

It started, supposedly, as a player welfare body but it seems to have gotten a bit carried away with itself. It now seems to see itself as an equal partner with the GAA rather than a subset of it, hence the branding of certain events as joint productions between the GAA and the GPA.

The Hurricane Sandy business was one of its more cynical moves. They sent a squad to New York to do some work for a good cause, but by God they made sure there was a full TV camera crew there to cover it. When they returned to NY later to reap the rewards from the resulting goodwill they openly bragged about how they were going to raise a million bucks with their "star-studded" gala. I don't know if they made it to a million or not but if the GAA top brass was throwing around language like that the pitchforks-and-torches crowd would be out in force giving out about the "Grab All Association."

And don't get me started on the Hurling Super Elevens business. Coming up with an alternative sport with professional trappings and as part of a networking event with all the big shots and big donors, while a crumb is thrown from the table to the local GAA units who were never even notified that the whole thing was happening. The North American GAA board was completely ignored in that little episode, they only heard about it through the media like everyone else. Imagine the GPA waltzing into your county with big plans to promote hurling and the local county board doesn't get a look in... it's a bit like that.

I haven't been following them closely of late, but I still view them with a certain amount of suspicion. If they thought they could start a professional hurling league in America they probably would, but the only thing stopping them is their members live on the other side of the Atlantic.

What grinds my gears about the GPA is their smash-and-grab approach to the USA. They see the place as an ATM from which they can withdraw money to line their pockets, while the people actually promoting the games in the US are given table scraps at best and completely ignored at worst.

Two things.

Firstly - the GPA is only following on from the GAA in regard to viewing the US as a cash cow. So I couldn't single them out for that.

Secondly - their attitude to the people who do the grassroots work here in Ireland is the same so don't feel left out in the US!

Again, I'd love you to point to the utopian time when every unit of the GAA all got along working in harmony for a better world. I'd have some concerns about the GPA and the future of the GAA but I defend them here because a lot of the criticism here is unsubstantiated nonsense that comes from people who strike me as the kind who would criticise them if they used their funding to cure cancer.

Atypical grassroots clubman GAAboard poster - "I'll give them credit for curing cancer but how many hurls and helmets could that money have bought for underage clubs? I also haven't seen them say club players can get the medicine, is it just for inter county players I wonder? I haven't seen them explicitly say we can all get it so I'm going to assume the worst about them and tell everyone as a fact that it is only for inter county players, the elitist b**tards"

Ah come on Zulu - its far from curing cancer they're at. You do your argument no favours by introducing ridiculous stuff like that.

Zulu

It's obviously an exaggerated example Seanie but I was making the point that some of the criticism of them is similarly exaggerated. The point I was making was that some people would look at something good they've done and criticise on some side point.

At the end of the day, the GPA are required and do some good things. Do they do some daft things? Yeah, of course but so do the GAA, so does any organisation that is trying things. All groups deserve to be scrutinised and held to account but it should be fair and in the case of the GPA that isn't always the case IMO.

ha ha derry

Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 03:49:20 PM
It's obviously an exaggerated example Seanie but I was making the point that some of the criticism of them is similarly exaggerated. The point I was making was that some people would look at something good they've done and criticise on some side point.

At the end of the day, the GPA are required and do some good things. Do they do some daft things? Yeah, of course but so do the GAA, so does any organisation that is trying things. All groups deserve to be scrutinised and held to account but it should be fair and in the case of the GPA that isn't always the case IMO.

Why are they called Gaelic Players Association ? Should it not be Gaelic County Players Association ?

Rossfan

They'll hardly change their name now anyway.
Davy's given us a dream to cling to
We're going to bring home the SAM

Eamonnca1

Quote from: magpie seanie on January 13, 2017, 10:10:45 AM


the GPA is only following on from the GAA in regard to viewing the US as a cash cow. 

This is incorrect. The GAA does not use the US as a cash cow. The GAA invests in games development and facilities development in the states. They do not come out here organizing fundraisers and going home with a wad of cash.

Eamonnca1

Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:42:47 PM
Joe, is it ok for Mayo, Kerry and whoever else to go to the US and fundraise money that will never be spent on the grassroots in those countries? What's the difference between that and the GPA fundraising?

Some individual county boards have been known to come out here for fundraising activities too. And no, that's not right either. Money raised here should be reinvested here, particularly money earned from selling broadcasting rights, but that's another matter.

Eamonnca1

Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:53:16 PM
Atypical grassroots clubman GAAboard poster - "I'll give them credit for curing cancer but how many hurls and helmets could that money have bought for underage clubs? I also haven't seen them say club players can get the medicine, is it just for inter county players I wonder? I haven't seen them explicitly say we can all get it so I'm going to assume the worst about them and tell everyone as a fact that it is only for inter county players, the elitist b**tards"


Zulu

Quote from: ha ha derry on January 13, 2017, 04:11:49 PM
Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 03:49:20 PM
It's obviously an exaggerated example Seanie but I was making the point that some of the criticism of them is similarly exaggerated. The point I was making was that some people would look at something good they've done and criticise on some side point.

At the end of the day, the GPA are required and do some good things. Do they do some daft things? Yeah, of course but so do the GAA, so does any organisation that is trying things. All groups deserve to be scrutinised and held to account but it should be fair and in the case of the GPA that isn't always the case IMO.

Why are they called Gaelic Players Association ? Should it not be Gaelic County Players Association ?

I don't know, but is that an important issue?

Zulu

Quote from: Eamonnca1 on January 13, 2017, 04:55:05 PM
Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:42:47 PM
Joe, is it ok for Mayo, Kerry and whoever else to go to the US and fundraise money that will never be spent on the grassroots in those countries? What's the difference between that and the GPA fundraising?

Some individual county boards have been known to come out here for fundraising activities too. And no, that's not right either. Money raised here should be reinvested here, particularly money earned from selling broadcasting rights, but that's another matter.

Why should money raised there be reinvested there? I'm involved in international level GAA like you but if Mayo come to Britain or the US and ask expats to help fund their team that's up to the individuals to decide how they want to spend their money. Unfortunately, the money the GPA, Kerry, Mayo and others raise abroad probably wouldn't be given to local GAA units anyway.

The GPA and counties are raising money abroad and spending it at home and I've little issue with that as much of what we get abroad is from money generated at home so it's a two way street. I'd like to see local businesses support us more but we (the international units) need to earn that funding too.

Zulu

Quote from: Eamonnca1 on January 13, 2017, 04:56:39 PM
Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:53:16 PM
Atypical grassroots clubman GAAboard poster - "I'll give them credit for curing cancer but how many hurls and helmets could that money have bought for underage clubs? I also haven't seen them say club players can get the medicine, is it just for inter county players I wonder? I haven't seen them explicitly say we can all get it so I'm going to assume the worst about them and tell everyone as a fact that it is only for inter county players, the elitist b**tards"



Nonsense.

Eamonnca1

Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 05:16:21 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on January 13, 2017, 04:55:05 PM
Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:42:47 PM
Joe, is it ok for Mayo, Kerry and whoever else to go to the US and fundraise money that will never be spent on the grassroots in those countries? What's the difference between that and the GPA fundraising?

Some individual county boards have been known to come out here for fundraising activities too. And no, that's not right either. Money raised here should be reinvested here, particularly money earned from selling broadcasting rights, but that's another matter.

Why should money raised there be reinvested there? I'm involved in international level GAA like you but if Mayo come to Britain or the US and ask expats to help fund their team that's up to the individuals to decide how they want to spend their money. Unfortunately, the money the GPA, Kerry, Mayo and others raise abroad probably wouldn't be given to local GAA units anyway.

The GPA and counties are raising money abroad and spending it at home and I've little issue with that as much of what we get abroad is from money generated at home so it's a two way street. I'd like to see local businesses support us more but we (the international units) need to earn that funding too.

If county boards and the GPA were to team up with local international GAA units, jointly organize fundraisers, and then split the takings in an equitable manner then I'd be okay with that. But not if the international units only get a few crumbs from the table.

Zulu

Sure I'd love that too but say you own a construction company in New York and I've a load of pubs there. We can choose to support out local units if we want, however, if we don't want to do that but will give our county board $10,000 each towards helping our county team prepare that's just life.

As frustrating as it is for the likes of you and me I don't think you can turn around and tell the GPA, county boards or businesses that if you're fundraising here you need to give us something. You couldn't enforce it for a start and if I'm a business man I can support what I like and if I want to give $10,000 to my county I don't expect them to get $9000 and $1000 go to the New York board who I don't want to support. If I do want to give them money I can do that separately.

Again, it's ridiculous to criticise the GPA or counties for tapping into revenue sources that are free to support them or not and can also support local units if they choose to.

Syferus

Quote from: Eamonnca1 on January 13, 2017, 04:55:05 PM
Quote from: Zulu on January 13, 2017, 02:42:47 PM
Joe, is it ok for Mayo, Kerry and whoever else to go to the US and fundraise money that will never be spent on the grassroots in those countries? What's the difference between that and the GPA fundraising?

Some individual county boards have been known to come out here for fundraising activities too. And no, that's not right either. Money raised here should be reinvested here, particularly money earned from selling broadcasting rights, but that's another matter.

They only give the money because they have more interest in the game back home. That's not the counties' fault.