The GAA

[Redhand Santa]

It's been a few very positive weeks for the gaa. Despite unprecedented coverage and hype for other sports in Ireland in recent years the gaa remains strong. In the last few weeks we've had the following stories:
1) The top 3 watched sports programmes in Ireland last year were gaa. It also accounted for 7 of the top ten sports shows in Ireland.
2) Croke park debt has been fully cleared leaving the gaa with even greater resources going forward.
3) Gaa attendances increased last year and in turn generated over 2 million additional revenue centrally.
4) 4 garth brooks concerts announced on top of 3 already planned for one direction and an American football game next year meaning huge revenues for the association.

I think for some reason people are often slow to praise the gaa but the above highlights it's continued popularity in the country. It faces tough competition from soccer and rugby and for some reason seems to be a poor relation with the media.

I'd love to see the gaa use the additional funds to continue to promote the games and try to ensure an even footing In terms of coverage with other sports. We seem to be entering a new positive era in football and hurling is more competitive than it has been for ages and these can only be positives for the games. If properly managed the gaa can remain the number one organisation for years to come.

I do think we could promote the league a lot better. It takes up an awful amount of the season to be treated as a warm up competition with passing interest. Either combine it with the championship or somehow increase the importance of it as a standalone competition.

I've no idea why they didn't promote the opening games more this year. 2006 and 2009 showed the potential the gaa has when it promotes an event right. Why not have a national gaa celebration every year to kick of the leagues in croke park with a big football and hurling games. Put on an act and spend a fortune on lights and fireworks if that's what it takes. Increased attendance will cover the costs. Do something to boost the finals to.

The county game is a huge vehicle for promoting the games and should continue to be with continued promotion of our top players. Equally though club games are important. It's imperative that regular fixtures are put in place for all counties. No longer can we treat our players like crap and expect them to wait about for months with no games.

[Syferus]

Giving equal (or even near-equal) central funding to smaller counties to prepare their county teams would have a very positive impact on the GAA and its quaility as a spectator sport. The GAA are hovering in all this money but it's only making the rich richer under the current system.

With fat cats like Cork coming out against movements to improve the financial footings of smaller counties Croke Park needs to be brave and stick to its guns in the years ahead, it's probably the most important fight on the horizon for keeping the GAA entrenched in the shop window of public interest.

[Redhand Santa]

Fair enough comment. Though it also has to be recognised that the smaller teams will struggle a lot of the time anyway due to lower numbers. But they should be allowed to maximise there ability and be competitive as possible.

I do believe a 2 tier championship may ultimately work better. This allows teams to play at their own level which is better for everyone. The 2nd tier winners could join the main championship in a play off match to ensure everyone still has chance of winning all Ireland but it would be good to have a decent 2nd tier championship meaning more teams having a realistic chance of winning something.

[Syferus]

Fair enough comment. Though it also has to be recognised that the smaller teams will struggle a lot of the time anyway due to lower numbers. But they should be allowed to maximise there ability and be competitive as possible.

I do believe a 2 tier championship may ultimately work better. This allows teams to play at their own level which is better for everyone. The 2nd tier winners could join the main championship in a play off match to ensure everyone still has chance of winning all Ireland but it would be good to have a decent 2nd tier championship meaning more teams having a realistic chance of winning something.

Would work fine for the Carlows and Clares of the world but it'd be a disaster for counties like Cavan, Roscommon, Offaly, Westmeath and so on, the ones most likely to be bobbing between the two tiers. Football has to have a different approach than hurling because unlike hurling football is taken very seriously in a lot of counties outside the top 10-12 and them having to play a second tier competition will result in supporters just not bothering to attend. Would any of those counties prefer half a dozen 'King of the Bottom' titles to a single provincial title and an AIQF/AISF appearence? I highly doubt it.

The GAA will rightly see that sort of system as leaving money on the table and handing the initiative over to other sports to thrive in those areas.

[longjohnsilver]

They think that they have purchased half of us and intimidated the other half.
They think that they have foreseen everything, think that they have provided against everything;
but the fools, the fools, the fools

A Public Limited Company gets out of debt.

And tries to link this monetary happening to a volunteer organisation.

Pathetic.

[longjohnsilver]

And a wrong thing to do by the way.

Do not abuse good people!

[seafoid]

Fair enough comment. Though it also has to be recognised that the smaller teams will struggle a lot of the time anyway due to lower numbers. But they should be allowed to maximise there ability and be competitive as possible.

I do believe a 2 tier championship may ultimately work better. This allows teams to play at their own level which is better for everyone. The 2nd tier winners could join the main championship in a play off match to ensure everyone still has chance of winning all Ireland but it would be good to have a decent 2nd tier championship meaning more teams having a realistic chance of winning something.

Would work fine for the Carlows and Clares of the world but it'd be a disaster for counties like Cavan, Roscommon, Offaly, Westmeath and so on, the ones most likely to be bobbing between the two tiers. Football has to have a different approach than hurling because unlike hurling football is taken very seriously in a lot of counties outside the top 10-12 and them having to play a second tier competition will result in supporters just not bothering to attend. Would any of those counties prefer half a dozen 'King of the Bottom' titles to a single provincial title and an AIQF/AISF appearence? I highly doubt it.

The GAA will rightly see that sort of system as leaving money on the table and handing the initiative over to other sports to thrive in those areas.

Cavan, Ros, Kildare and Mayo all have a touch of Man City pre moneybags
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFamFC6ucfE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSHeMJu5yR4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNHQAEHbAHw

- they did it in the past, it is there somewhere in the DNA  and if they get their act together they'll have the killer instinct on the big day in September*# and shlap whichever team is in the way . That's a great dynamic the GAA has and it's untouchable really.

*Mayo's is buried particularly deep
# kildare still have to get over their Galway thing
   

[T Fearon]

On a negative note,

- Many counties are up to their eyes in debt,my own county cannot even remunerate it's secretary

- Pop acts and foreign games now take precedence over GAA activities on the hallowed sward of Croke Park.

- League Finals are an embarrassment, with a far bigger crowd attending the opening game than the final

- Some provinces don't even enforce their own rules

- Rich counties are getting richer while the poor get poorer

- Championship ticket prices remain a deterrent for many Gaels.

[seafoid]

On a negative note,

- Many counties are up to their eyes in debt,my own county cannot even remunerate it's secretary
- Pop acts and foreign games now take precedence over GAA activities on the hallowed sward of Croke Park.
- League Finals are an embarrassmet, with a far bigger crowd attending the opening game than the final
- Some provinces don't even enforce their own rules
- Rich counties are getting richer while the poor get poorer
- Championship ticket prices remain a deterrent for many Gaels.

Donegal are hardly a rich county
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFzFHKY1dDM

Mayo GHU isn't in the Forbes 500 either 


Pop acts and foreign games now take precedence over GAA activities on the hallowed sward of Croke Park.


FFS. The September calendar is free
If they can flog identity to the Galltacht let them at it. Brand is where it is at.

What the GAA has is priceless 
Look at all the high level sponsors that had to pull out due to cashflow issues in last few years.
This is an ongoing issue with Irish business
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WpVzjWkyHc

1978 Nally stand 20 seconds in. look at the sponsors- AIB, PMPA, B+I Line. All died. AIB still not resurrected. 

"Be with AIB". No thanks. I'll stick with CLG.
TheGAA sailed through the crisis.  Banks fucked, Civil Service mediocre, huge questions over where Ireland is going and the GAA is going to be one of the reference points

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSyL-Maz19U

[Redhand Santa]

On a negative note,

- Many counties are up to their eyes in debt,my own county cannot even remunerate it's secretary

- Pop acts and foreign games now take precedence over GAA activities on the hallowed sward of Croke Park.

- League Finals are an embarrassment, with a far bigger crowd attending the opening game than the final

- Some provinces don't even enforce their own rules

- Rich counties are getting richer while the poor get poorer

- Championship ticket prices remain a deterrent for many Gaels.

Yes some counties are struggling but GAA centrally is doing well financially which will ensure there is no threat to the counties. I would say overall the gaa is in a much better financial state than its competitiors in the country.

The bit about the pop acts is a cheap dig. It's one weekend over the summer and the returns which can be reinvested in the gaa are huge. The chances are Croke Park wouldn't have been used that weekend anyway. The hurling quarter finals were in Thurles last year and the back door games are better suited to other venues. My only concern is the pitch.

I'm not sure about the structural set up of the group regarding ownership of croke park but the fact that they're making intercompany loans would suggest they're part of same group as the gaa. Without looking at the details I'm be pretty sure the gaa are still in control of Croke Park and the company running it is there for commercial reasons.

My main point was that despite the huge hype about other games from the media both nationally and internationally the gaa should be proud of how popular our games remain. If rugby or soccer occupied 7 of the 10 most watched games in Ireland the media would be all over it. And this combined with rising attendances can only be taken as a positive year for the gaa.

My other point was with the financial stabiilty in place and current standing the gaa can grow even stronger if managed correctly with proper marketing and fixtures (both club and county).

[Rossfan]

the gaa can grow even stronger if managed correctly with proper marketing and fixtures (both club and county).

This is the one black mark on the horizon.
Currently how many players are taking part in Sigerson, U21 and Senior Inter County in one week or on successive days?
How many ordinary club players will have games stuck in here there and anywhere with feck all games in May/June/July and then a scatter of games in Sept/Oct?
The recent FRC thingy's biggest solution was moving losing Counties around the Provincial competitions.
A REAL root/branch review of competitions, timings and eligibilities for teams needs to be carried out urgently.

Anyway to get back on track - good days in so many ways for the GAA but as it's the organisation and games of the ordinary people away from the immediate environs of RTÉ and the other Dublin media we don't get to hear much about it.
Of course if there's a bad news item.... we'll fcukin hear it then all over the place as they interject into their non stop arselickin love in with rugby and the English Soccer League.

[haranguerer]

Still heading for massive crossroads. The current system doesn't come anywhere close to maximising the potential of the games. There is also going to have to be decisions made about professionalism, the current situation whereby interco players are asked to prepare as professionals yet be expected to maintain careers etc is unsustainable.

Regardless, the future seems bright, but these issues do need to be dealt with, and sooner rather than later.

[Jinxy]

Now that Brooks Park is paid off, it's high time our club got that jacuzzi we've been after.
Actually, now we want TWO jacuzzis.

[deiseach]

It'd be nice to have a cheerful GAA thread. Ballysaggart are playing in Croke Park in the All-Ireland Junior club hurling final against Creggam Kickhams of Antrim. The parish has a population of less than 300. They beat Tramore (my club) in the county final. The population of Tramore? At the last census, it was 9,508. Good luck to Ballysaggart on Saturday, everyone in the county is behind you.

[Hereiam]

Might be a stupid question......
Who regulates the GAA at the minute to make sure that no Money is or has been syphoned off.