Casement Park in line for major overhaul - 40,000 all seater Stadium.

[tbrick18]

what big matches are going to be at casement apart from ulster finals.

All Antrim home games in all codes. They need a home.
Concerts are the obvious big money events.
The jobs generated by the build and also the running of it should boost the local economy.
Stadium tours maybe?
Ulster final - a welcome change from Clones.
It absolutely will get paid for - I still think Croke Park may include a little more. NI/UK government have to put up the rest.
Money was found for the Soccer and Rugby, it will need to be found for the GAA ultimately. The sport with arguably the largest fanbase in Ireland and with the greatest number of participants in any sport here should have a stadium to represent the importance of GAA in NI.
My only complaint is that it has taken so long and parking/transport is likely to be an issue. 

[trailer]

One argument everyone seems to miss is that Ulster Rugby is a professional organisation. IFA / Linfield professional organisations. The GAA is a volunteer charity organisation. Casement money should be a reflection of all the unpaid volunteer hours that thousands of people commit every year, year on year to communities and children across Ulster and NI.

This is a key difference to all the other comparisons that are made and of course an effective rebuttal to the assertion that my attitude is the same as some sectarian DUP SPADs and RHI.

[Rois]

I was at the Saffron Business Forum event this morning - Paul McErlean asked Denis O'Brien for some of his Beacon Hospital proceeds for Casement.  He didn't say no     

[weareros]

I imagine Casement will have no problem attracting American football games. Yanks will have no trouble spinning that as some kind of post-conflict Belfast Bowl or the Good Friday Peace Agreement Showdown. Even with a smaller capacity, if these games generate 147 million for Dublin then they will be very lucrative for Belfast too.

https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/08/25/american-football-dublin-welcomes-largest-number-of-americans-to-travel-abroad-for-sporting-event/

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

what big matches are going to be at casement apart from ulster finals.

All Antrim home games in all codes. They need a home.
Concerts are the obvious big money events.
The jobs generated by the build and also the running of it should boost the local economy.
Stadium tours maybe?
Ulster final - a welcome change from Clones.
It absolutely will get paid for - I still think Croke Park may include a little more. NI/UK government have to put up the rest.
Money was found for the Soccer and Rugby, it will need to be found for the GAA ultimately. The sport with arguably the largest fanbase in Ireland and with the greatest number of participants in any sport here should have a stadium to represent the importance of GAA in NI.
My only complaint is that it has taken so long and parking/transport is likely to be an issue. 

It was found for GAA too. Lots of it.

The GAA were not promised a stadium. Nor were soccer or rugby. They were promised a certain amount of money to redevelop a stadium of their choice. That promise has not been reneged. The idea that soccer and rugby got and we didn't is nonsense.
Soccer and rugby used their allocated funds wisely and delivered a stadium for their games. The GAA didn't and any anger or sense of injustice on that fact needs to be directed solely at the GAA.

[FermPundit]

There were 3.5k in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Saturday for Cork v Cavan and it looked absolutely awful. Would Antrim draw a bigger crowd for a league game in either either code? Corrigan Park is more than adequate. 

[Dreadnought]

There were 3.5k in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Saturday for Cork v Cavan and it looked absolutely awful. Would Antrim draw a bigger crowd for a league game in either either code? Corrigan Park is more than adequate. 

Ah come on, no it's not. Casement might be too big for league games there, but Corrigan isn't enough. How would Antrim ever be able to grow with that?

[FermPundit]

There were 3.5k in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Saturday for Cork v Cavan and it looked absolutely awful. Would Antrim draw a bigger crowd for a league game in either either code? Corrigan Park is more than adequate. 

Ah come on, no it's not. Casement might be too big for league games there, but Corrigan isn't enough. How would Antrim ever be able to grow with that?

I suppose it depends if Antrim get promotion to Division 2 and who they might play at home. I suppose I should say that Corrigan is probably be a bit small but a redeveloped Casement will be far too big. There would be zero atmosphere at it for league games.

[imtommygunn]

Very rare you get big crowds for antrim games. 3500 probably would be a big crowd. The biggest football crowds tend to be for other ulster teams as a load of ones from other counties live in Belfast. The hurling might attract a bit more but even at that 3500 still a stretch.

[Dreadnought]

There were 3.5k in Páirc Uí Chaoimh last Saturday for Cork v Cavan and it looked absolutely awful. Would Antrim draw a bigger crowd for a league game in either either code? Corrigan Park is more than adequate. 

Ah come on, no it's not. Casement might be too big for league games there, but Corrigan isn't enough. How would Antrim ever be able to grow with that?

I suppose it depends if Antrim get promotion to Division 2 and who they might play at home. I suppose I should say that Corrigan is probably be a bit small but a redeveloped Casement will be far too big. There would be zero atmosphere at it for league games.

It's ok to have somewhere too big for certain games, as long as big enough for the games that matter. Croker is filled a handful of times a year, but no one would suggest it's not needed. Casement doesn't need to be filled every weekend. Antrim at least need somewhere to grow their game more than current limitations. And yes, 34k is likely too big, but that on UEFA standards. At least it will leave a legacy for future and other games will fill it

[Dreadnought]

Very rare you get big crowds for antrim games. 3500 probably would be a big crowd. The biggest football crowds tend to be for other ulster teams as a load of ones from other counties live in Belfast. The hurling might attract a bit more but even at that 3500 still a stretch.

So that can't be changed? Antrim is a county that can be tapped if tried. And part of that is having somewhere you can bring new fans, or returning ones.

[imtommygunn]

I objectively stated that those are the crowds we get.

[seafoid]

One argument everyone seems to miss is that Ulster Rugby is a professional organisation. IFA / Linfield professional organisations. The GAA is a volunteer charity organisation. Casement money should be a reflection of all the unpaid volunteer hours that thousands of people commit every year, year on year to communities and children across Ulster and NI.

This is a key difference to all the other comparisons that are made and of course an effective rebuttal to the assertion that my attitude is the same as some sectarian DUP SPADs and RHI.

Soccer is working class on the island. It has less social capital than GAA and rugby. It is the poor relation

[armaghniac]

I objectively stated that those are the crowds we get.

A new stadium has to be chance for Antrim to try and do a bit better. Mind you, I have no confidence in this.

[Dreadnought]

I objectively stated that those are the crowds we get.

And can never increase ever or try to grow the game there? That's a low bar you're holding there