What would you do to attract 30k people to Croke park on Sat Aug 1st.

[joemamas]

I have always felt that the GAA do a poor job of marketing their games despite the incredible potential they have.
Although, I will be there regardless, with the place most likely to be three quarters empty, it could turn out to be the ultimate damp squib. As somebody on a related thread mentioned, the atmosphere at a stadium with this many empty seats will be crappy at best.

What could Croke Park have done to avoid this;

Anticipate this a month ago and tell the prospective counties involved that they would be given 2,500 tickets each to distribute to national schools players, even reward divisional finalists of u8,u10, u12, u14, u16.
Do same as above for all Division 4 teams. Generate interest for potential next generation of footballers from weaker counties.
Provide giveaways,vouchers for GAA gear at the GAA stores in Croke Park.
Have the finals of a skills competition.
A decent band between the games.
A celebrity race between people like Pat Spillane, Joe Brolly and Colm o Rourke, while the band is setting up. I am sure somebody would sponsor it and in-turn a charity would benefit from it.
A charity boxing match at both half-times between whomever, same concept as above.
There must be twenty ways that this could have been accomplished.

[moysider]

None of those would have got those or anybody I know, including kids, to head to CP.

At the end of the day we want to see a good match live with a decent crowd and atmosphere. The trimmings do nothing for me or anybody I know. The Dallas Cowboy Cheergirls maybe or the a Lingerie Football League match ( why not - we were forced down to limerick to accommodate some lads playing in helmets and padding last year). Why not indeed. CP is a hoor of a ground anyway.

I'd have gone to Sligo or Castlebar to see Galway/Donegal. I know 6/8 would be there without stretching it. Wild horses wouldn t drag me to Dublin and probably leave the telly viewing to recording or highlights.

Sligo/Tyrone might get fewer neutrals but play the gig in Enniskillen ffs.

[BennyCake]

Yeah it's ridiculous bringing this to CP. It's a hell of a journey for all counties involved.

[Farrandeelin]

Donegal have good support, as have Tyrone I think. Galway will begin to muster up some more now too... I don't know about Sligo. I'd have gone to Brewster to cheer them on though. You never know, there might be more there than you think. Or am I being ridiculously naive?

[ballinaman]

Donegal have good support, as have Tyrone I think. Galway will begin to muster up some more now too... I don't know about Sligo. I'd have gone to Brewster to cheer them on though. You never know, there might be more there than you think. Or am I being ridiculously naive?

Race week in Galway this year, that won't help Galway support.I was at the triple header in Croke Park a few years ago...Cavan London...Cork Galway and can't remember the third match.
Galway didn't bring many that day...Meehans free off the crossbar was highlight of the day...and maybe a Cavan forward hitting the post 2 yards out.

[BluestackBoy]

Donegal have good support, as have Tyrone I think. Galway will begin to muster up some more now too... I don't know about Sligo. I'd have gone to Brewster to cheer them on though. You never know, there might be more there than you think. Or am I being ridiculously naive?

People in Donegal are very unhappy with this & rightly so.

We want to go to a game that's an occasion with atmosphere & there will be none in Croke Park with 30,000.

For my own part I'm having nothing to do with it.

[Keyboard Warrior]

Would Clones have been a better alternative to Croke Park for this double header?

[laoislad]

How about a Garth Brooks concert at half time of the second game?

[theticklemister]

Very good thread.

Croke Park is a joke for this.

[johnneycool]

There's a lot to be said for a good Mass..

[Rossfan]

Croke Park is a joke for this.

Absolutely.
3 teams from the West Coast on  Bank Holiday weekend.
Lunacy.

[From the Bunker]

Donegal have good support, as have Tyrone I think. Galway will begin to muster up some more now too... I don't know about Sligo. I'd have gone to Brewster to cheer them on though. You never know, there might be more there than you think. Or am I being ridiculously naive?

Race week in Galway this year, that won't help Galway support.I was at the triple header in Croke Park a few years ago...Cavan London...Cork Galway and can't remember the third match.
Galway didn't bring many that day...Meehans free off the crossbar was highlight of the day...and maybe a Cavan forward hitting the post 2 yards out.

Meath Tyrone was the other match Ballinaman.

Anyway it's all about the corporate boxes and vendors. As well as that it is easier for Sky camera crews to set up shop. All pay the GAA handsome money and the GAA have to accommodate them. This is not about anything else.

[heffo]

Who was the county that made a huge fuss when their Quarter final wasn't fixed for Croke Park a few years back?

[Rossfan]

These are Round 4 games.
Why is it OK to have 4a played at venues in between the Counties but 4b have to be traipsed to Croker??

[joemamas]

Donegal have good support, as have Tyrone I think. Galway will begin to muster up some more now too... I don't know about Sligo. I'd have gone to Brewster to cheer them on though. You never know, there might be more there than you think. Or am I being ridiculously naive?

Race week in Galway this year, that won't help Galway support.I was at the triple header in Croke Park a few years ago...Cavan London...Cork Galway and can't remember the third match.
Galway didn't bring many that day...Meehans free off the crossbar was highlight of the day...and maybe a Cavan forward hitting the post 2 yards out.

Meath Tyrone was the other match Ballinaman.

Anyway it's all about the corporate boxes and vendors. As well as that it is easier for Sky camera crews to set up shop. All pay the GAA handsome money and the GAA have to accommodate them. This is not about anything else.

I guess your last point does sum it up. I purposely omitted reference to this in my original point, as I did not want to be the focal point of the discussion, but at the end of the day, it appears that this is what is dictating it.
Aside from Dublin being involved, which they never were going to be due to A and B groups, this fixture was never going to sell out or even come close to it. The GAA could have planned for this day two or three months ago.

Maybe a 10k or 15k attendance may embarrass the idiots who broke up the Q/Final August bank Holiday football feast, I mean the latter point genuinely. This load of nonsense that it was to allow for smoother fixture flow, also does not cut it, as Cork are still out a week after losing Munster final replay.  Somebody with a pair in Croke Park, should direct the provincials to have their respective completed by complete by third Sunday in July.