Professional and amateur status within the GAA

[vincentstereo]

Hello all,

I am a student carrying out some research on the GAA for my final year project at university.  My project is surrounding the issue of professional and amateur status within the GAA.  It would be of great help if you could comment on my questions as it will give opinions and views from a grassroot level, Thanks:

1.  Would the GAA and players not be tempted to turn professional with the possibility of receiving large amounts of money (pay-for-play) or is it in the GAA's culture for members to volunteer their time and expertise?

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Fáilte romhat,

This has been discussed at length on various threads before, any or all of these should have your answers:

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=2369.0

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=6738.0

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=10110.0

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=7584.0

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=6947.0

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=5768.0

[Hound]

Hello all,

I am a student carrying out some research on the GAA for my final year project at university.  My project is surrounding the issue of professional and amateur status within the GAA.  It would be of great help if you could comment on my questions as it will give opinions and views from a grassroot level, Thanks:

1.  Would the GAA and players not be tempted to turn professional with the possibility of receiving large amounts of money (pay-for-play) or is it in the GAA's culture for members to volunteer their time and expertise?

Well the answer to your second question is Yes of course. Although its the same in professional sports at grassroots level.

I notice you say "GAA and players". How do you think the GAA would receive large amounts of money from turning professional?
If the players are to receive large amounts of money, where would it come from? Or who/what would it be diverted away from?

I'm sure if you did a search on this forum on pay for play or GPA you'd get bundles of opinions to read through.

[thebandit]

Please refer all questions to Mr Dessie Farrell

[kevmy]

I don't think anyone will make much money out of a professional GAA and despite what some people want to believe that is one of the main reasons why it has not and will not go professional in the forseeable future.

Basically GAA doesn't make enough money/hasn't enough games/ hasn't enough of a population to go professional. I mean you get 10 games a year at most which come close to filling Croker. And maybe 10-20 more which attract 30,000 plus. So basically you have max 30 games with big crowds. This isn't enough to sustain any professional sport - especially when there isn't a big international tv audience to get money from.

The GAA knows this, the GPA knows it, the volunteers know it, the media knows it and deep down the public know it as well.

[Hound]

.....The GAA knows this, the GPA knows it, the volunteers know it, the media knows it and deep down the public know it as well.

and someday the league of Ireland might even figure it out.

[kevmy]

.....The GAA knows this, the GPA knows it, the volunteers know it, the media knows it and deep down the public know it as well.

and someday the league of Ireland might even figure it out.

Ah I wouldn't go too far