20 February 2007
It is understood the GAA are on the verge of announcing a major increase in ticket prices for this year's All-Ireland championship matches.
An All-Ireland stand ticket for a final currently costs 60 euros but an anticipated 15 percent rise would push the price to 70 euros.
The GAA chiefs are to meet later this week to rubber stamp the increase which is likely to be aped by provincial councils for their SFC matches as well.
The price increases alone could see gate receipts for the two blue riband games in September rise by over one million euros
I think that this is pure greed after getting millions from the soccer and rugby in croker they could have left prices alone for this year aleast.
sure the excess money that this increase will bring in will passed on down to the clubs , not >:( >:( >:(
An All Ireland final when your own county is involved (and sometimes not even) is the experience of a lifetime, and if it's not worth 70 euros to you, it will definitely be worth it to someone else.
We've had this debate a few times before, but here's my personal take on the main points
(1) By the time you factor in the cost of a few pints and food it's a very expensive day out.
It's very little over the cost of a meal out at a Dublin restaurant - and which would be the more memorable? Anyway, the GAA is not responsible for the price of a pint in the Big Tree.
(2) It's a huge burden on families
Kids don't get the All Ireland final - it's wasted on them. All they look on it is a day out to cheer on their county - they don't appreciate how historic it is, in many cases a league game involving their county would mean just enough. Once they get to 13/14, they'll have been working all summer so they can afford it themselves if they want to go. Again, every nine year old in the crowd is another supporter aged from 17-77 that couldn't get a ticket, so the very least is that they should spend it.
(3) The GAA is very well off, they don't need this
I'm sure every club in Ireland could come up with something they could do with the extra money if it became available. I'm nopt saying that they'll be the ones that get it, but generally the GAA does use their money fairly well - whatever else you could accuse them of, waste is not an issue.
Now on the other hand, if they start increasing the cost of league/club/qualifier matches which have huge swathes of empty stadium, that would be greed. By increasing the cost of these games you're penalising each regular supporter by as much as €200 a year. And then at the end of it all they can't even get a ticket for the final, because people are going for the day out, seeing as it costs less than the rugby after all.
Hateful Fcukers
What reasons are they giving such an increase.70 euros is some price for the final, especiallly if you followed the county throughout the year, perhaps 15/20 games in all (incl league)
If the profits from renting the stadium out are passed to grass roots fair & well, but I seriously doubt small clubs will receive much financial aid.
Quote70 euros is some price for the final, especiallly if you followed the county throughout the year
there's plenty of people in 30 counties who followed their county throughout the year in who would be glad of the opportunity to support them in the final.
The only observation is that they should make good seats €65 and Davin End etc €65.
Quote from: armaghniac on February 20, 2007, 12:40:20 PM
Quote70 euros is some price for the final, especiallly if you followed the county throughout the year
there's plenty of people in 30 counties who followed their county throughout the year in who would be glad of the opportunity to support them in the final.
FFS, Of course everyone would like to get to the AIF.
i have no problem with finals being €70 and tbh I'd push it up a bit more, sure I paid €80 for the rugby the last day, although i did probably enjoy it more than the Kerry v Mayo game (i'm still sick every time I think of the first 10 mins).
The problem I have is the lesser games, the quarters etc, where if myself and the wife head down to a half empty croker we are out 100 between us, my other problem is the catering inside the ground, those sandwiches, hotdogs etc are woeful and disgracefully priced at 6/7 euro each!! Sorry, i like ranting about that shite!
Quote from: Bogball XV on February 20, 2007, 12:53:14 PM
i have no problem with finals being €70 and tbh I'd push it up a bit more, sure I paid €80 for the rugby the last day, although i did probably enjoy it more than the Kerry v Mayo game (i'm still sick every time I think of the first 10 mins).
The problem I have is the lesser games, the quarters etc, where if myself and the wife head down to a half empty croker we are out 100 between us, my other problem is the catering inside the ground, those sandwiches, hotdogs etc are woeful and disgracefully priced at 6/7 euro each!! Sorry, i like ranting about that shite!
would fully agree with what you say there Bogball.
Although having a wife that hates football seems to have its positive side after all!
;)
QuoteOnce they get to 13/14, they'll have been working all summer
Yeah, those sweat shops pay well too, sure why not put it up to a ton...
Quote from: The Bottom Brick on February 20, 2007, 01:20:10 PM
QuoteOnce they get to 13/14, they'll have been working all summer
Yeah, those sweat shops pay well too, sure why not put it up to a ton...
I won't lie, there was no shortage of sweating done when you spend a summer turning turf. You work hard, you get paid for it. Where's the harm?
So what did you do all summer as a teenager then Bottom Brick?
I'll have to agree with Bogball. I have no problem paying 70 or even 80 euros for an AIF. Well worth it even if my own team arentl playing. It's when you get flecced for sh1tty back-door games with crap facilities to stand in a bog like the Marshes or over-priced league openers & mc kenna cup ties just cos it's Tyrone and they hike up the price. For such occasions I save up all the shrapnel from weekends and throw a handful of change down and say "aye its all there" leaving a heap of cents for them to count up.
Sometimes I wonder how much thought goes into these decisions at all.
Overall I can't imagine too many people complaining about the price of an All Ireland final ticket, but I sometimes wonder do the powers that be actually think about all ticket prices or is it just based on the fact that if the main one rises they should all rise proportionately? I despair every time I go into a league/qualifier game and see swathes of empty seats, all the more so when the game turns out to be fairly decent - less than 4,000 in Portlaoise for our hurling qualifier with Clare 18 months ago jumps to mind, a very engaging clash, even in dodgy conditions. As far as I'm concerned at least 4,000 more kids and the like could have been brought through the gates there if kids were let in free - in fact I'd go so far as to say that the GAA should subsidise adults bringing kids into matches like that, encourage attendance. (€15 entrance for adults, minus a fiver for every child you have in tow, that kind of thing)
We go on about rugby and soccer in Croke Park giving other games a stage, and yet we won't go out of our way to show our own bloody games to kids at all.
Provincial finals and All Ireland quarter finals onwards are when the good time charlies come on board, and when the genuine fans are simply delighted to see their team involved in the business end of proceedings - start charging through the nose then by all means.
Shocking news. If I paid for my tickets I'd be suicidal ;D
Hoy Tony,
Were you in the Bot on Sunday night?
Quote from: Tony Fearon on February 20, 2007, 04:08:47 PM
Shocking news. If I paid for my tickets I'd be suicidal ;D
Yeah, you wouldn't be able to watch a certain English Soccer Premiership team based in London called Tottenham Hotspur if you had to shell out money to watch some gaelic football matches instead. ::)
Yet another example of the corporate rip-off mentality which has become so engrained in Irish society. Dont expect a rational explanation for these increases, there simply isnt one. This will ultimately damage the nature and ethos of the G.A.A. by making it too expensive for families and ordinary working people who backbone the organisation to attend Co.games. Where are the corporate entitys and the Prawn sandwich brigade during the winter NFL campaigns. Ill tell you where they are supporting Rugger and English soccer teams. We are an amateur organisation, let our prices reflect that. There has been much talk lately of the GPA receiving official recognition and a seat at the decision making table. Perhaps its time us long suffering supporters were awarded the same privelige. Make your voices heard
I think this is fair enough tbh. It was 2004 the last time there was a price hike and €70 for an All-Ireland is good value if you ask me. This money goes into the pot and is spent in one way or another to strenghten the association which is alright by me. Though as Lone Shark said more encouragement should be given to parents ( through concessions etc.) to bring kids and more thought put into raising attendances at league games and less high profile championship matches.
QuoteWhere are the corporate entitys and the Prawn sandwich brigade during the winter NFL campaigns.
The point is that a significant proportion of those at winter NFL games will be glad to source a ticket at €70, without having to go on to EBay to buy one, because of the system of distributing tickets.
As for promoting games, there is a lot of sense in letting kids in and in initiatives like the floodlight Dublin-Tyrone game. Some effort should be made to interest the made people around on Paddy's day in the Club finals.
Have to laugh at the Indo today highlighting the hikes. Very little coverage in papers about ticket prices for soccer and rugby internationals.
Agenda driven rabble rousing.
E70 for an AIF is not too expensive for 2 matches and the pagaentry involved.
We are going to get the usual guff in papers about the mythical family of supporters and their costs incurred in goin to CP. Of course this mythical family will buy 4 jersies at E55 each for every game and have a E200 meal etc etc etc.
On days out i rarely if ever think of the price of a ticket ,its not that i'm super rich its just not that expensive ,i find that GAA is great value for money . I mean often your getting 2/3 games for the price of one if you interested
you are lucky you don't live over here lads - 30 euro for a seat in the back row of the arena for a regular season game for the ice hockey - and that's if you can get them
There are a few good points there alright lads, loneshark makes a great point re pricing, there is no way that pricing is sorted out on an individual basis, it should be though, and it should be based on the ground the fans are being forced to stand in and the facilities on offer. Not every qualifier should be the same price, there has to be some sort of scheme in place wherein people who might be able to guage local demand should be allowed discretion re pricing, or as suggested more promotional schemes should be encouraged.
Another problem is that prices for local county championship games are normally a bit excessive, now i don't know if lower prices would encourage more people, but i can say I've never seen a ground filled to capacity for a club game!!
Quote from: lynchbhoy on February 20, 2007, 01:11:21 PM
would fully agree with what you say there Bogball.
Although having a wife that hates football seems to have its positive side after all!
;)
Aye, though mine doesn't come to many games nowadays, the occasions referred to would have been when we were courting, oh to be back there again...... (put it this way, she'll hardly be in newbridge on sunday!!)
Yep, raise the prices from Provincial finals onwards and offset this extra profit by reducing the prices for qualifier games and league games.
You'll still have full houses in Croker in August/September and league and qualifier attendances should improve. A win win situation.
Quote from: charlie linkbox on February 20, 2007, 09:41:21 PM
You'll still have full houses in Croker in August/September and league and qualifier attendances should improve. A win win situation.
There aren't many full houses in August unless the Dubs are playing - I can't think of the last sell out without them - anyone else?
FFS lads the GAA frooze all ticket prices last year, fair play to them for that. I don't think tickets are over priced the family tickets are great value too and are avialable for all but a few games. The all Ireland final looks underpriced when compared to the Rugby and soccer tickets and when compared to premiership tickets. Its 2 days a year tends to be made up of 50% neutrals anyway, the other half will or should be counting their blessings that they are there and that their county is in the final.
Its costing counties more and more to prepare teams, many of them are struggling and I'm sure most you would agree its a less painful way of earning money than selling raffle tickets etc.
Quote from previous poster...... The all Ireland final looks underpriced when compared to the Rugby and soccer tickets and when compared to premiership tickets.
One major difference is that the GAA do not have to pay the stars who are performing, so you are not comparing like with like
OK Bogball XV, if you're going to get pedantic about it, I meant insofar as the size of crowds wouldn't suffer from what they are at present for the latter stages of the championship.
Happy?
AZOffaly, my Bot days finished about 1985!
There are those like yourself who think they have seen me, others more fortunate actually have ;D
Quote from: charlie linkbox on February 21, 2007, 03:16:55 AM
OK Bogball XV, if you're going to get pedantic about it, I meant insofar as the size of crowds wouldn't suffer from what they are at present for the latter stages of the championship.
Happy?
i wasn't intending to be pedantic, but do you not think that crowds would be higher if tickets were cheaper or if more tickets were given to clubs for example to treat their underage teams to a day out?
BTW when was the last sell out not involving the Dubs or not an AIF?
That's a fair point, and I agree.
But I suppose there is the argument (and I'm only guessing here) that the extra revenue gained from hiking up the ticket prices by 10 euros or so will offset against the lost profits due to the empty seats. I mean, as long as attendances don't fall (and I'm saying this from a GAA perspective, not mine) then it doesn't matter if the stadium is full or not, the profit from a full stadium that the GAA currently makes will still be made even if the stadium is not full. I hope that makes sense ???
You're proposal would be better though, I agree with that.