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Kerry have also come to the business table with a massive fundraising event, which was held in the Plaza Hotel, New York last May, and raised a little over €1 million. 420 guests, from businessmen to the Kerry diaspora living across the United States attended, in order to fund Kerry GAA's €5.8 million Centre of Excellence.

Kerry's sponsors are no shrinking violets either and the team can rely on support from the likes of Kerry Group, financial institutions such as the Irish League of Credit Unions and Acorn Life, Hotel groups like The Brehon and The Malton Hotel, Skins Sportswear, Castleisland Co-op, The Kerryman newspaper, and Keanes Supervalu.

In Kerry Group, a leading global brand in the food sector, Kerry GAA have a major sponsor which at least lets them try to compete with the Dublin model.

Kilkenny have another major sponsor in Glanbia/Avonmore to fuel their success. They have also built a new training centre in Dunmore, which will be funded by MW Hire. Mattie Walsh (MW Hire), a former Kilkenny hurler has agreed to fund this for the first five years, ensuring the running costs of the venue are met.

A typical master stroke from Kilkenny, keeping it local without any loans or debts. Kilkenny don't do hype, on or off the field, and have even named their new facility as the 'Training Centre' rather than the 'Centre of Excellence', which every county team in Ireland now must own and eventually pay for.

Offaly are currently building 'A Centre' outside Kilcormac at a cost of €2,250,000. A major fundraiser is under way at present, with former player Michael Duignam leading the way and golfer Shane Lowry also getting involved. They now need to raise €750,000 and hope the development would be debt free.

In Cork at their County Board Convention last December, Chairman Ger Lane stressed that 'red lights were flashing' with regards to the county's finances. Investment bonds which were cashed in were supposedly shielding the existing debt that exists. As the Chairman states in his address to the county board delegates, "no business could operate on the losses we'd made over the last few years without those investments. The red lights are certainly flashing in terms of financing and the cisteoir (treasurer) has a huge task to turn that around in the next year or so."

Another example of a county board burdening themselves with a debt of €70 million for a project to build a state of the art stadium along with another 'Centre Of Excellence'.

In the last few days the Westmeath County Board have announced naming rights for their Cusack Park pitch with TEG Engineering coming on board in a five year deal. It was only at the previous months convention that Westmeath County Board Chairman, Sean Sheridan, spoke on how the county is "practically broke", with a debt of €194,000.

Carlow's County Board last year announced an exclusive naming rights with Netwatch.

County Boards are now being stretched in order to survive. A money game is gripping every county, with corporate sponsors, naming rights of pitches and 'Centres of Excellence' scattered around our cities and towns.

We have now reached saturation point where survival of the fittest is no longer a reference for our teams on the pitch, but also off it.

Dublin and Kerry lead the way on and off the field, but Cork's example is a message to all that even the top counties are now finding it hard to participate in the money game.

The GAA is "Ireland's largest sporting organisation and is celebrated as one of the great amateur sporting associations in the world today".

(A quote from the official GAA web page)




http://www.punditarena.com/gaa/dcashin/g-money-game/

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/gaa-sponsorship-deals-highlight-richman-poorman-divide-29649138.html

Tyrone, with the help of their 'Club Tyrone' supporters' wing, opened their astonishing new €8m training base in Garvaghey on September 28, 10 years to the day after they won their first All-Ireland.

Kerry revealed plans for a similarly ambitious dual-base centre of excellence this week that will cost them just shy of €6m – with the backing of €1m from county sponsors Kerry Group.

And Hurling:


Hurling isn't immune, either. When Tipperary halted Kilkenny's 'Drive for Five', they spent a record €1.2m on preparing their county teams that year, and that figure has remained around the €1m mark.

Clare's expenditure jumped by €110,000 last year as they secured an U-21 All-Ireland and, after retaining that title and collecting the Liam MacCarthy Cup, another sizeable leap in outgoings can be expected.


Commercial appeal can help offset the costs of running county teams but some counties are finding it increasingly difficult to attract sponsors. Last year Cork wore a charity's logo as they searched for a successor to telecommunications giant O2. Insurance company Chill eventually signed a three-year sponsorship deal worth an estimated €1m.

I do apologise , im wrong on the Tyrone thing but the point is Dublin are not the only ones that have money or were given money.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/a-67m-monument-to-tyrone-ambition-29509448.html

Tyrone County Board have contributed 51pc (£3.4m), Croke Park have given 28pc (£1.6m), a Northern Ireland rural development programme has funded 13pc (£0.85m), and other local state bodies, including the tourist board, £1m.

A total of £2m has still to be paid off but Tyrone have borrowed this from Croke Park and are confident of clearing it inside their 10-year target.

Its like a forum of Ewan McKenna's. Dublin have advantages yes, they always had advantages.

Say what you will but to me you are disrespecting the Dublin GAA community disrespecting the thousands of volunteers, many many form the country, the visionaries, the grassroots,  the clubs, the club players. Dublin are the same as any other county in that the GAA is grassroots and club first, to your surprise we actually don't have a factory that makes footballers, as stated before a lot of the current squad fathers played for Dublin which created natural ability and with a coach like Gavin the worlds is yours.

Its seems maybe your gripe should be with the GAA, not Dublin.

And this team is an exceptional team and wont be around forever. A lot of players going past their peak.

None of this was a problem when Dublin were not winning and getting beaten by Tyrone (7 million British tax payer money for centre of excellence) or Kerry ( sponsored by a Billionaire Euro Company , one of the biggest is Europe and the world) .

Id advise you all to spend a few days in Dublin travelling around different clubs in different areas to see what is like.

Sure you even seen it on Irelands gogglebox last night, the two lads cheering for Mayo as if it was there own county, sad really and relects the attitude of the rest of the country.

Split Kerry in 4 at minor and take away the millions that are pumped in to Kerry GAA and give it to Leitrim!

Dublin have 11 minor titles. Kerry have 14 3 won in a row. So its not a bad record. Think they were in 2011 final won it 2012. Terrible record alright.

If Dublin won 3 minors in a row there'd be talk that Dublin should be split in two at minor level.

Exactly, proves the point people don't mind teams being good and winning, as long as its not Dublin which proves that there is a special hatred of all things Dublin, but that's fine, its all the sweater in victory when the Dubs win.

Is there is a limit on the GAA ticket, thought Dublins was maxed out with the PP pass and GAA ticket is around 10k or so?

Mayo definitely outnumbered Dublin, how did they get more tickets? I thought Dublin had the largest season ticket numbers?

Dublin outnumbered 2/1, where did all the blow ins come from, who are these people?

Hurling were reduced to €50 and €25 and 5000 €10 juvenile tickets were available.

Announced as 60 and 30 with a limited number of tickets for 10euro for U16s. Have to say that this smacks of pure greed. 50 would have more than enough.

Yeah All Mayo, loads and loads of Mayo people in Dublin, tis crazy. All the neutrals crying out for a Dublin defeat will be out if force again too.

Had to pay full whack in 2000 but I didn't mind 
Recent hurling replays wouldn't have been full houses if prices were kept the same but football replay would be different.
One thing I like about replays is all the people who fly home for the one big game are gone so makes it much easier for the rest to get tickets

I know plenty who are going back again for "the one big match".

All the best lads are put straight to the senior team early doors. Connolly, Brogan, McMahon, even Cluxton. All them lads. Only 17.

Tis big drain on the minors.

Not sure what you mean. Those players did not go into the senior squad when 17.

Just a reminder to people who say Mayo have Dublin's number. They have not beaten Jim Gavins Dublin in 9 attempts league and championship.

I see the Dublin propaganda machine is in full swing already over on (Dublin) joe dot ie. FFS.

You mad, With Scruff click bait Parkinson in control of their GAA section, stay away from all social media as the mass hysteria from people over GAA matches is gone crazy, especially when the Dubs are involved.

[Told you all a few times in the last few weeks the ref and GAA would try their best to get Mayo over the line. Nearly worked too]

Told you all a few times in the last few weeks the ref and GAA would try their best to get Mayo over the line. Nearly worked too. Some of you nearly got your wish that the Dubs were beaten.

However, it show that the greatest football team of all time are vulnerable, the Dubs to win well the next day.

Also, the GAA ticket office must be in Mayo, 2-1 outnumbered Dublin, it was probably all the neutrals supporting Mayo I presume.

I'd safely say you wouldn't know your arse from your elbow

Disagree. 

In fairness and my real opinion is , it was a good hard tough battle, a draw a fair result, not sure what will happen the next day, 2 weeks of listening and reading crap on social media, forums  and main stream, that's the downside.

Told you all a few times in the last few weeks the ref and GAA would try their best to get Mayo over the line. Nearly worked too. Some of you nearly got your wish that the Dubs were beaten.

However, it show that the greatest football team of all time are vulnerable, the Dubs to win well the next day.

Also, the GAA ticket office must be in Mayo, 2-1 outnumbered Dublin, it was probably all the neutrals supporting Mayo I presume.

You forgot the referee and other officials will give Mayo everything, the pressure is on, even Enda Kenny addressed the nation to get behind Mayo. Dubs don't stand a chance in this one im afraid.

Mayo by 3 points with a good helping hand from the referee and the GAA.