Croke Park may remain Open

[Joxer]

GAA President Nickey Brennan has refused to rule out the playing of non-GAA sports at Croke Park after the opening of the redeveloped Lansdowne Road in 2010.

Brennan who was speaking today at TG4's launch of their new GAA 125th anniversary TV series, gave the strongest indication yet that international soccer and rugby may continue to feature at GAA headquarters.

"I understand from reading the papers today that there is a motion coming in from Clare," he said.

"As the person obviously sitting in the chair, who will have to steer such motions at Congress, I'm obviously not getting into any particular motions but I always expected that something like this would find its way on to the clár and let it be debated the same way as everything else at this stage.

"We are happy to see motions coming from whatever sources in the GAA and let people make their arguments on the floor of Congress."

Brennan also offered his enthusiasm to the existing arrangements with the FAI and IRFU.

"I don't want to prejudge it but it's fair to say that the arrangement has gone extremely well from a logistical as well as sporting point of view."

The Kilkenny man also spoke for the first time following the introduction of the GAA's experimental disciplinary rules which saw 85 yellow cards, no red cards and almost 180 black books issued during 24 senior inter-county games last weekend.

"I would have to complement, in fairness, the team managers and others for their measured approach at the weekend. I think people understood that it was an experiment and they were accepting that things might happen that couldn't have been foreseen," he said.

"January is clearly going to be the learning period and when it comes to the leagues, people should then be up to speed on what the new rules are all about."

However Brennan was not making excuses for those who are saying that there is an unfamiliarity with the new rules.

"This whole process is well over a year-and-a-half in gestation. We have spent a lot of time educating people and educating the media.

"If people don't know what is going on now, I don't think they can actually blame us for it."

The GAA President also failed to rule out the possibility of the new rules being filtered down to club games, should they be formally adopted for inter-county games at GAA Congress in April.

"That decision has yet to be made (in relation to clubs). I have a personal view on that, that I probably wouldn't like to see it coming in until the beginning of next year at club level," he added.

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Always thought this was going to be the case.. The ££££ were too good to resist.

[The Real Laoislad]

Would the cost of the FAI/IRFU renting out Croke Park after Landsdowne is built be covered by the 30,000 or so extra tickets they would sell
If not I doubt they would want to play the game in Croke Park,sure there will be extra fans but if they aren't gonna make money out of having it there or if it ends up costing them money ie the rent is more than the extra revenue from the tickets why would they play it in Croke Park 

[armagh leg-end]

Would the cost of the FAI/IRFU renting out Croke Park after Landsdowne is built be covered by the 30,000 or so extra tickets they would sell
If not I doubt they would want to play the game in Croke Park,sure there will be extra fans but if they aren't gonna make money out of having it there or if it ends up costing them money ie the rent is more than the extra revenue from the tickets why would they play it in Croke Park 

Laoislad that may be true, but its not going to cost the gaa any extra to keep it open if the the FA1/IRFU wanted to use croke park. it would also allow uefa to maybe hold uefa cuo/champions league final in croke park or if ireland was to host/co host euro's it would mean that an extra stadium would be available.

so i would be in favour of keeping the stadium open!

[The Real Laoislad]

Would the cost of the FAI/IRFU renting out Croke Park after Landsdowne is built be covered by the 30,000 or so extra tickets they would sell
If not I doubt they would want to play the game in Croke Park,sure there will be extra fans but if they aren't gonna make money out of having it there or if it ends up costing them money ie the rent is more than the extra revenue from the tickets why would they play it in Croke Park 

Laoislad that may be true, but its not going to cost the gaa any extra to keep it open if the the FA1/IRFU wanted to use croke park. it would also allow uefa to maybe hold uefa cuo/champions league final in croke park or if ireland was to host/co host euro's it would mean that an extra stadium would be available.

so i would be in favour of keeping the stadium open!

I'm not saying Im not in favour,I would be all in favour for it..
I just think that the FAI/IRFU might not want to play games there thats all..

[kevmy]

The FAI/IRFU mightn't make much more money out of it but they would look bad if they're was a massive game, say a World Cup qualifier against one of the big teams or a chance or Ireland winning the 6 nations, which outstripped demand for the new Lansdowne considerably and they had didn't move it to croker if it was available.

[The Real Laoislad]

The FAI/IRFU mightn't make much more money out of it but they would look bad if they're was a massive game, say a World Cup qualifier against one of the big teams or a chance or Ireland winning the 6 nations, which outstripped demand for the new Lansdowne considerably and they had didn't move it to croker if it was available.

I agree totally but it always comes down to money in the end

[ziggysego]

Close the doors.

[MaroonAndWhite]

So long as GAA fixtures are not being moved to accomodate concerts, soccer, rugby etc, it makes sense to keep it open. Plough the extra revenue into underage structures, facilities as well as keeping the stadium modernised etc

[Rossfan]

It's a decision for the GAA via Congress if a Motion appears on the clár.
However I too doubt if the FAI or the Buggers would move their games out of LR as they would not make any extra money while their own place wouldnt be earning anything.

By the way Tommy Kenoy in last week's Ros Herald said that the 2 most memorable events of his life were
1- Ros Minors All Ireland win in Ennis and
2 - The Ireland/England ploughing Rugby game in Croke Park. ...
I wont list his comments on item 2 as Orangeman/Mid Louth and a few others would likely die of a fit ..

[Tyrone Dreamer]

Just goes to show what a bunch of liers the open up croke park campaign supporters were. The people against it were shot down when they said that once the doors were open they wouldnt close again. The answer was this would never happen and they just wanted to ensure that the Irish sportsmen like Stephen Ireland and Kevin Kilbane didnt have to play abroad.

[magickingdom]

on average the gaa has received E1.35m per game played there. if ticket prices are E70 (x30k for rugby x20k soccer (all seating) your talking about additional revenue of between E1.4 (soccer)- E2.1(rugby). addition expenses wouldn't be huge and corporate seat holders in lansdowne would have to be accommodated in cp. the money is there if they want to do it at around E1m for soccer and E1.7 for rugby giving both the irfu and ifa e400k per game (they would need to make a few extra bob too)

[Jinxy]

Keep taking their money I say.
Especially given the current climate.
I predict there will be a drop-off in the rugby crowds to match the soccer if they do continue playing in Croke Park though.
Tickets are too dear.

[thebandit]

Of course it should stay open - As a GAA man I was proud of our stadium and how far we had progressed while others had stagnated in times when money was never so plentiful. Even when the Rugby and Soccer boys build a stadium its nice to know that they'll still need help from the amateur organisation.

[johnpower]

Just goes to show what a bunch of liers the open up croke park campaign supporters were. The people against it were shot down when they said that once the doors were open they wouldnt close again. The answer was this would never happen and they just wanted to ensure that the Irish sportsmen like Stephen Ireland and Kevin Kilbane didnt have to play abroad.

Get over it move on .

[J70]

Just goes to show what a bunch of liers the open up croke park campaign supporters were. The people against it were shot down when they said that once the doors were open they wouldnt close again. The answer was this would never happen and they just wanted to ensure that the Irish sportsmen like Stephen Ireland and Kevin Kilbane didnt have to play abroad.

Yeah, each and every one of them is a despicable liar.

Its a democratic organization: if the majority decide they want the door closed, that's what will happen, so what's the problem? If the boys from Clare want to raise an issue for discussion and vote, that's their right. People are allowed to modify their positions in the light of how the games went.