How not to promote GAA

magickingdom · March 15, 2009, 10:07:33 PM

4k at the dublin v derry (league champions) on a beautiful sat night is sad. why must league games be shown on setanta and tg4? micky mouse will draw 10 times that on rte 1 or 2. someone is asleep at the wheel here when league games are lost on obscure channels while shamrock rovers (fair play to them) have rte 2 on friday nights. the gaa need to get serious about promoting the gaa

Zulu · March 15, 2009, 10:25:05 PM

I disagree RTE have never shown an interest in the league and you'd imagine the game being on Setanta would increase the attendance since many wouldn't have access to it. It's our own fault we do nothing to get crowds into our games. All of Dublins games should be a sell out there are probably enough away supporters to fill PP in Dublin on any given weekend let alone Dubs. CB's should be given targets and encouraged to meet them by CP.

screenexile · March 15, 2009, 10:37:38 PM

Was quite surprised at the lack of a crowd at the game alright. Derry don't have good fans at the best of times so we were never going to have many at the game but I thought Dublin could have mustered up more than a few thousand. It was a great evening for a game and Panell Park is a great setting for it. The Dublin County board should have made more of it IMO.

Maguire01 · March 15, 2009, 10:39:08 PM

Quote from: Zulu on March 15, 2009, 10:25:05 PM
CB's should be given targets and encouraged to meet them by CP.

County Boards really shouldn't need Croke Park to tell them that increasing potential revenue is a good idea surely?

Tyrone Dreamer · March 15, 2009, 10:40:48 PM

The marketing of the league's are nothing short of terrible. Surely after the success of the Tyrone Dublin games under lights x 2 and the international rules the gaa can the see the positive results of marketing the games.

Zulu · March 15, 2009, 10:43:56 PM

Quote from: Maguire01 on March 15, 2009, 10:39:08 PM
Quote from: Zulu on March 15, 2009, 10:25:05 PM
CB's should be given targets and encouraged to meet them by CP.
County Boards really shouldn't need Croke Park to tell them that increasing potential revenue is a good idea surely?

No they shouldn't but they might need a bit of help or guidance. Something needs to be done anyway because there should be a minimum of 8K at any attractive game anywhere in the country and a Dub league match should be a guaranteed sellout.

magickingdom · March 15, 2009, 10:45:11 PM

Quote from: Zulu on March 15, 2009, 10:25:05 PM
I disagree RTE have never shown an interest in the league and you'd imagine the game being on Setanta would increase the attendance since many wouldn't have access to it. It's our own fault we do nothing to get crowds into our games. All of Dublins games should be a sell out there are probably enough away supporters to fill PP in Dublin on any given weekend let alone Dubs. CB's should be given targets and encouraged to meet them by CP.

thats like the old argument when telivised games first came about that they would affect the attendance zulu. nothing is further from the truth, a good league game should draw a crowd whether on tv or not. hype sells and certainly works in the priemership and with rugby. the gaa need to get prime time tv off rte for secondary competitions when giving out tv rights for the championship. if there was a top league game on evert sat night at 7 on rte 2 it would draw a great audience (the premiership could follow at 8.30!)

magickingdom · March 15, 2009, 10:46:42 PM

Quote from: Zulu on March 15, 2009, 10:43:56 PM
Quote from: Maguire01 on March 15, 2009, 10:39:08 PM
Quote from: Zulu on March 15, 2009, 10:25:05 PM
CB's should be given targets and encouraged to meet them by CP.
County Boards really shouldn't need Croke Park to tell them that increasing potential revenue is a good idea surely?

No they shouldn't but they might need a bit of help or guidance. Something needs to be done anyway because there should be a minimum of 8K at any attractive game anywhere in the country and a Dub league match should be a guaranteed sellout.

there wasnt far off that in tralee today and no one will ever see it because there was no tv camera there

Zulu · March 15, 2009, 10:52:56 PM

I agree that TV coverage does boost attendances rather than reduce them but I don't think we should refuse setantas money nor do I accept that that is the reason for poor crowds. Managers mealy mouthing the league and using it as a format to experiement and the GAA not selling their product to the fans are the biggest reasons. Monaghan/Kildare was a far better game than either the rugby or the two premiership matches shown today so if the GAA pushed the league you'd get the crowds. How many do Leinster get for magners league games?

Maguire01 · March 15, 2009, 11:03:49 PM

Quote from: Zulu on March 15, 2009, 10:52:56 PM
I agree that TV coverage does boost attendances rather than reduce them but I don't think we should refuse setantas money nor do I accept that that is the reason for poor crowds. Managers mealy mouthing the league and using it as a format to experiement and the GAA not selling their product to the fans are the biggest reasons. Monaghan/Kildare was a far better game than either the rugby or the two premiership matches shown today so if the GAA pushed the league you'd get the crowds. How many do Leinster get for magners league games?

I reckon there would have been more Kildare fans in Clones today had the game not been on TV to be honest. When there's a big journey involved, it's tempting to stay at home if it's on live.

Tyrone_redhand · March 16, 2009, 01:19:12 AM

more needs to be done to promote the league thats for sure

neilthemac · March 16, 2009, 10:57:54 AM

eg give out free tickets to U18s, if accompanied by an adult...

Leo · March 16, 2009, 11:38:39 AM

The promotion of the leagues by the GAA has been abysmal for years and the sponsor must be Ok with this otherwise they would have walked. In contrast the promotion of the championships in recent years has obviously been sponsor driven, while the pathetic aussie rules product has prospered because of massive Coca Cola PR. This means more than just media advertising - it is all about branding, merchandise, marketing, all the co-ordination that goes into selling nanything today. If we think the GAA can survive on tradition without these we are way out of touch.

Another way "not to promote the GAA" is to let loose the clowns who are behind the Club finals radio adverts this week with a bellowing voice roaring about hurlres "fighting it out" and footballers "battling it out" - coarse, parochial noises presumably from a desperate AIB source, straining to regain some grass-roots credibility amid the banking debacle and unchecked and unfettered by our own GAA PR department (if it exists).

Ugh.....

bennydorano · March 16, 2009, 11:43:22 AM

Liverpool v Man Utd and Ireland playing Rugby should be considered as factors. They'd been in the pub most of the day.

Canalman · March 16, 2009, 11:53:44 AM

Despite all the money spent recently on County grounds, the vast majority imo are just too big and not customer friendly..... minimal catering (with queues out the gate).....bleak windswept terraces......poor parking facilities........unpainted....... pathetic programmes ( a snip at E3) Another bugbear of mine is the fact that most goalposts are not painted/ filthy......looks awful on the tv.
Anecdotally, the entrance prices are deterring punters imo together with the lottery of finding out afterwards that your home county has had a 2 hour physical training session the day/night before leading to the inevitable hiding.

One ground that is a credit to their county is the Longford ground...... absolutely perfect. Other less palatable grounds are Newbridge, Aughrim, Ennis for example. Parnell Park has seating that has been covered with bird sh*t for years without being cleaned for example.