gaa rip off merchants

scalder · August 10, 2009, 10:34:35 AM

Soccer might be a professional game but the FAI have gone to the European Court to try and stop clubs making them pay for the use of their contracted players – so effectively they don't pay their players either – but its ok for them to charge crazy money for meaningless matches. Plus you must be a philistine block head to have not been delighted to have the opportunity to stay on and watch our true national game played between two great teams.

I really hope Kerry give you a good beating and save you any further expense this year.

Declan · August 10, 2009, 10:55:43 AM

Thought 45euro was great value for a very enjoyable afternoon's entertainment yesterday. Got in for the second half of the minor match so from 12.30 to 5.20 or so had great enjoyment

Zulu · August 10, 2009, 10:58:08 AM

QuotePlus you must be a philistine block head to have not been delighted to have the opportunity to stay on and watch our true national game played between two great teams.

I enjoy hurling nearly as much as football but I hate that type of shite talk, you must be a philistine not to like hurling? Would you go away out of it, it's a sport like all others and some people like it, some don't, no big deal and there is certainly nothing wrong with you if you don't like the game of hurling.

scalder · August 10, 2009, 11:58:57 AM

Fair enough Zulu but I think that someone who does not enjoy it must be coming to the table with a bias and an open minded sports fan would on the balance probability enjoy the game. I sat in front of a couple of Kilkenny hurling snobs and found there attitude to the football equally objectionable, I agree we can have favourites but we should not close our mind to one or the other game and certainly there is no need to be hostile or disparaging towards them.

royalcountystar · August 10, 2009, 12:07:58 PM

hold on,i didnt say it was too dear in 45 euro,if idiots would read properly and stop mouthin off,i was complaining that we are forced to pay semi inal prices,not that its too much or not worth it.its a moral issue..

Zulu · August 10, 2009, 12:19:57 PM

QuoteI sat in front of a couple of Kilkenny hurling snobs and found there attitude to the football equally objectionable, I agree we can have favourites but we should not close our mind to one or the other game and certainly there is no need to be hostile or disparaging towards them.

I agree 100% scalder but isn't your opinion that anyone who doesn't like hurling is "a philistine block head " or "that someone who does not enjoy it must be coming to the table with a bias and an open minded sports fan would on the balance probability enjoy the game" just as closed minded? You seem to be implying that any rational person would enjoy hurling which, with respect, is nonsense. Hurling isn't any different to other sports, it has good aspects and poor aspects, it is capable of producing thrilling games and god awful ones but there is an annoying section of the GAA who would have you believe that hurling is out on its own as a sport, it isn't, and there is nothing wrong with that. Why some people feel the need to prefice any mention of hurling with the tag 'greatest game in the world' is beyond me. Hurling isn't the greatest game in the world, no sport is, it is simply a matter of preference as to what sport a person likes.

Zapatista · August 10, 2009, 01:31:15 PM

Quote from: brianboru00 on August 09, 2009, 09:02:00 PM

The fact that we;re not a professional game is irrelevant,

Spot on. I'm sick of constantly being compared to professionalism. There is no comparison when it comes to prices as professional sports do not set a standard for ammeter sports whether it be Soccer or Sumo. It's hard to base a price when compared to other ammeter sports in Ireland too due to the massive difference in the success of the GAA compared to it's nearest competitor.

orangeman · August 10, 2009, 02:12:00 PM

45 euro for three games was good value in my book.

Lazer · August 10, 2009, 03:51:19 PM

Quote from: Tyrone Dreamer on August 08, 2009, 11:43:26 PM
Quote from: the green man on August 08, 2009, 09:44:50 PM
Quote from: INDIANA on August 08, 2009, 09:30:27 PM
would cost you 60 sterling to see a premiership game or 80 euro for a rugby ticket sometimes. 45 quid is reasonable in my view- if you don't like it stay at home.

True, but the premiership and rugby are professional sports and therefore have to generate income, so i don't think your comparing like for like. In my opinion the GAA has lost its way a bit by taking on a business ethos. We are not a professional or profit driven organisation, so why shouild we pay professional sport prices into our games?

That arguement is nonsense. People expect that because the gaa is ametuer that they should get into games for nothing. The gaa has to raise funds to survive. How do people expect the development and upkeep of grounds throughout the country without money? How do people expect coaches to be employed to develop games in schools without money? Do people realise the cost of funding county teams for a year? There are various other costs that have to be paid such as insurance, advertising etc. Plus investment in the thousands of clubs in the country.

Also people only have to pay a very small fraction of the cost of supporting a premiership team to follow their county team in the year. The average county fan will go to no more than 4 or 5 of their county games in a year. That doesnt lead to a huge outlay compared to fans in England who may go to 25 + games. The gaa also doesnt have the same ability to generate funds as the other professional bodies. They have huge tv rights due to competition from various stations. They also have huge advertising income. If people are going to moan about paying 45 euro (with cheaper terrace tickets available,various concessions for children students oaps and other packages available to make it cheaper) into a triple header including a hurling semi and football quarter final they are probably better off staying at home because they will find something else to complain about when they are there anyway.

I agree that the GAA are rip off merchants. All the quarter finals should be the same price and the same seating options should be available for both. Meath and Mayo actually have the better deal here - they can go to the hill for €20!

McKenna Cup/ O'Bryne Cup etc - 3 - 5 games
National League - 7 - 8 games
All Ireland - 2- 7 games

That can be up to 20 games in a year excluding friendlys etc

Anyone that can afford to go to the games most be lucky enough to be able to escape the recession untouched,
Think about the people on the dole or in low paid or part time jobs they just cannot afford to attend all the matches they want to!

The price of the semi-finals and finals is ridicilious!

Louth Exile · August 11, 2009, 12:37:43 AM

The one area of injustice that was not brought up by all of you (and the only genuine one in my book) was that the football game split the two kilkenny games! Can you imagine bringing young children up to see their cousin (for example) play in the minor game and then try to keep them amused until 5.30 that day! The only thing that I would have changed is to put the football on last, I know it is a Qtr and the other is a semi, but just play that anthem before the second game instead of the third.

As for rip off, if they didn't offer the €5 tickets for kids, I wouldn't have went yesterday myself!I had one pint between the two games and it was only €4.25, didn't get a sniff of that price at any of the gigs I was at this summer, mainly €6!!!! The only thing I will say is this, they must be pumping the smell of fastfood into the back of the lower canal to try and attract the kids, there wasn't a bother on the young fella, but I couldn't resist the overpriced Qtr Pounder, despite having had the lunch before we walked in

Croker offer decent value, particularly when you compare it to the genuine rip off, that the leinster council perpitrated, in charging for kids into provincial venues in early rounds of the championship.

TacadoirArdMhacha · August 19, 2009, 02:08:36 PM

Does anyone know if they still offer money back (think it might have been €20) in the Cusack and Davin Stands if you have a valid student card?

wdusln · August 19, 2009, 02:22:21 PM

yeah they were doing it for the quarter final anyways.

Donnellys Hollow · August 19, 2009, 02:32:06 PM

Quote from: TacadoirArdMhacha on August 19, 2009, 02:08:36 PM
Does anyone know if they still offer money back (think it might have been €20) in the Cusack and Davin Stands if you have a valid student card?

They'll refund you for the Cusack and Canal End but only if your student card has an expiry date on it. Go through the stiles at Block D

ross4life · August 19, 2009, 03:42:40 PM

Quote from: royalcountystar on August 08, 2009, 03:30:46 PM
the price for this years all ireland quaterfinal tickets,for terrace, was 20euro,but because meath and mayo are fixed for the same day as a hurling semi final we have to pay 30,or 45 if going to the stand...
does anybody else think this is grossly unfair????i have no intrest in seeing the hurling,and that is my choice,why are we being punished fiancially because of the roscommon wexford draw?

i already talked about this on the Mayo v Meath Thread (they seem happy at the time about it) but now with Mayo out it's a different story

i did suggest at the time if Mayo or Meaths semi should be only 35 a ticket but i can't see the gaa doing that