Congress to Consider Rugby World Cup Role

[IolarCoisCuain]

Someone from the GAA - other than Mr Greenan or, Christ alive, Seán Kelly, MEP, should get on the radio now and say the GAA would be delighted to do its piece for mother Erin. He or she should then suggest planning start immediately and, if the IRFU don't mind some friendly advice, a one Euro level on tickets into all games starting now would see the money being raised quite painlessly.

If the IRFU go along with that, fair enough and good luck to them. If not, when they go Béal Bochting in 2019 and complaining to the Minister and sliming the GAA, the GAA can respond that we were worn out telling you to start raising money in 2013 but would you listen? Indeed you would not. You've made your bed, lie in it.

The problem is that the 'someone from the GAA' can't do that, or at least they'd be mad to do so. If (say) Liam O'Neill were to step forward and propose this, he'd be accused of pre-empting the decision of Congress. And they'd be right.

Fair enough, but a GAA person needs to get on the airwaves and disabuse people of the notion that the GAA will wave its fees in the name of patriotism. Because I am sure that's the IRFU's plan - leave it to the 11th hour, go on Joe Duffy to say everything is in place bar the bag of groats for the Grab-All Association - oh Joe, whatever are we going to do?

I hope Ray Silke does it myself. He's a good GAA man, and was anti the opening of Croke Park. Well, not so much anti-it but definitely not cheerleading it. The word has to get across now that these are not the IRFU's stadia to dispose of, and that market price will be charged.

I wouldn't be forgetting the law of supply and demand when it comes to setting that price either.

[Eamonnca1]

Where did you get your " bring back the ban"  from my piece?
What a pity Central Council didn't devote as much time to real GAA issues , like refereeing standards, umpiring howlers, structures of competitions, club fixture messes , etc etc and et bloodyc. rather than assisting another sporting body?

Central Council already does deal with real GAA issues,  like refereeing standards, umpiring howlers, structures of competitions, club fixture messes , etc etc and et bloody c.  Do you seriously think that all of this will cease and all regular GAA business will stop just because a decision has to be made on the use of facilities by outside bodies?

Anyway my piece was a gripe at the people who think they've got it made if the Rubbyites and other perceived betters praise them and are forever trying to ingratiate themselves by doing something in the hope the "betters" will shower prise on them.

I assume you mean "praise".  Somehow I think money is a more compelling motive than a couple of platitudes from the IRFU.

Speaking of money, the GAA fields in San Francisco have always been rented out to outside sports like rugby, lacrosse, ultimate and other events. The GAA in the city is as strong as ever and opening the fields up to outsiders hasn't done one bit of harm.  In fact it wouldn't be possible to maintain the fields without outside usage because of the huge cost of irrigation.

[here comes 6]

Cant see how this wont go through whenever after all thats happened they agreed to let the Brits in

[screenexile]

I don't see the problem. If the grounds are going to be lying empty anyway why the hell not open them for Rugby and generate a bit of cash for the GAA and the towns in which these games are held.

As for opening up Club Grounds etc. for a 'once off' well I wouldn't have any problem with this. It's not going to happen though. A regular club isn't going to be able to mobilise itself to easily to line out a new pitch, put up new posts etc. so stop acting as if the sky is about to fall in.

The GAA is still thriving and is based around community which is something very few other sporting organisations have, as was said previously we are in a good place and have nothing to fear from other sports in Ireland as our games are at least as good as soccer or rugby so everyone would need to stop being so scared and come out from the dark ages!!

[deiseach]

Right on cue, the Heineken Cup looks like it's about to lose some of its fizz, at least as far as the IRFU would be concerned

[Syferus]

Right on cue, the Heineken Cup looks like it's about to lose some of its fizz, at least as far as the IRFU would be concerned

Sabre rattling at best. The English and French annually whine at this time of the year and then it becomes more and more muted as all the Heineken Cup tickets sales and sponsorship money flows into their coffers.

They know full well a French-English cup wouldn't be anywhere close to as marketable as a European Cup. TV agreements especially dictate it's not going to happen. Some token concession and the RFU will skip and jump all the way to Twickenham like little school-girls.

[The Insider]

I would be happy to see GAA grounds outside of Croke Park being used, but the biggest drawback will be the lack of corporate facilities at our grounds , also outside of Croke Park alcohol is not available at any ground and with major sponsors like Heiniken around that would have to change for this event. The IRFU and IRB make most of their money after TV rights from the corporate sector, would there be room around the proposed grounds for even the tented areas that were in the old Landesdown stadium to feed the masses, it will require major investment by either the rugby people or the state to upgrade our grounds . Will they also have to be all seated ?  . Will Johnny Foreigner be happy to spend in excess of €150 or whatever currency we have in the future to sit in the open on a typical soft Irish summer's day so more covered seating will be needed adding to the upgrade cost. Personally I think the IRFU will probably end up sharing with the Scots for the event using the soccer stadiums there

[Hound]

Anyone who says the rise in popularity of rugby had anything whatosever to do with playing games in Croke Park hasnt a clue what they're talking about. Its completely and utterly down to Munster, Leinster and Ulster being really successful in beating the best in Europe and in them marketing their games properly.

A great current example is when you see this week, that's there's been far more promotion done by Leinster Rugby of their league match v Munster in 7 weeks time, with virtually no promotion by the GAA of the All Ireland semi-finals (with loads of tickets still available). You can understand why some people are scared of the threat of rugby. 

[haze]

Anyone who says the rise in popularity of rugby had anything whatosever to do with playing games in Croke Park hasnt a clue what they're talking about. Its completely and utterly down to Munster, Leinster and Ulster being really successful in beating the best in Europe and in them marketing their games properly.

A great current example is when you see this week, that's there's been far more promotion done by Leinster Rugby of their league match v Munster in 7 weeks time, with virtually no promotion by the GAA of the All Ireland semi-finals (with loads of tickets still available). You can understand why some people are scared of the threat of rugby.

That point above is so on the money. I was saying it all last week prior to Kilkenny and Tipperary. Here you had two teams who have produced 3 epic All Ireland finals in the past 3 years meeting in an All Ireland Semi Final, which unlike the Final, is accessible to the general public with spare tickets in abundance. Tickets for Under 16 for example were €5. Students got a discount of €15 or €20. Yet there were 30,000 empty seats. Upper Hogan and Davin, not even open. Outrageuous. I was at the game myself and there seemed to be a massive crowd of people buying tickets on the day. Which begs the question, that surely mid week of the game the GAA had a reasonable idea that, for example, they were not going to break say the 60k barrier.

If the GAA couldnt market that game then they clearly can't market any game. All week people where I work were obsessing about the start of the Premier League (fair enough) and yet the GAA couldnt have had a better game to act somewhat as a distraction.. But no; it was a massive opportunity missed. Yes, the games sell themselves to the hardcore GAA followers as well as the genuine fans within the counties themselves involved in the game but to the ordinary joe they are just looking for any excuse to jump on a bandwagon (the Olympics being a case in point). What harm - some people need a push to arouse interest so why year in year out do the GAA seem hesitant to engage the general public in the marketing of our games at the height of the Summer. Is it a cost issue, I wonder? Or is it a resourcing issue? or is it something much worse.. Complacency.

If only 50k showed up for Tipp and Kilkenny it is probably safe to assume that there won't be much of a difference this weekend either. Shame.

[deiseach]

Sabre rattling at best. The English and French annually whine at this time of the year and then it becomes more and more muted as all the Heineken Cup tickets sales and sponsorship money flows into their coffers.

They know full well a French-English cup wouldn't be anywhere close to as marketable as a European Cup. TV agreements especially dictate it's not going to happen. Some token concession and the RFU will skip and jump all the way to Twickenham like little school-girls.

The Celtic nations need the Heineken Cup far more than the English and French clubs do, and it is the audiences in England and France that bankroll the tournament. Yet you seem to think it is the Celtic nations who hold all the cards because . . . ?

[DuffleKing]

Is the biggest issue not about the standard of the grounds? I haven't seen too many rugby world cup games with terracing all round except for a seated stand on one side. Also, how and where would most grounds accommodate a host of requests from international media not only for commentating space but ad hoc studios?

Does anywhere beyond croker and the refurbished casement fit?

[Lar Naparka]

Is the biggest issue not about the standard of the grounds? I haven't seen too many rugby world cup games with terracing all round except for a seated stand on one side. Also, how and where would most grounds accommodate a host of requests from international media not only for commentating space but ad hoc studios?

Does anywhere beyond croker and the refurbished casement fit?

TBH, I don't think this is a matter for the GAA to consider. The Association is being asked to provide a number of grounds and the onus is on the  organisers to ensure that those grounds are up to the standards required.

[IolarCoisCuain]

Anyone who says the rise in popularity of rugby had anything whatosever to do with playing games in Croke Park hasnt a clue what they're talking about. Its completely and utterly down to Munster, Leinster and Ulster being really successful in beating the best in Europe and in them marketing their games properly.

A great current example is when you see this week, that's there's been far more promotion done by Leinster Rugby of their league match v Munster in 7 weeks time, with virtually no promotion by the GAA of the All Ireland semi-finals (with loads of tickets still available). You can understand why some people are scared of the threat of rugby.

The success of Munster and Leinster in Europe is undoubtedly the single biggest factor in the rise of rugby in the past ten years. No question. However, you might be getting a bit carried to say it's to do with Munster and Leinster "beating the best in Europe" as much as it's "exploiting a competition that puts them at an unusual advantage over the notionally richer French and English." A change to the Heineken Cup, where the Irish teams had to qualify through Rabo placings, say, would deal rugby a far worse blow than falling out with the GAA over stadia.

To say the use of GAA stadia has not got "anything whatsoever" to do with the popularity of the provinces is pushing it a biteen too. The Munster v Leinster Heineken Cup Final was played before 82,000 in Croke Park a few years. That helped "market" that particular game, don't you think? Where would it have been played otherwise?

I'd be happy enough if the Six Nations games were still in Croke Park, actually. It's rugby's habit of using the stadia when they want them, like ringing Domino's for a pizza, that kind of sticks in my craw.

[neilthemac]

Anyone who says the rise in popularity of rugby had anything whatosever to do with playing games in Croke Park hasnt a clue what they're talking about. Its completely and utterly down to Munster, Leinster and Ulster being really successful in beating the best in Europe and in them marketing their games properly.

A great current example is when you see this week, that's there's been far more promotion done by Leinster Rugby of their league match v Munster in 7 weeks time, with virtually no promotion by the GAA of the All Ireland semi-finals (with loads of tickets still available). You can understand why some people are scared of the threat of rugby.

That point above is so on the money. I was saying it all last week prior to Kilkenny and Tipperary. Here you had two teams who have produced 3 epic All Ireland finals in the past 3 years meeting in an All Ireland Semi Final, which unlike the Final, is accessible to the general public with spare tickets in abundance. Tickets for Under 16 for example were €5. Students got a discount of €15 or €20. Yet there were 30,000 empty seats. Upper Hogan and Davin, not even open. Outrageuous. I was at the game myself and there seemed to be a massive crowd of people buying tickets on the day. Which begs the question, that surely mid week of the game the GAA had a reasonable idea that, for example, they were not going to break say the 60k barrier.

If the GAA couldnt market that game then they clearly can't market any game. All week people where I work were obsessing about the start of the Premier League (fair enough) and yet the GAA couldnt have had a better game to act somewhat as a distraction.. But no; it was a massive opportunity missed. Yes, the games sell themselves to the hardcore GAA followers as well as the genuine fans within the counties themselves involved in the game but to the ordinary joe they are just looking for any excuse to jump on a bandwagon (the Olympics being a case in point). What harm - some people need a push to arouse interest so why year in year out do the GAA seem hesitant to engage the general public in the marketing of our games at the height of the Summer. Is it a cost issue, I wonder? Or is it a resourcing issue? or is it something much worse.. Complacency.

If only 50k showed up for Tipp and Kilkenny it is probably safe to assume that there won't be much of a difference this weekend either. Shame.

Why are rugby so good at the promotion of games? Well, maybe its the fact they can target games to get a crowd.
However, is it because their marketing departments are on an incentive based schemes, rolling contracts and need to deliver results?

Whereas the people in Croker are just happy to plod along half doing their job.
All you have to do is look at the pitiful adverts for this years GAA championship. They really are cringe worthy.

[deiseach]

To say the use of GAA stadia has not got "anything whatsoever" to do with the popularity of the provinces is pushing it a biteen too. The Munster v Leinster Heineken Cup Final was played before 82,000 in Croke Park a few years. That helped "market" that particular game, don't you think? Where would it have been played otherwise?

It was spectacular. Because so many of the crowd at All-Ireland finals are neutrals and those who are not neutral tend to be dispersed all over the ground, it meant that Croke Park never looked as splendid as it did that day with great blocks of blue facing off against great blocks of red. Which is kinda sad.