2016 Leinster Football Championship

[moysider]

Talk amongst  the in-laws is that there will be no one at the first game. To far away and to expensive. Time to take the Leinster championship on tour out of Croker.

Navan is, and has always been, the spiritual home of Leinster football.

Parochial stuff! Tuam is the spiritual home of gaelic football anywhere, anytime, forever. Even though Galway people don't give a shite about football, hardly ever, that's a fact. Seafóid will back me up on that. There is an uisleacht there that no place else has. There is a green stand there that resembles an old hay shed and the goal mouths are prototype astroturf  but it is a special place.

[Beffs]

Have to say I completely disagree on the cost - €70 for a family isn't bad value if (and it's a BIG if) the quality of the games was going to be good. Compare the cost to going to a rugby match and I'd say it's fairly decent. Now there probably should be a family ticket rate (I thought there was at one stage?) but it's not the main problem imo

The problem is that nobody expects anyone to challenge Dublin for Leinster so what's the point in going. Dropping the prices isn't going to attract people unless the GAA do something to improve the competitiveness of all provincial championships. And that means investment in coaching structures across the country

Ah, it is. It is far too much, when the average punter is only going to be there for one game. That is a mere 70 minutes worth of "entertainment." In the other example given - like Dublin Zoo - you can pretty much spend the entire day there.

I take your point that something needs to be done to radically improve the competitiveness of the provincial championships, to make the overall product more appealing. However, that is an overall structural thing, that has nothing to do with ticket prices. The ticket prices, such as they are, for a family of four, are very high, based on how much bang you get for your proverbial buck. Right now, it ain't much.

Add in the cost of traveling to Dublin over and over, petrol and tolls, finding cheap-ish and safe parking, bus and Luas fares, keeping the kids fed and watered (not helped by the rip off Croker prices) during the day....and it all adds up to a very, very expensive day out, compared to going to match in a venue, closer to home.

When the Meaths and Kildares are having to do all that 2-3 times a year, each year, every year, you can see why games in CP lose their appeal and novelty value. And that is before we get to talking about how competitive the games themselves may or may not be.

[mup]

I've previously done 1000km, 950km & 720km round trips following Kildare in the past. I haven't gone to a game in 3/4 years.

I don't like where the GAA is going. Very disillusioned with the whole lot.

[Rossfan]

Talk amongst  the in-laws is that there will be no one at the first game. To far away and to expensive. Time to take the Leinster championship on tour out of Croker.

Navan is, and has always been, the spiritual home of Leinster football.

Parochial stuff! Tuam is the spiritual home of gaelic football anywhere, anytime, forever. Even though Galway people don't give a shite about football, hardly ever, that's a fact. Seafóid will back me up on that. There is an uisleacht there that no place else has. There is a green stand there that resembles an old hay shed and the goal mouths are prototype astroturf  but it is a special place.

That oul hayshed is maroon or reddish these days.

[AZOffaly]

I've previously done 1000km, 950km & 720km round trips following Kildare in the past. I haven't gone to a game in 3/4 years.

I don't like where the GAA is going. Very disillusioned with the whole lot.

If you are disillusioned with county, go back to the club. I've spent the last few days helping get ready for Feile, and it's been brilliant. I've helped organise an U12 Football Tournament where we had over 140 kids in the field on a Sunday for an entire day, and a hurling blitz for U10s with 100 kids, and I swear to God it would just do your heart good to stand there, watch the kids just playing the games, and having a great time, with all the parents cheering them on.

[mup]

I've previously done 1000km, 950km & 720km round trips following Kildare in the past. I haven't gone to a game in 3/4 years.

I don't like where the GAA is going. Very disillusioned with the whole lot.

If you are disillusioned with county, go back to the club. I've spent the last few days helping get ready for Feile, and it's been brilliant. I've helped organise an U12 Football Tournament where we had over 140 kids in the field on a Sunday for an entire day, and a hurling blitz for U10s with 100 kids, and I swear to God it would just do your heart good to stand there, watch the kids just playing the games, and having a great time, with all the parents cheering them on.

I did mean intercounty. I'm heavily involved with the club at juvenile level for several years. You are right - its refreshing to see kids playing the game.

[Jinxy]

Allowing the state of inter-county football to turn you off football is a bit like allowing the state of Kim Kardashian to turn you off women.

[Dinny Breen]

Paul Cribben and Dan Flynn out with concerns still around Kelly. Westmeath should win this now, from a Kildare perspective I wouldn't be too worried if we did considering the injuries and age profile. I could see our young Lilies blooming in the qualifiers, week in week out would suit a young team.

[Jinxy]

Paul Cribben and Dan Flynn out with concerns still around Kelly. Westmeath should win this now, from a Kildare perspective I wouldn't be too worried if we did considering the injuries and age profile. I could see our young Lilies blooming in the qualifiers, week in week out would suit a young team.

That's beautiful, Dinny.

[Dinny Breen]

Paul Cribben and Dan Flynn out with concerns still around Kelly. Westmeath should win this now, from a Kildare perspective I wouldn't be too worried if we did considering the injuries and age profile. I could see our young Lilies blooming in the qualifiers, week in week out would suit a young team.

That's beautiful, Dinny.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Paul Cribben and Dan Flynn out with concerns still around Kelly. Westmeath should win this now, from a Kildare perspective I wouldn't be too worried if we did considering the injuries and age profile. I could see our young Lilies blooming in the qualifiers, week in week out would suit a young team.

Feely gone as well. There'll be more injured Kildare players sitting in the stands than there will be Kildare supporters!

[Syferus]

Talk amongst  the in-laws is that there will be no one at the first game. To far away and to expensive. Time to take the Leinster championship on tour out of Croker.

Navan is, and has always been, the spiritual home of Leinster football.

Parochial stuff! Tuam is the spiritual home of gaelic football anywhere, anytime, forever. Even though Galway people don't give a shite about football, hardly ever, that's a fact. Seafóid will back me up on that. There is an uisleacht there that no place else has. There is a green stand there that resembles an old hay shed and the goal mouths are prototype astroturf  but it is a special place.

That oul hayshed is maroon or reddish these days.

There's something about Tuam. Been so many memorable matches played there even since it's been mothballed. The signs advertising the railroad that hasn't ran through Tuam for four decades now only adds to the ambience of the old lady.

[Jinxy]

Paul Cribben and Dan Flynn out with concerns still around Kelly. Westmeath should win this now, from a Kildare perspective I wouldn't be too worried if we did considering the injuries and age profile. I could see our young Lilies blooming in the qualifiers, week in week out would suit a young team.

Feely gone as well. There'll be more injured Kildare players sitting in the stands than there will be Kildare supporters!

Yerrah!

[mup]

Allowing the state of inter-county football to turn you off football is a bit like allowing the state of Kim Kardashian to turn you off women.

What are you trying to say? We're a lot more than a little behind?

[Jinxy]

While inter-county football is busy taking selfies, club football is busy making soda bread and hoovering the curtains.