Attendances this year

[Tyrone Dreamer]

As Ive said before if they believe the state of the economy is effecting attendances then why have ticket prices not being reduced. We are currently well of financially and it would make sense to use the money to try and sell our games which is what the main objectives if the people at the top should be. Also whats the story with children tickets. Tyrone play Down on Sunday and its unlikely to sell out, yet I havent heard cheap tickets for children mentioned anywhere. If they are available then this should be advertised and they should be easy to get.

[Barney]

Its a no brainer - better off having 20,000 paying €10 than 10,000 paying €20. The larger attendance makes more of an occasion of a game

[Zulu]

I don't think you'd get a significantly bigger crowd if you dropped ticket prices. The only criticism I'd have of the GAA's ticket policy is the lack of clear information on the price and availability of ticket's for championship games. Family ticket's should be available for all early games at a competitive price if they are not already.

[Rossfan]

I think the important issue here is why the Leinster Council can charge 25% less that the Connaght are! Are the costs dearer out west?

that is the issue indeed, plus the fact that the facilities for the extra 25% are worse.

I think the fact that Leinster has about 4 times the population of Connacht might have something to do with it.

[Bogball XV]

I think the important issue here is why the Leinster Council can charge 25% less that the Connaght are! Are the costs dearer out west?

that is the issue indeed, plus the fact that the facilities for the extra 25% are worse.

I think the fact that Leinster has about 4 times the population of Connacht might have something to do with it.

I'd reckon more than 4 times, but I don't understand why that would come into it, unless you feel the connaught board aren't able to benefit from economies of scale

[jodyb]

I don't think you'd get a significantly bigger crowd if you dropped ticket prices. The only criticism I'd have of the GAA's ticket policy is the lack of clear information on the price and availability of ticket's for championship games. Family ticket's should be available for all early games at a competitive price if they are not already.

I paid full price for my 14 year olds ticket for Ballybofey on sunday. Of course I'd prefer if there were kids tickets or family tickets available. But would it stop me taking him when there's not? Generally not. I feel sorry for parents with several kids

[Rossfan]

I think the important issue here is why the Leinster Council can charge 25% less that the Connaght are! Are the costs dearer out west?

that is the issue indeed, plus the fact that the facilities for the extra 25% are worse.

I think the fact that Leinster has about 4 times the population of Connacht might have something to do with it.

I'd reckon more than 4 times, but I don't understand why that would come into it, unless you feel the connaught board aren't able to benefit from economies of scale

We dont get 82,000 attendances in Connacht and since we  in Ros fell from our perch there is now only one big game per year for Connacht Council to get a dacent few Euro from.

[Bogball XV]

I don't think you'd get a significantly bigger crowd if you dropped ticket prices. The only criticism I'd have of the GAA's ticket policy is the lack of clear information on the price and availability of ticket's for championship games. Family ticket's should be available for all early games at a competitive price if they are not already.

I paid full price for my 14 year olds ticket for Ballybofey on sunday. Of course I'd prefer if there were kids tickets or family tickets available. But would it stop me taking him when there's not? Generally not. I feel sorry for parents with several kids

there probably were family tickets available Jody, I know the section was that behind the lower goals and that didn't look too full from where I was standing.  It was good value too, something like €30 for 2 adults and 2 kids.

[moysider]

Ok, just a simple question. Has any of you lads that have contributed to this debate, decided in the past, or likely to decide in the future, not to go to a championship game because of the admittance cost? Even the most miserly I know attend home league games and championship.
  I ll put it another way. I ve tickets for three concerts [1 already over] in Dublin this Summer and those three nights will cost me more than I ve spent on football in many years. I ll enjoy the concerts but I ll love the football. Win ,lose or draw. Its a question of how much it means to your, and if your lucky enough to have kids interested enough to go you re blessed. Though I can imagine others will feel otherwise.   

[jodyb]

I don't think you'd get a significantly bigger crowd if you dropped ticket prices. The only criticism I'd have of the GAA's ticket policy is the lack of clear information on the price and availability of ticket's for championship games. Family ticket's should be available for all early games at a competitive price if they are not already.

I paid full price for my 14 year olds ticket for Ballybofey on sunday. Of course I'd prefer if there were kids tickets or family tickets available. But would it stop me taking him when there's not? Generally not. I feel sorry for parents with several kids

there probably were family tickets available Jody, I know the section was that behind the lower goals and that didn't look too full from where I was standing.  It was good value too, something like €30 for 2 adults and 2 kids.

Thanks Bogball. I'm probably better off not knowing that, but I'll check it out for Healy park, Cheers!!

[Bogball XV]

Ok, just a simple question. Has any of you lads that have contributed to this debate, decided in the past, or likely to decide in the future, not to go to a championship game because of the admittance cost? Even the most miserly I know attend home league games and championship.
  I ll put it another way. I ve tickets for three concerts [1 already over] in Dublin this Summer and those three nights will cost me more than I ve spent on football in many years. I ll enjoy the concerts but I ll love the football. Win ,lose or draw. Its a question of how much it means to your, and if your lucky enough to have kids interested enough to go you re blessed. Though I can imagine others will feel otherwise.   

Yes, I haven't bothered going to matches because of the cost on several occasions - not when my own county is playing, but living in Dublin I could go to matches most weeks I'm in the city, I rarely do because it's not worth it.  The whole croker experience can be a tremendous let down, poor game, poor atmosphere, abysmal and overpriced catering....
But I agree that demand for tickets for games involving one's own county is pretty inelastic and price wouldn't be a factor for me, there are however many other supporters for who it would be.  As I said earlier in this thread, most posters on here are unlikely to be put off by the price, we're on a gaaboard after all.  My problem with the whole thing is that I don't see why the gaa have to charge what they do, their goal should not be to maximise revenue, but to maximise popularity, I think there are too many in the higher echelons of the gaa who are well out of touch with the grassroots.  In my opinion a return to the old days where kids under 16 (i know it was U14, but I was small for my age) were free into every game would be a good start (with tickets if required for safety), but most games not involving dublin could easily offer this.
The GAA should not be taking their lead in terms of tv negotiations and match pricing from other organisations, they are not other organisations, they do not have the costs that other organisations have.  I see much of it as being greed, probably motivated by good intentions, but greed all the same.

[Pangurban]

Bogball that is the best post i have read on this forum in many a long day, more power to your Elbow

[The GAA]

The GAA should not be taking their lead in terms of tv negotiations and match pricing from other organisations, they are not other organisations, they do not have the costs that other organisations have.  I see much of it as being greed, probably motivated by good intentions, but greed all the same.

Leave us the f**k alone

[Maguire01]

The GAA should not be taking their lead in terms of tv negotiations and match pricing from other organisations, they are not other organisations, they do not have the costs that other organisations have.  I see much of it as being greed, probably motivated by good intentions, but greed all the same.

Yes, but whilst i agree that prices could better reflect the economic realities of the Irish public, we should remember that the GAA generates revenue and not profits. These other organisations generate money to distribute to shareholders - the GAA generates money to distribute throughout the organisation, including grassroots.

[Tyrone Dreamer]

These people our in charge of promoting gaelic games (not making profits) and I cant see how charging children full prices into watching the county matches does this. The association relies on attracting the interest of children/teens and what better way to do this than for them to go to watch big county matches. Traditionally under 16's mostly got in free but they've used the all ticket matches to put a stop to this - crazy. If its all ticket then u16 tickets charged at a couple of pound should be made widely available and not just for the terrace were young kids would struggle to see. The thing is we're talking about matches that are played in less than full stadiums, so we're not only denying children the opportunity to attend but making our product look poorer on tv and creating less of an atmosphere.