A few weeks ago I was reading the biggest joke ever where the GAA said they were going to market the GAA through Tourism Packages.
Dublin hurlers are playing the biggest game they have played in a while when they clash with Galway in Tullamore this evening at 7pm. Thinking of hopping on the train at Heuston and going to the game? Don't do it, the last train leaves Tullamore at 8pm, around half an hour before the final whistle. The Luas connects with Heuston and many like me could literally hop on it, off at Heuston, have a pint or two before the game in Tullamore and come back again but - for some reason that is beyond me the idiots in the GAA and Iarnrod Eireann seem to have a communications embargo in place between each other. Maybe its time county boards had amore of a say as to who is employed in Croke Park.
I heard an advert on the radio last week in England from the Irish Tourist Board.
It was something along the lines of, "Why not visit the Blarney Stone, or take a trip to watch a Gaelic Football match in Dublin where the Dublin star player has taken off his shirt after scoring!"
Pure cringeworthy stuff.
The Irish Tourist Board, Failte Ireland are the only government body at the moment with money to throw away, and that is literally what they are doing, throwing money away. Look at the Feis/Feile in Finsbury Park and how they operate the Big Green Bus. I can only imagine the add you heard. Wouldn't it be grand to have all in packages for match days where for example you get a reduced price train ticket, a ticket for the game and some deal for a pub doing music after the game and a train home again
Quote from: Bud Wiser on June 18, 2011, 01:20:10 PM
A few weeks ago I was reading the biggest joke ever where the GAA said they were going to market the GAA through Tourism Packages.
Dublin hurlers are playing the biggest game they have played in a while when they clash with Galway in Tullamore this evening at 7pm. Thinking of hopping on the train at Heuston and going to the game? Don't do it, the last train leaves Tullamore at 8pm, around half an hour before the final whistle. The Luas connects with Heuston and many like me could literally hop on it, off at Heuston, have a pint or two before the game in Tullamore and come back again but - for some reason that is beyond me the idiots in the GAA and Iarnrod Eireann seem to have a communications embargo in place between each other. Maybe its time county boards had amore of a say as to who is employed in Croke Park.
Are most county boards not
at least as shambolic as HQ?
Quote from: southdown on June 18, 2011, 01:25:51 PM
I heard an advert on the radio last week in England from the Irish Tourist Board.
It was something along the lines of, "Why not visit the Blarney Stone, or take a trip to watch a Gaelic Football match in Dublin where the Dublin star player has taken off his shirt after scoring!"
Pure cringeworthy stuff.
Good lord.
I've reached the conclusion that most of the people involved in marketing and advertising in this country are total west brits that have about as much affinity with the GAA as they do with the MAA (Mathematical Association of America).
How can you market something you don't understand?
The advert is even worse than that - it says something along the lines of "imagine the Dublin star player takes off his shirt and runs over and gives it to you in the crowd - you are sat beside a Man from Down who invites you up to see the Mountains of Mourne - Go where Ireland takes you!". It's brutal stuff altogether!
Does the Hotel beside Croke Park offer any "Toutist Packages"? Surely ideally placed.
Cork v laois - hurling at its zenith??? They will flock to it!
Quote from: BennyHarp on June 18, 2011, 06:33:49 PM
The advert is even worse than that - it says something along the lines of "imagine the Dublin star player takes off his shirt and runs over and gives it to you in the crowd - you are sat beside a Man from Down who invites you up to see the Mountains of Mourne - Go where Ireland takes you!". It's brutal stuff altogether!
It's the stuff of dreams. :D
Quote from: Denn Forever on June 18, 2011, 06:38:31 PM
Does the Hotel beside Croke Park offer any "Toutist Packages"? Surely ideally placed.
I should hope not.
Quote from: Bud Wiser on June 18, 2011, 01:20:10 PM
A few weeks ago I was reading the biggest joke ever where the GAA said they were going to market the GAA through Tourism Packages.
Dublin hurlers are playing the biggest game they have played in a while when they clash with Galway in Tullamore this evening at 7pm. Thinking of hopping on the train at Heuston and going to the game? Don't do it, the last train leaves Tullamore at 8pm, around half an hour before the final whistle. The Luas connects with Heuston and many like me could literally hop on it, off at Heuston, have a pint or two before the game in Tullamore and come back again but - for some reason that is beyond me the idiots in the GAA and Iarnrod Eireann seem to have a communications embargo in place between each other. Maybe its time county boards had amore of a say as to who is employed in Croke Park.
If you think its bad from Dublin trying to get to an FBD or League game from Mayo, or even championship, it can be a nightmare. For years I went with my dad or mates, but I ended up wanting to go to more matchs and other people less. I found it very hard and expensive getting to games, wasn't until I got my own car that it became easier, but the petrol was a killer.
Quote from: Leo on June 18, 2011, 07:19:37 PM
Cork v laois - hurling at its zenith??? They will flock to it!
Cork would offer the added advantage that instead of them taking off a jersey and throwing it into the crowd that the tourists could be encouraged to go into the city where they have the opportunity to meet the whole team in person walking along the streets
The thing i don't get here is why any GAA fan would have the slightest interest in tourism marketing of the sport. Just what is it that makes you care, or make you believe it's an issue. I can't imagine a Leeds United, Leinster Rugby, Boston Red Sox, Hawthorns or Widnes fan even considering the subject, let alone caring enough about it to get upset.
Why do the likes of Bud feel their take on their sport has to be different?
I'll sign off here by commenting on one truth. Nobody is going to travel to Ireland to watch Gaelic Games unless they've a history with the sport. They might watch Gaelic Games when they're on their Irish travels, but this is an option rather than a cause. When you can accept this simple fact, you might be in a position to evaluate what steps can be taken. If you can't accept it, then it's probably better that you're just a poster on a forum, and not a decision maker for the association.
I went to a baseball game in New York a few years ago.
Wanted to see what all the fuss is about.
It's a uniquely american experience (unless you fancy going to Cuba or Japan), just like Gaelic games are a uniquely Irish experience.
That's where the tourism angle comes in.
It was mind-numbingly boring though.
Quote from: thewobbler on June 19, 2011, 09:28:22 PM
The thing i don't get here is why any GAA fan would have the slightest interest in tourism marketing of the sport. Just what is it that makes you care, or make you believe it's an issue. I can't imagine a Leeds United, Leinster Rugby, Boston Red Sox, Hawthorns or Widnes fan even considering the subject, let alone caring enough about it to get upset.
Why do the likes of Bud feel their take on their sport has to be different?
I'll sign off here by commenting on one truth. Nobody is going to travel to Ireland to watch Gaelic Games unless they've a history with the sport. They might watch Gaelic Games when they're on their Irish travels, but this is an option rather than a cause. When you can accept this simple fact, you might be in a position to evaluate what steps can be taken. If you can't accept it, then it's probably better that you're just a poster on a forum, and not a decision maker for the association.
I went to New York last year. I didn't go there just to ride the Staten Island Ferry. I didn't go there just to visit the Guggenheim museum. I didn't go there just to see Times Square. I didn't go there just to see the Statue of Liberty. I did all of these things though. I went there because of the combination of all of the things that make NY so interesting.
And please don't tell me that only people who grew up with Gaelic games can take any interest in them. I know for a fact that that is incorrect.
That's not what I said eamonca. What I said was people will not travel to Ireland to watch Gaelic Games alone. Yes they may well attend a game when they're here, but it's not a dealbreaker.
Bud's original spiel was misdirected. There is either a problem with the public traffic infrastructure in the country, or else it's jusg not financially viable for Iarnrod Eireann to run trains as he wants. In either case it's not a tourism issue.
Quote from: thewobbler on June 20, 2011, 07:21:56 AM
That's not what I said eamonca. What I said was people will not travel to Ireland to watch Gaelic Games alone. Yes they may well attend a game when they're here, but it's not a dealbreaker.
Bud's original spiel was misdirected. There is either a problem with the public traffic infrastructure in the country, or else it's jusg not financially viable for Iarnrod Eireann to run trains as he wants. In either case it's not a tourism issue.
In order to attend a game they'll have to be made aware of when it's on, how to get there.
I doubt they'll be on here looking for info so you have to bring the info to them via tourism websites, hotels etc.
If you go into a hotel anywhere in the country they'll have info & brochures about local outdoor activities like kayaking, hill walks and fishing and local entertainment/restaurants.
How about giving the locations of all the surrounding GAA clubs and visitors can ask at the desk for the days/times of matches?
You have to make it easy for people.
Bud has a point.
Personally I like to be able to take in a game when I go abroad somewhere. Not always possible, but I have arranged holiday dates in the past to take in american football and baseball games. Would hope to get ice hockey and basketball sometime in the future also.
Think sports loving visitors would like to see Hurling or Football. We need to market this properly and have this strategy underpinned by Bord falte or whoever is responsible these days.
But on the topic of public transport. Good luck. Buses are your best bet. Prior planning is needed. This kind of travel planning should be assisted by bord failte. Doubt if they would do that though. Gov agencies tend to not bother to do that kind of thing.
Quote from: thewobbler on June 19, 2011, 09:28:22 PM
The thing i don't get here is why any GAA fan would have the slightest interest in tourism marketing of the sport. Just what is it that makes you care, or make you believe it's an issue. I can't imagine a Leeds United, Leinster Rugby, Boston Red Sox, Hawthorns or Widnes fan even considering the subject, let alone caring enough about it to get upset.
Why do the likes of Bud feel their take on their sport has to be different?
Wobbler, I'm not qualified to answer for Bud, but since I've banged the same drum for a long time, I might as well give you my take on it, which is quite simple – we can use the incremental revenue, however small, that tourist bums on stadium seats represent. Also, the bigger the attendance at matches, the better the atmosphere and the greater the cumulative effect in attracting even more spectators.
On most Sundays of the Summer, there are a number of championship games around the country. Very few of these games are sell-outs. At the same time, on most Sundays in the Summer, the country is crawling with tourists. We in the GAA seem to take great care to hide from them this unique sporting experience and unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture (which is what tourists prize above anything else).
That’s not to mention the myriad of club matches. I‘d go so far as to say that clubs in areas with a high tourist footfall – the cities and the West, for example - could make significant incremental income by offering a full match package. Pick up the tourist party, take them to the match, provide snacks and beer, off to a pub session after – you know the kind of thing. That has to be as attractive as riding a donkey through the woods or looking at the Mrs looking at Aran ganseys and pottery. A few dozen extra seats sold buys a set of jerseys.
I spent a couple of nights in a Dublin hotel last week. I had a good look around to see if I could see any GAA marketing stuff. “The Croke Park Experience” was all I could see being promoted – that’s the GAA museum and some associated “test your skills”-type interactive stuff. That’s a start, but there was no mention of matches at all.
Having said that, we were in Cork city yesterday and I missed it, but the Mrs said she saw an item on that scrolling news headlines sign they have at one end of Patrick’s Bridge to the effect that the GAA is to make match tickets available through Fáilte Ireland (I think). I didn’t see that in the papers. Anyone know anything about it? Maybe the marketing dept. at CP has been reading gaaboard.
Hardy, it's mad to even suggest that the GAA could somehow centrally co-ordinate a tourism initiative towards club games. Think about the logistical nightmare (fixtures not moving time/date, travel advice, pricing advice, facility information) and political nightmare (do you include division two games? what about division three? etc...) involved, and you'll understand that the emphasis can only ever be on the clubs involved in the matches to market their own home games.
It's like suggesting that Little League baseball games should be marketed towards tourists in New York. Tourists are of course welcome, but It's not for tourists, it's for local communities. Ploughing time and money into attracting one-off attendees is madness.
I've similar doubts over marketing the bigger Championship games to tourists. Apart from first round games, the competitors, dates or venues of these fixtures tend to change at short notice. Which means you would need a dedicated resource available throughout the summer to copywrite, design, print and distribute any materials created (as well as manage and pay for the distribution channels).
My opinion is that this would be a loss-making exercise.
When I'm on my holidays, I pre-plan before I go, and I scour the local press when I arrive for events that are happening - especially sports events. As an example, I drove 6 hours from New York to Buffalo just so I could see an NFL game when I was in the States. The NFL didn't market that game to me; I wanted to go, and I took the initiative.
If sport is your thing, then you'll always find ways to make it part of your holiday. Your eye will be caught by adverts and prompts to locals. If being carted around every twee attraction in Ireland by an overpriced tour operator is your thing, then you'll do that instead.
Quote from: thewobbler on June 20, 2011, 12:14:34 PM
… the emphasis can only ever be on the clubs involved in the matches to market their own home games.
Sorry, Wobbler it wasn’t clear, but that’s what I meant in reference to club games. Just an opportunity to pump a little more revenue locally. Everyone in tourism-dependent communities looks for ways to milk the tourist dollar. Why not the GAA club? Anyway, that was just off the top of my head and not my main point, which is to question why the GAA's marketing department does so little to tap an obvious source of revenue. If you want to go to a bullfight in Spain, the Spanish Bullfighting Association or whatever doesn’t make it hard for you.
QuoteI've similar doubts over marketing the bigger Championship games to tourists. Apart from first round games, the competitors, dates or venues of these fixtures tend to change at short notice. Which means you would need a dedicated resource available throughout the summer to copywrite, design, print and distribute any materials created (as well as manage and pay for the distribution channels.
I don’t think we’re talking about a major marketing exercise. My point is that a few small basic initiatives will make a big difference. Certainly, you’re not going to promote Louth v. Carlow, or even Meath v. Dublin all over the USA six months in advance. But would it be too hard to put an advert in the Aer Lingus Magazine and in whatever publications Fáilte Ireland produces? Don’t forget to take in a hurling match while you’re in Ireland – it’s an experience you’ll never forget, etc. Booking is easy – just ask at your hotel reception or tourist office – they’ll have a detailed brochure and you can book your tickets right there as well. And for most matches you can just walk up. And it’s only €25.
Has the GAA ever even sat down with Fáilte Ireland, I wonder.
Again from my own examples Hardy. I was in NYC a few years ago and me and my mate popped out for a quick pint while the wimmen got ready (for nothing in particular, just a night out) that evening. ESPN were going through the evening's baseball fixtures and we noticed the Mets were at home in a game just starting. I asked the barman how long it would take to get there, and 20 minutes later we were on a train to Shea Stadium.
MLB hadn't pushed the game to me. If I had have been on a coordinated tour, I'd have been scheduled for something else and wouldn't have gone. If I'd booked tickets to a show that night, I'd have gone to it instead. Circumstances meant it suited us all to go, and I still couldn't tell you for sure who the opposing team were. Surely this is the case for most holidaymakers - when you've got free time, you look for things to do with it.
You can't possibly suggest that the GAA put roadblocks or difficulties in the way to prevent Ireland holidaymakers doing likewise; indeed the match information in local papers on match days tends to be excellent. So what it boils down to is whether they should actively pursue this market more aggressively. Yet I can't actually think of another sporting organisation that does. Your take on it is probably along the lines of either "it's worth trying" or "we can show the way". My take on it is more along the lines of it being a waste of time and money.
Wobbler, professional sports in America don't try, or need, to attract tourists because there are 300,000,000 people in America bombarded with baseball, football and basketball coverage morning, noon and night.
Quote from: thewobbler on June 20, 2011, 01:31:55 PM
Again from my own examples Hardy. I was in NYC a few years ago and me and my mate popped out for a quick pint while the wimmen got ready (for nothing in particular, just a night out) that evening. ESPN were going through the evening's baseball fixtures and we noticed the Mets were at home in a game just starting. I asked the barman how long it would take to get there, and 20 minutes later we were on a train to Shea Stadium.
MLB hadn't pushed the game to me. If I had have been on a coordinated tour, I'd have been scheduled for something else and wouldn't have gone. If I'd booked tickets to a show that night, I'd have gone to it instead. Circumstances meant it suited us all to go, and I still couldn't tell you for sure who the opposing team were. Surely this is the case for most holidaymakers - when you've got free time, you look for things to do with it.
You can't possibly suggest that the GAA put roadblocks or difficulties in the way to prevent Ireland holidaymakers doing likewise; indeed the match information in local papers on match days tends to be excellent. So what it boils down to is whether they should actively pursue this market more aggressively. Yet I can't actually think of another sporting organisation that does. Your take on it is probably along the lines of either "it's worth trying" or "we can show the way". My take on it is more along the lines of it being a waste of time and money.
My point is even simpler than that, Wobbler. As you say, the decision to attend a local sporting fixture is often a spontaneous one. If you've never heard of Gaelic games you're hardly going to go looking for the local paper to find out what games are on. You'll end up at the races or the dogs instead. Is it too much to ask that the GAA take steps at least to ensure that visitors know gaelic games exist, they're an experience you won't find anywhere else, they're easy to get to and they don't cost much?
I'm not even remotely interested in what other sporting organisations do or in showing them the way. I'd just like to see posters in Dublin saying "Kilkenny vs. Wexford this Sunday at Croke Park, €25", flyers in those little stands you see in hotel lobbies and tourist information offices that are full of brochures for the Zoo and Newgrange, ads in the tourist magazines and tickets for sale in the tourist information offices. It's not going to guarantee the future growth and prosperity of the GAA, but it's not hard, not expensive and it's the very least I'd expect from the marketing department of the GAA, if it exists.
The GAA marketing manager was on the Committee Room one night Hardy and to say he would not fill you with confidence is an understatement.
He spent most of his time moaning about how he never gets credit for anything.
Hardy, I've no idea why someone would end up at the races or the dogs instead. It's not like HRI or IGB are actively pursuing this market either.
A better flyer for the GAA to drop into hotels etc would be to go into partnership with something like the Indo, and having a generic flyer advertising the availability and accessibility of Gaelic Games throughout the summer, but to check Friday and Saturday's Indo for full venue and ticketing details. It doesn't go stale that way, and doesn't require an extensive weekly effort to maintain. There must be 500 places for tourists to stay in Dublin alone.
Found him! Here he is - Dermot Power, commercial and marketing manager of the GAA.
(http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu206/Hardyarse/Dermotpower.png)
I also found this (http://www.independent.ie/business/why-the-gaa-wants-to-be-the-leader-of-the-brand-101539.html). Such ambition hardly seems compatible with hiding your existence, never mind your brand, from the millions who visit here each year.
Quote from: thewobbler on June 20, 2011, 02:20:51 PM
Hardy, I've no idea why someone would end up at the races or the dogs instead. It's not like HRI or IGB are actively pursuing this market either.
A better flyer for the GAA to drop into hotels etc would be to go into partnership with something like the Indo, and having a generic flyer advertising the availability and accessibility of Gaelic Games throughout the summer, but to check Friday and Saturday's Indo for full venue and ticketing details. It doesn't go stale that way, and doesn't require an extensive weekly effort to maintain. There must be 500 places for tourists to stay in Dublin alone.
Exactly. (I knew I'd win you around ;D .)
Quote from: thewobbler on June 20, 2011, 01:31:55 PM
Again from my own examples Hardy. I was in NYC a few years ago and me and my mate popped out for a quick pint while the wimmen got ready (for nothing in particular, just a night out) that evening. ESPN were going through the evening's baseball fixtures and we noticed the Mets were at home in a game just starting. I asked the barman how long it would take to get there, and 20 minutes later we were on a train to Shea Stadium.
MLB hadn't pushed the game to me. If I had have been on a coordinated tour, I'd have been scheduled for something else and wouldn't have gone. If I'd booked tickets to a show that night, I'd have gone to it instead. Circumstances meant it suited us all to go, and I still couldn't tell you for sure who the opposing team were. Surely this is the case for most holidaymakers - when you've got free time, you look for things to do with it.
You can't possibly suggest that the GAA put roadblocks or difficulties in the way to prevent Ireland holidaymakers doing likewise; indeed the match information in local papers on match days tends to be excellent. So what it boils down to is whether they should actively pursue this market more aggressively. Yet I can't actually think of another sporting organisation that does. Your take on it is probably along the lines of either "it's worth trying" or "we can show the way". My take on it is more along the lines of it being a waste of time and money.
Wasn't it grand that you could get on a train ? The "spiel" I was giving, as you so eloquently put it was not particularly directed at Tourism, what I am saying is that marketing Irish Tourism is beyond the capability of the GAA if they cannot liase with Iarnrod Eireann and attract people to cheap 'gaa game outings by train'
Let me explain my "spiel" a bit better for you.
1. Last year the GAA and (??) , were boasting about the Croke Park and the green energy program they were promoting.
2. The figures for the reduction in carbon which they boasted about in Press Releases and on websites was based on replies that we gave saying we would use a train instead of our car to attend games at Croke Park. You don't have to be Einstein to figure out that if a game starts at 7pm and the last train is at 8pm that you are either going to (a) miss the train or (b) miss half the game - all because the train schedule can not be altered by one hour?
3. Unless you are living in cloud cuckoo land the news should not have escaped you that the cost of a Dad driving hiw two young fellas to a game in Croke Park, when everything including petrol, meals, tickets are taken into consideration is one of the reasons for small attendances. I see today that Iarnrod Eaireann have put a notice on their website to say that trains will be scheduled for the Munster Football Final and not alone that but tickets will be from €10. They were well able to get the times and venue from the GAA to promote this.
So why was the trains allowed to leave Tullamore a half hour before the game ended? I'll tell you why, because it was a hurling match, that is why and the GAA dont give a foook about hurling and if Dublin footballers had been playing Galway next Saturday it would be on the Iarnrod Eireann website now along with the current advertisement.
Quote from: Bud Wiser on June 20, 2011, 03:27:13 PM
3. Unless you are living in cloud cuckoo land the news should not have escaped you that the cost of a Dad driving hiw two young fellas to a game in Croke Park, when everything including petrol, meals, tickets are taken into consideration is one of the reasons for small attendances. I see today that Iarnrod Eaireann have put a notice on their website to say that trains will be scheduled for the Munster Football Final and not alone that but tickets will be from €10. They were well able to get the times and venue from the GAA to promote this.
In fairness, ultimately it's not down to the GAA whether these trains run. Sure, the GAA could put out feelers to IR to run special trains. But as things stand when Cork are in the Munster final, you always have special trains. When Waterford are in the Munster final, you never have special trains. Why? Because the powers that be in Kent Station give a hoot while those in Plunkett Station do not
Quote from: Jinxy on June 20, 2011, 02:16:57 PM
The GAA marketing manager was on the Committee Room one night Hardy and to say he would not fill you with confidence is an understatement.
He spent most of his time moaning about how he never gets credit for anything.
:D :D
Bud, it's nonsense to suggest the train situation has anything to do with preferential treatment for football. If the train departure times were adjusted for every game then many non-gaa supporters would be seriously put out and I see little justification got adjusting train time tables to suit games with small crowds. There'll be over 35k at the munster final and those trains will be sold out in double quick time, to compare that game with the dublin game is just silly.
The fact that a last train out of a major Town is 8pm is a joke. but the GAA are struggling to attract their own people nwever mind tourists.
Entry costs are unrealistic. Why should anyone have to pay the same amount into Pairc esler for example as they do into Croke Park.
all county grounds should have considerably cheaper access than the modern stadium at HQ.
How can the GAA justify charging 25 euro for example into a bog standard stand which wouldnt be out of place in 1940's english soccer grounds where you can barely get a cup of tea or have a clear view with posts everywhere. Compared to Croker. The GAA is run by people who are so out of tiuch its unreal.
Thankfully they have reduced prices. 10 euro terrace and 15 covered seating is more than enough for provincial grounds.
dont worry about attracting tourists until the GAA stop shafting their own.
i will travel a long journey on saturday to Ennis and wont know what price is into game until i get there due to the non existant info from GAA.
Pay someone 100,000 a year to market the games FFS.
Quote from: snoopdog on June 20, 2011, 04:36:12 PM
The fact that a last train out of a major Town is 8pm is a joke. but the GAA are struggling to attract their own people nwever mind tourists.
Entry costs are unrealistic. Why should anyone have to pay the same amount into Pairc esler for example as they do into Croke Park.
all county grounds should have considerably cheaper access than the modern stadium at HQ.
How can the GAA justify charging 25 euro for example into a bog standard stand which wouldnt be out of place in 1940's english soccer grounds where you can barely get a cup of tea or have a clear view with posts everywhere. Compared to Croker. The GAA is run by people who are so out of tiuch its unreal.
Thankfully they have reduced prices. 10 euro terrace and 15 covered seating is more than enough for provincial grounds.
dont worry about attracting tourists until the GAA stop shafting their own.
i will travel a long journey on saturday to Ennis and wont know what price is into game until i get there due to the non existant info from GAA.
Pay someone 100,000 a year to market the games FFS.
Yes, the pricing is wrong. Yes, it's ludicrous that I don't know how much I'll be paying to get in until I get to the stadium or how much the programme will be, or whether it'll be an A4 sheet or a full glossy, or whether and where I'll be able to get a coffee. But why do we have to do things serially? We can't promote to tourists until we fix everything else first?
The approach of the higher levels of the GAA is that of blind loyalty and that everything should be served on that principle. Everyone should be volunteers and go to games cause of the love of the games.
This approach is as old as some of the codgers sitting at provincial level and needs changing. They are blinded to everyone elses view on it.
It will be gone too far before its addressed, its very hard to get people back to it when they go. This years attendences have been terrible.
Quote from: snoopdog on June 20, 2011, 04:36:12 PM
The fact that a last train out of a major Town is 8pm is a joke. but the GAA are struggling to attract their own people nwever mind tourists.
Entry costs are unrealistic. Why should anyone have to pay the same amount into Pairc esler for example as they do into Croke Park.
all county grounds should have considerably cheaper access than the modern stadium at HQ.
How can the GAA justify charging 25 euro for example into a bog standard stand which wouldnt be out of place in 1940's english soccer grounds where you can barely get a cup of tea or have a clear view with posts everywhere. Compared to Croker. The GAA is run by people who are so out of tiuch its unreal.
Thankfully they have reduced prices. 10 euro terrace and 15 covered seating is more than enough for provincial grounds.
dont worry about attracting tourists until the GAA stop shafting their own.
i will travel a long journey on saturday to Ennis and wont know what price is into game until i get there due to the non existant info from GAA.
Pay someone 100,000 a year to market the games FFS.
Pretty sure they're already doing that.
I'm with Hardy on this, and I'm not even talking about going as far as fixing the train times etc. It wouldn't take a lot of effort or cost to just raise awareness and pique curiousity of those visitors to our country. At this time of year there are games taking place all over the country and they are almost under cover as far as tourists are concerned.
As a for instance, I just flew back into Kerry Airport there last week. There's 3 or 4 empty Advertising Billboards there in the arrivals hall. How much effort would it be to have a nice glitzy poster up advertising our games, with a 'Welcome to the Kingdom' type slant.
In Shannon, there is nothing to let you know, as a tourist, that such a game as hurling exists, never mind that you are flying into a region with one of the best championships currently in progress.
Same I'm sure for Cork, Dublin, Rosslare, Knock, Galway, Waterford, Belfast etc.
I'm not talking about multi million euro marketing campaigns, but a couple of advertising billboard that advertise the games, and how to get tickets, would be ideal. Wobbler, you are a sports fan, and AMerican Sports are very well marketed throughout the world. They don't need to advertise specific games to you because they've sold you the product via TV, Internet etc for years. You are aware of it, know the season is on, know the local teams and have a fair idea how to find tickets.
If Gunther Wonderkind lands in Shannon from Dusseldorf, and has never heard of hurling, but likes his bit of sport, and if he were aware of it would be keen to see a game - how would he get the info?
Scour the 'local' papers on the offchance a game is on? Does he know what he's looking for? Does he understand Minor - Intermediate - Senior etc? The GAA is not as pervasive around the world as soccer or American Sports, and Hardy's example about Bullfighting is more appropriate.
It wouldn't take a lot of money to market the games at point of entry, and to have informational posters (not necessarily one per game, one per year would do) around the towns and cities?
Hurling - the game of generations!!! Come See the fastest field game in the world, played by the best athletes in Ireland right here!! For information please see GAA.IE/Fixtures, tickets from Tiocketmaster.ie
A collage of images on a big colourful posters with high catching, striking, blocks etc etc would round it off. It's cheap, it's effective and most importantly - it lets people know the games exist are are on NOW!
Those are great suggestions AZ Offaly, but will the grand poobahs in Croke Park take any heed of them? You would think so, but I doubt it very much.
Mrs redandblack4ever
Quote from: snoopdog on June 20, 2011, 04:36:12 PM
The fact that a last train out of a major Town is 8pm is a joke. but the GAA are struggling to attract their own people nwever mind tourists.
Entry costs are unrealistic. Why should anyone have to pay the same amount into Pairc esler for example as they do into Croke Park.
all county grounds should have considerably cheaper access than the modern stadium at HQ.
How can the GAA justify charging 25 euro for example into a bog standard stand which wouldnt be out of place in 1940's english soccer grounds where you can barely get a cup of tea or have a clear view with posts everywhere. Compared to Croker. The GAA is run by people who are so out of tiuch its unreal.
Thankfully they have reduced prices. 10 euro terrace and 15 covered seating is more than enough for provincial grounds.
dont worry about attracting tourists until the GAA stop shafting their own.
i will travel a long journey on saturday to Ennis and wont know what price is into game until i get there due to the non existant info from GAA.
Pay someone 100,000 a year to market the games FFS.
Ah here, why should us good folk of the Pale have to fork out more than the rest of the country to attend matches? Your suggestion is both discriminatory and ludicrous. I know the Kildare fanbase is relatively well off considering the county is effectively subsidised by Aga Khan and the Al Maktoum family but even we have fallen on hard times. I mean I'm probably going to have to hang on to my 2010 Range Rover for another year rather than invest in a new 2011 model. It's bad enough that they expect us to play the Dubs on the same day as the Derby at the Curragh. If they hiked up the price nare a Flourbag would darken the turnstiles of Croke Park come Sunday.
I'm heading up to Dublin for weekend and done a search on the Discover Ireland website for events on in Dublin this weekend, apart from the Irish Open in Killarney been heavily advertised on the site as it rightly should been as its largely driven by the tourism crowd, the main sporting attraction in Dublin this weekend is the Super Cup in the Avivia. Actually its the only sporting event on, no details at all of the two days action at Croke Park.
Shamefull that the GAA can't ensure that this is heavily promoted on a tourists main point of reference prior to their trip to Ireland.
Yesterday Vinny O'Connor the Sky Sports news reporting was tweeting about been in Dublin for the Super cup this weekend but his thoughts were of his last trip to Dublin and his visit to Croke park not for rugby or a soccer international but Dublin V Mayo in the NFL, he described it as a unforgetable experience. Sad that the GAA aren't tapping into this market.
why can't the GAA get Iarnroid Eireann to build a very basic station undeneath the Railway End (it was in the original plans for Croker afaik) so that trains can unload supporters on special trains right beside the stadium
in order to market the games properly, you have to do the basics
internet (search related ads, make sure events are listed prominantly on tourist sites)
radio (see how the rugby crowd get any tiny bit of news onto the sports news)
tv (shirts ads detailing what games are on, where they are on and how to get tickets)
newspapers (adverts on front page, in the events/entertainment section and back page)
billboards (prominently displayed pictures of football/hurling with how to get tickets)
noticeboards (in tourist offices up and down the country)
transport hubs (most airports, train stations have TVs with adverts on them - think of the bag carousals at Dublin airport, GAA should be prominantly advertised here)
airplane magazines (everyone reads them, put adverts/articles about attending Croke Park and how to get tickets)
hotels (brochures, leaflets in all rooms and lobbies about GAA games - give the hotel a commission for selling tickets to the games)
taxis (advertise in the back of taxis)
buses (adverts on the buses that serve the airport and railways stations)
Luas (its heavily used by tourists)
There should be a GAA Superstore on O'Connell Street or nearby selling all the merchandie and with a ticket counter at the front promoting games and the museum.
Neilthemac, that's basically a seven-figure advertising spend you're asking for.
In reverse, that means 50,000 extra tickets at €20 would need to be sold. To break even. Good luck with that.
Quote from: thewobbler on July 29, 2011, 01:37:03 PM
Neilthemac, that's basically a seven-figure advertising spend you're asking for.
In reverse, that means 50,000 extra tickets at €20 would need to be sold. To break even. Good luck with that.
This one alone wouldn't, and would be a good start.
Quotetransport hubs (most airports, train stations have TVs with adverts on them - think of the bag carousals at Dublin airport, GAA should be prominantly advertised here)
Quote from: thewobbler on July 29, 2011, 01:37:03 PM
Neilthemac, that's basically a seven-figure advertising spend you're asking for.
In reverse, that means 50,000 extra tickets at €20 would need to be sold. To break even. Good luck with that.
over the course of a year
the league finals, Leinster football and hurling championships?
other provincial finals
All Ireland football qualifiers, quarters and semis?
hurling quarters and semis
would be feasible imho. I didn't say everything avenue had to be targetted, just identify what tourists notice and how they make their decisions
Neil, see this makes it even more difficult to advertise.
Rugby has two serious bouts of advertising each year; the run up the 6N and the run up to the November series. Which is a fixed number of games, at set venues, with set competitors playing at set times. Even then, most of the advertising during these periods is by their major sponsors, and not directly related to the individual games.
If the GAA wanted to use focused, game-specific advertising, they'd end up handing an absolute sackful of money to production houses each week, for the updates to creative, and their rollout across all the media required. I'd think this is a non-starter financially.
There is a market available for generic advertising of the games. But that doesn't solve the problem of how to inform tourists when these games happen and how to get to them. It's a completely different thing.
This, I guess, is where greater emphasis should be placed in contracts with broadcasters and the newspaper industry.
Not only tourists lads but GAA neutrals, what would take them to the games this weekend if Croker if they in and around Dublin.
Picked up the Star in the feeding house at lunch. 1/4 page colour ad for the super cup and pages on the clubs playing. Plus it had a column about tickets been on sale at the venue this weekend for it and other places they on sale.
No ad or details on the Croke Park games bar a small column about the expected attendence and also a bit about a fanpark type area they are putting in place for the weekend but it was short on detail and no mention of were tickets could be got. If they doing something they need to be shouting it from the rooftops.
Isn't the idea of good marketing that it pays for itself and then some.
Quote from: Bingo on July 29, 2011, 05:11:51 PM
Not only tourists lads but GAA neutrals, what would take them to the games this weekend if Croker if they in and around Dublin.
Any promotion aimed at international tourists would also raise awareness among Irish people too.
The aim should be to try and make a trip to a GAA match to become part of the essential tourist experience in Ireland, like drinking a pint of Guinness.
A large amount of Irish people who have little connection to the GAA might get curious too.
You might get the Riverdance effect. People who would previously have cringed at displays of indigenous culture might change their point once they see that foreign visitors are impressed.
on that...
loads of Celtic shirts around Dublin today. buses of them heading across town to Landsdowne.
just shows there are people out there who would spend their money on any sort of dross for a day out.
What was with the grotesque clowns and women on stilts, dressed as Gallifrian Time Lords at Croke Park today? :/