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The Gaa's Biggest Crossroad Ever?

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I understand Rugby is not a very big thing in Donegal, nor is Hurling in fact very little apart from soccer and car rallying. But unfortunately Rugby is in Dublin, so money (lots of it) have to spent competing for hearts and minds and all that. You are talking about viewers and bricks and mortar and something about the Catholic church. I am talking about participants which are actually the future of the game not you or I. So if you can swap specs you might see a different story than the rose tinted one you paint there. 2.2 billion in assets! - Oh god I feel a headache coming on.
arock (Dublin) - Posts: 3799 - 14/09/2018 18:59:40 rugby isnt huge in Donegal but gaining popularity hugely, 3 players from Donegal on Ulster u19s who are playing their final inteprovincial game this weekend which would be highest numbers in long time and there is a pro in the academy with ulster from donegal in Joe Dunleavy and is first pro from the county.

DonaldDuck (Tipperary) - Posts: 544 - 14/09/2018 21:47:07    2141813

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Rugby isn't even near hurling in this county for playing numbers so I don't know where you get the idea it's getting hugely popular. There is 3 rugby teams here. 5 hurling at adult and 8-10 clubs hurling at different underage now. Very positive but it'll be tough to try and bring them through And make the jump to adult level. Donegal are in the christy ring and competitive. Hopefully give a good account of themselves next year but it'll be tough.

Bain (Donegal) - Posts: 470 - 14/09/2018 23:23:55    2141830

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Replying To arock:  "Right I rambled a bit and yet viola! you managed to take one point (just one) and run with - and out of context "Too much emphasis is placed on other sports as a justification for doing things." that was my point not the FACT the GAA has to compete in some counties with other sports that is a given fact. I understand Rugby is not a very big thing in Donegal, nor is Hurling in fact very little apart from soccer and car rallying. But unfortunately Rugby is in Dublin, so money (lots of it) have to spent competing for hearts and minds and all that. You are talking about viewers and bricks and mortar and something about the Catholic church. I am talking about participants which are actually the future of the game not you or I. So if you can swap specs you might see a different story than the rose tinted one you paint there. 2.2 billion in assets! - Oh god I feel a headache coming on."
There are more hurling clubs per population outside of Dublin than in Dublin. Leinster rugby have been very smart in marketing it as a 12 county army, spreading the game out around the provinces rather than concentrating on Dublin only, meanwhile the gaa is still talking about Dublin and competing with rugby etc etc whereas rugby have moved on to the rest of Leinster.

Competing with rugby etc is a nationwide problem, not just one area..

Soccer remains a competing sport with the gaa, again a problem around the entire country, not just Dublin and will compete directly now with a switch to summer soccer coming, this will give for the most part kids an a opportunity to look at a calendar of games knowing where and when they will play every week compared to the haphazard way fixtures are laid out in the gaa.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1336 - 15/09/2018 08:09:13    2141844

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Rugby isn't even near hurling in this county for playing numbers so I don't know where you get the idea it's getting hugely popular. There is 3 rugby teams here. 5 hurling at adult and 8-10 clubs hurling at different underage now. Very positive but it'll be tough to try and bring them through And make the jump to adult level. Donegal are in the christy ring and competitive. Hopefully give a good account of themselves next year but it'll be tough.

Bain (Donegal) - Posts: 468 - 14/09/2018 23:23:55Rugby is gaining ground considerably. There is more than 3 rugby clubs but with Donegal now having a pro player in Joe Dunleavy it should really help boost numbers/attention to the sport. The Ulster u19s team this season normally dominated by kids who attend/attended Campbell/RBAI/Methody/Royal School Armagh etc has 3 kids from Donegal in the squad. higher numbers in years including 2 starters(both 2nd rows as it would happen)

There are more hurling clubs per population outside of Dublin than in Dublin. Leinster rugby have been very smart in marketing it as a 12 county army, spreading the game out around the provinces rather than concentrating on Dublin only, meanwhile the gaa is still talking about Dublin and competing with rugby etc etc whereas rugby have moved on to the rest of Leinster.
Competing with rugby etc is a nationwide problem, not just one area..
Soccer remains a competing sport with the gaa, again a problem around the entire country, not just Dublin and will compete directly now with a switch to summer soccer coming, this will give for the most part kids an a opportunity to look at a calendar of games knowing where and when they will play every week compared to the haphazard way fixtures are laid out in the gaa.
tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 729 - 15/09/2018 08:09:13 Leinster Rugby have done very well but GAA is ar from talking about dublin alone.

DonaldDuck (Tipperary) - Posts: 544 - 15/09/2018 10:56:40    2141858

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The club game is perfect until you reach adult level then it's a disater, long lay offs at the best time of year, crazy training schedules which kills off a lot of interest. Win at all costs, the cost been the spectacle that used to be a free flowing attack oriented game now a defensive bore fest mostly, really after under 15s the game is utterly shite, everything we teach kids about having fun playing attractive football seems to be thrown out the window and replaced with words like system and structure, we urge kids to get forward and build attacks then a few years later it's all get back and blanket defend. These guru style defensive coaches need to be run out of the game like the charlatans they are

Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1592 - 17/09/2018 12:03:03    2142192

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Replying To arock:  "Right I rambled a bit and yet viola! you managed to take one point (just one) and run with - and out of context "Too much emphasis is placed on other sports as a justification for doing things." that was my point not the FACT the GAA has to compete in some counties with other sports that is a given fact. I understand Rugby is not a very big thing in Donegal, nor is Hurling in fact very little apart from soccer and car rallying. But unfortunately Rugby is in Dublin, so money (lots of it) have to spent competing for hearts and minds and all that. You are talking about viewers and bricks and mortar and something about the Catholic church. I am talking about participants which are actually the future of the game not you or I. So if you can swap specs you might see a different story than the rose tinted one you paint there. 2.2 billion in assets! - Oh god I feel a headache coming on."
Can u simplify your point a bit? Re competing against other sports, soccer is huge in Donegal (3 international captains in the last 20 years including the current one) is a huge representation by population ratio. Yet there is no fiscal contingency by either code to market each other out of pole position. The status quo that is in situ never goes beyond the Amber level.

My point is the GAA will survive and thrive in any enviornment anywhere in the country. It doesn't need contingencies, this is reflected by numbers on the ground. It will always be in good financial health and whether people want to acknowledge this or not, is the only true yardstick of the health of a stock.

The aesthetics of the game is as u very rightly pointed out, the major cross road we face. Would this be a fair assessment of your major point?

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 17/09/2018 14:07:37    2142231

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Apologies coming to this post late , have read original posters observations and couldn't agree more , as a father of two lads playing at a high level on the club science I have witnessed first hand last two years the apathy the frustration the club player has , last week a championship weekend we had players in London for a premiership game , lads went to see Dara o Brien we were short 7 players because no one can put a bloody calendar together and expect amateurs to put their lives on hold , Joke

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 21/09/2018 20:14:57    2143201

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Replying To Damothedub:  "Apologies coming to this post late , have read original posters observations and couldn't agree more , as a father of two lads playing at a high level on the club science I have witnessed first hand last two years the apathy the frustration the club player has , last week a championship weekend we had players in London for a premiership game , lads went to see Dara o Brien we were short 7 players because no one can put a bloody calendar together and expect amateurs to put their lives on hold , Joke"
Which club?

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 22/09/2018 13:22:15    2143254

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Replying To Donegalman:  "Which club?"
Most know my club on Dubs page , won't name and shame them myself ,

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 22/09/2018 16:47:19    2143274

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There are a number or ways to answer this point, but the main one is that clubs always find a way. Players find a way when the big games get closer. The smaller games means less. This is a problem for sure, but it has been going on since the late 1800s no doubt. Weddings, emigration, college etc are the bigger reasons. The less 'authentic' reasons are more down to the times that we live in, but don't forget that other clubs outside the GAA code would have the same issue of youths going AWAL to do something recreational in the face of fixtures.

What is the answer to this? None. It happens everywhere and in every sport.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 22/09/2018 18:58:25    2143281

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Replying To Donegalman:  "Can u simplify your point a bit? Re competing against other sports, soccer is huge in Donegal (3 international captains in the last 20 years including the current one) is a huge representation by population ratio. Yet there is no fiscal contingency by either code to market each other out of pole position. The status quo that is in situ never goes beyond the Amber level.

My point is the GAA will survive and thrive in any enviornment anywhere in the country. It doesn't need contingencies, this is reflected by numbers on the ground. It will always be in good financial health and whether people want to acknowledge this or not, is the only true yardstick of the health of a stock.

The aesthetics of the game is as u very rightly pointed out, the major cross road we face. Would this be a fair assessment of your major point?"
Yes and I appreciate your patience (I am not being sarcastic) thanks for paraphrasing it correctly

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 22/09/2018 19:03:16    2143282

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Replying To Donegalman:  "There are a number or ways to answer this point, but the main one is that clubs always find a way. Players find a way when the big games get closer. The smaller games means less. This is a problem for sure, but it has been going on since the late 1800s no doubt. Weddings, emigration, college etc are the bigger reasons. The less 'authentic' reasons are more down to the times that we live in, but don't forget that other clubs outside the GAA code would have the same issue of youths going AWAL to do something recreational in the face of fixtures.

What is the answer to this? None. It happens everywhere and in every sport."
I was speaking to someone at the weekend who was at the recent Slaughtneil v Magherafelt game and he reckons there was close to 5000 people at it. That's some crowd for a quarter final between 2 clubs from a division 4 county. As a comparison, 1st played 2nd in the eirtricity league on Friday and there were less than that at it. The average attendance at a premier division soccer game up north is about 1000. It would be very rare any club rugby game in Ireland would have 1000 people at it, and I doubt there has been a game with 5000 at it this century.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 24/09/2018 14:13:05    2143536

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Replying To Soma:  "I was speaking to someone at the weekend who was at the recent Slaughtneil v Magherafelt game and he reckons there was close to 5000 people at it. That's some crowd for a quarter final between 2 clubs from a division 4 county. As a comparison, 1st played 2nd in the eirtricity league on Friday and there were less than that at it. The average attendance at a premier division soccer game up north is about 1000. It would be very rare any club rugby game in Ireland would have 1000 people at it, and I doubt there has been a game with 5000 at it this century."
Exactly my point. And this is north of the border too where you would expect rugby and soccer to Trump all.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 24/09/2018 19:08:41    2143583

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IMHO get rid of the backdoor system should free up a lot of time, even the championship at club level is suffering as teams know they have a second chance, it is taking up too much time and no need for it until it started. Again i presume its to do with money in an amuteur game

mrsme (USA) - Posts: 172 - 24/09/2018 21:47:17    2143613

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