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"O'Connor Park needs to be more self sustaining," said Offaly chairman Pádraig Boland. Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 19/02/2015 12:30:41 1694943 Link 0 |
The reason they are in financial trouble...... JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 19/02/2015 13:14:53 1694973 Link 0 |
more so croke park getting all the games than anything id imagine fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 19/02/2015 14:08:57 1694999 Link 0 |
I agree with you Richieq. You do have to wonder though what the county board were thinking of in terms of investing that amount of money in a redevelopment without apparently giving much thought to how it was going to pay for itself. It's another eye opener for those county boards who are thinking of building a Bertie Bowl. I would be advocating a policy from HQ of promising, written guarantee, more high profile games to counties who are willing to invest in the redevelopment of their ground. But, no money/grants etc. should be forthcoming from HQ until they see a proper business plan and most of all the area which outlines how the outlay is going to be covered. This should serve to incentivise CBs to consider ground development but also encourage them to come up with proper business plans to cover their investment. Definitely CP is overused. County sharing may be the other option???? Ground supply may simply be outstripping demand. Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4704 - 19/02/2015 15:24:24 1695032 Link 0 |
Why are we blaming Croke Park or Dublin ? cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 19/02/2015 15:32:26 1695043 Link 0 |
The problem at present is that counties are having to redevelop in a major way just to stay open, the Slattery report of 2011 had an immensely negative effect on some grounds. Pairc Tailteann, St. Conleths, Drogheda, Dr. Hyde Park all suffered badly in terms of cut capacity and in all fairness work was badly needed. If Tullamore hadn't been redeveloped I have no doubt it's capacity would be under 6'000 now and it wouldnt be use to man nor beast, I remember the old place well. I'm sure certain assurances were given with regards allocation of games at the time and when refevelomment of Tullamore started the total fascination with Croke Park hadn't kicked in fully. That in addition to the stringent Health & Safety stipulations at present mean that if you are redeveloping you have to do it to an exceptionally high standard and adhere to strict guidelines, guidelines which don't come cheap. Offaly made the right move to develop O'Connor Park, it was also a brave move but they have a ground that will satisfy their needs for years to come, it's a pity that Leinster Council don't recognise or appreciate the efforts of Offaly by granting more games to venues like Tullamore and end this nonsense of utilising Croke Park at every hands turn Richieq (Meath) - Posts: 3734 - 19/02/2015 17:11:00 1695070 Link 0 |
not blaming dublin in the slightest anyway..not really anything to do with them..the gaa goes on about doing up stadiums and all that yet never gives these stadiums any games of note rendering doing em up and all the facilities rather pointless..the best way to utilise each stadia would be a longer season with a set amount of home games fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 19/02/2015 17:29:28 1695076 Link 0 |
The problem is the GAA play far too many matches in Croke Park that do not need to be played there. Take for example, the Leinster Semi final this year, it will more than likely involve Dublin and the two semi finals will be played as a double header in Croker. I cannot stand when Meath player in Croker and there is less than 20k people present for the game, the atmosphere is awful, it has an echoey empty feel when games are played there that do not tract big crowds. the GAA should for example move the semi final that doesn't involve Dublin out of Croker and to somewhere else in Leinster. So this year for example, Meath/Wicklow will meet Louth/Westmeath/Wexford. What the GAA need to do in this case is play this game in Tullamore/Portlaoise. it's not rocket science that when you pack 20k fans into a 20k stadium the atmostphere is going to be much better then putting 20k fans for one of the semi finals into an 82000 sweater stadium. Similary something like this has to be done more often, why not play an All Ireland quarter final/Semi each year in Semple stadium/Gaelic Grounds depending on location of two teams. it would make much more sense then dragging them to Croker where the stadium isn't even half full. PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 19/02/2015 17:33:40 1695079 Link 0 |
cuchulainn35 Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4704 - 19/02/2015 17:58:32 1695086 Link 0 |
Id have to agree, what is the point in playing both Leinster semis in cp? Pointless and counter productive to gronds such as O'Connor park that could well accommodate the crowds and would hugely benefit the local gaa and indeed local businesses. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 19/02/2015 18:06:42 1695088 Link 0 |
I could be wrong but were the clubs in Offaly not paying for this over the past number of years selling tickets and fundraising . 200,000 isn't that much when you consider I'm sure it cost Offaly 5 or 6 million euro in the first place to do it up. I say fair play to Offaly they have a top class stadium with wonderful dressing rooms, toilets , press box, stand etc if only every other county had the same we would be in far better state. They could get more revenue in if they held a few concerts which in turn they could pay back the 200,000. ke40 (Kildare) - Posts: 212 - 19/02/2015 19:09:49 1695103 Link 0 |
Does anybody not think that there is a need for a 40k sweater stadium in Leinster? I think it would make perfect sense. Leinster semi finals could be played there, All Ireland quarter finals, League finals etc. PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 19/02/2015 19:14:06 1695106 Link 0 |
ke40 Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4704 - 19/02/2015 20:02:42 1695134 Link 0 |
Well said Joxer cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 19/02/2015 20:18:15 1695141 Link 0 |
Offaly only owe 200,000. This is peanuts. bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 20/02/2015 08:54:27 1695200 Link 0 |
Well O Connor Park isn't just for Offaly , it hosts 4 or 5 big games each year , the sell out between kilkenny and galway last year was unreal atmosphere . Of course Offaly is a smaller county but there was 8 or 9 thousand at the Offaly senior football final between rhode and edenderry. Kilkormacs first senior hurling win few year back had over 10,000 at it . Portlaoise is the only other venue that can hold 20 - 25,000 and how could we play all county games in one venue? New bridge is reduced can't hold big games , Navan is the same . What would be the point in o Connor park holding just 5- 10,000 , at least now it can host big games boost the local economy with 20,000 visitors , if the capacity was 10,000 it would be left waiting to play a county final in October and be of no use to anyone for the rest of the year. It's not as if Croke Park can't afford it , deals should be done to upgrade other grounds , I'd much rather owe 200,000 on a new ground than owe 300,000 on paying expenses and a manager for 3-4 years of winning nothing. ke40 (Kildare) - Posts: 212 - 20/02/2015 09:22:16 1695204 Link 0 |
bennybunny Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4704 - 20/02/2015 12:37:38 1695280 Link 0 |
There needs to be another one outside of croke park. Problem is croke park been used for nonsense games like both Leinster semis final, league semi and league finsls, and above all the stupid spring series. royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 20/02/2015 12:48:56 1695286 Link 0 |
royaldunne Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4704 - 20/02/2015 13:21:22 1695299 Link 0 |
Joxer bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 20/02/2015 13:41:19 1695307 Link 0 |