National Forum

Is the current GAA product worth the bother???

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Replying To Wicklowman:  "Certainly has happened Greengrass. People are staying away. One poster had statistics on that. It's a poor spectacle. You can convince yourself that people are going to endlessly watch whatever is thrown up, but you'd be foolish to think so. As one poster said previously, teams need to be encouraged to play attractive football again even if that means punishing them. Free in if the goalie doesn't kick the ball out past the 40 yard line."
Wicklowman, which games exactly have people stayed away from?? Only ones I read about were 2 provincial finals both of which the outcome was easy wins for defending champions. That would appear to be championship structure, rather than style of play, which left people unwilling to pay in? Re. Rule changes, sport evolves and sucess is often cyclical, let's not jump in with rule changes, just yet, that's my take on it.

Expertinexile (UK) - Posts: 6 - 25/07/2016 22:50:40    1890074

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I love the current football product, very competitive across all provinces.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 26/07/2016 01:53:28    1890097

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Replying To clondalkindub:  "Wicklowman Cluxton does kick it to his free defenders cause the opposition forwards are up the other end of the field playing as sweepers so why wouldn't he? But for the sake of football I'd have no problem if a rule was brought in were he'd have to kick it passed the 45 metre line, if this made the game better then as I said I'd have no problem with him kicking long but why should we be punished for playing against defensive team right now?"
I don't like the short kick out either and would love to see more high fielding and midfield battles but I don't think introducing a rule like that could work. Take my own county for example, who have struggled with injuries to our midfield players this year. This leaves them much weaker in midfield then the majority of teams they faced so the short kick out is a necessity at times. A rule like you suggest would really punish teams who for whatever reason just cant compete at midfield in some games.

Douglas_Hyde (Roscommon) - Posts: 90 - 26/07/2016 09:12:05    1890135

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100% agree with you Wicklowman.

I'm in a similar boat myself. My family who are staunch GAA people sadly have little or no interest anymore, even the club season is very diluted in Meath with attendances down. Its almost August and only one round of championship has been played for most clubs. Now the county board are going to play three rounds in three weekends in a row. A rushed job for players who've been training for the sake of training since last January.

Maybe its because Meath are gone very bad but having gone to every championship match for decades, nobody is bothering to go anymore amongst my friends and family. Its just a whole load of hype and emptiness. The odd league match though is enjoyable. Maybe because its competitive and is closer in nature to the GAA we grew up with.

Crinigan (Meath) - Posts: 1319 - 26/07/2016 09:26:35    1890141

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Its got to the stage that its in danger of falling off a cliff - there's so much complacency in the GAA that they will always be there but once interest wanes it can become a vicious circle -
Anyone I've talked to is not bothered going to the games anymore as who wants to pay 25 Euro to see your team pack their defense and try to limit the beating they take, or in Limerick's case in Hurling witness rank incompetancy - even this year people are talking about how poor the games have been on TV and are switching off until the latter stages- The Hurling only has about 3 really interesting games(AI semis and finals) and the football only really starts at the quarter final stage, fair play to Tipp and Clare but will Clare get near to Kerry? Its nearly the end of July and we've had 3 months of mismatches and the top teams at half speed.
Thats inter county - at Club level the Limerick Hurling championship is a pretty good structure and they played some matches in May, they take up again in Mid August but it's all stop/start so interest never builds in a team, the inter county travails and players playing in America dilutes interest for people aswell.
The solution is complex and I fear the GAA doesn't have the wherewithall to come up with a plan that incorporates a logical inter county/club season that provides meaningful regular games that satisfies all the stakeholders.

73forever (Limerick) - Posts: 89 - 26/07/2016 10:56:13    1890211

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Replying To Crinigan:  "100% agree with you Wicklowman.

I'm in a similar boat myself. My family who are staunch GAA people sadly have little or no interest anymore, even the club season is very diluted in Meath with attendances down. Its almost August and only one round of championship has been played for most clubs. Now the county board are going to play three rounds in three weekends in a row. A rushed job for players who've been training for the sake of training since last January.

Maybe its because Meath are gone very bad but having gone to every championship match for decades, nobody is bothering to go anymore amongst my friends and family. Its just a whole load of hype and emptiness. The odd league match though is enjoyable. Maybe because its competitive and is closer in nature to the GAA we grew up with."
Brilliant post Crinnigan.

If you take out Meath and replace it with Cork and that sentence rings true. I am actively involved in a club and probably always will be as it is a way of life. I am also enthusiastic about Cork's next game v Donegal. However, this game is the first game that I have felt like that this year (at county level).

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 26/07/2016 15:13:46    1890449

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Replying To Crinigan:  "100% agree with you Wicklowman.

I'm in a similar boat myself. My family who are staunch GAA people sadly have little or no interest anymore, even the club season is very diluted in Meath with attendances down. Its almost August and only one round of championship has been played for most clubs. Now the county board are going to play three rounds in three weekends in a row. A rushed job for players who've been training for the sake of training since last January.

Maybe its because Meath are gone very bad but having gone to every championship match for decades, nobody is bothering to go anymore amongst my friends and family. Its just a whole load of hype and emptiness. The odd league match though is enjoyable. Maybe because its competitive and is closer in nature to the GAA we grew up with."
largely because the team arent successful.

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 26/07/2016 16:17:56    1890496

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Replying To Expertinexile:  "Wicklowman, which games exactly have people stayed away from?? Only ones I read about were 2 provincial finals both of which the outcome was easy wins for defending champions. That would appear to be championship structure, rather than style of play, which left people unwilling to pay in? Re. Rule changes, sport evolves and sucess is often cyclical, let's not jump in with rule changes, just yet, that's my take on it."
Attendances are quite obviously down compared to last year and well down I would say compared to 10 years ago.

Also I suspect it will become a vicious circle and attendances will continue to plummet due to the terrible structure the championships have because it's very difficult to follow a team when games are spread so thinly across such a wide period of time and when so many games are mismatches. The football championship is almost a complete waste of time up until the end of July beginning of August and with so many teams being so defensive why would you spend money going to watch a slog fest rather than an enjoyable game of football.Sport is entertainment for people and the type of football beings served up by a lot of teams is not entertaining to watch.

Prices of going to matches really needs to be cheaper also.Live sport is terrible value for money entertainment and the GAA is not just competing against other sports it's competing against TV,Cinema , books etc which are generally better value for money.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 26/07/2016 22:21:44    1890693

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I completely agree that the blanket defence is incredibly boring to watch.

As is the recycling of possession in between the 45s.

I don't understand people's complaint with hand passing. You can get some really good hand passing moves.

I don't understand the problem with short kickouts either. Even before Cluxton pioneered them there wasn't a tonne of high fielding with the midfield so crowded.

If we were changing any rules I'd like 4 points for a goal and 2 points for a point outside the 45. I think that'd open the game up a lot, with less blanket defence.

Adding a shot clock for when a team exits their 45 could be interesting.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4236 - 26/07/2016 23:29:37    1890722

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Are u not entertained????

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 30/07/2016 17:09:36    1892323

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The blanket defence has its downsides of course but ive always found it quite fascinating watching teams try to figure their way around it, waiting for an opening to appear etc.
I only wish that the diving/feigning injury (cheating in other words) that is now an accepted part of our game were discussed as much as the blanket defence.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 30/07/2016 17:34:27    1892337

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It was a great game, call it as it is lads.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 30/07/2016 18:30:52    1892389

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Replying To Wicklowman:  "Brolly - think like that if you want. Smart arse response. I love the GAA I am entitled to express an opinion that I don't like where the games are going. I have spoken to many people about this. I'm far from on my own. The product must entertain. That's a simple concept. That or people will stay away especially people who are time poor. Tell me Brolly, have you been entertained by this years championships??"
Good post Wicklowman, but - - -
Physical contact and Controversy are the two main ingredients of gaelic football but of the two it's "Controversy" that keep's the thing on the boil or create heated talking points, just look back at all the different threads on the HS home page alone, some luke warm some red hot, from ticket prices to black cards, yellow cards, red cards, suspensions, referees, selling out to sky, the blanket defence, the 2010 Leinster senior football final that wasn't, pay for referees, RTE vs Sky, the rematch of the CR cup final, (well done meath) the madness of bringing Dublin/Laois game to Nolan Park, the list is endless, but what makes my blood boil is the "Back Door" system and it's not getting and easier, I was forgetting The HS Clique - myth/reality? Well that's a nonrunner and doesn't bother me, so long as I get it off my chest, after all it's only about opinion(s) and opinions rarely if ever change anything, if they did I think the Back Door system would be gone by now after 17 years, the blanket defence would be corrected, the day of the high fielding mid field player would be back and most of the above mentioned would disappear, but then, we would have little or no Controversy, sure you know yourself.

PS - No stamped addressed enveloped attached.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2908 - 30/07/2016 23:31:02    1892602

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More people on this site in agreement with Wicklowman than I expected. If things continue as they are I wonder how many people will be attending intercounty championship matches in 20 years time. Probably only a fraction of the numbers that are attending now. Meanwhile the rugby world cup will probably be hosted in Ireland in 6 years time and the people will be going gaga for it. Hard to blame them -- when Gaelic football games are regularly generating more hand passes per game (and most of them lateral or defensive ones) than rugby it makes more sense to follow the game that actually is rugby than be bored by the one that's apeing it.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1904 - 31/07/2016 10:09:59    1892667

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Yes some games have great point kicking etc. in some games but why people are fed up now is so little competition for the ball for most of the game, its just handpass on to a free man beside you, there will be few tackles going in as the opposition players are back blocking off space in front of their goals.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1356 - 31/07/2016 10:24:17    1892676

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Replying To supersub15:  "Good post Wicklowman, but - - -
Physical contact and Controversy are the two main ingredients of gaelic football but of the two it's "Controversy" that keep's the thing on the boil or create heated talking points, just look back at all the different threads on the HS home page alone, some luke warm some red hot, from ticket prices to black cards, yellow cards, red cards, suspensions, referees, selling out to sky, the blanket defence, the 2010 Leinster senior football final that wasn't, pay for referees, RTE vs Sky, the rematch of the CR cup final, (well done meath) the madness of bringing Dublin/Laois game to Nolan Park, the list is endless, but what makes my blood boil is the "Back Door" system and it's not getting and easier, I was forgetting The HS Clique - myth/reality? Well that's a nonrunner and doesn't bother me, so long as I get it off my chest, after all it's only about opinion(s) and opinions rarely if ever change anything, if they did I think the Back Door system would be gone by now after 17 years, the blanket defence would be corrected, the day of the high fielding mid field player would be back and most of the above mentioned would disappear, but then, we would have little or no Controversy, sure you know yourself.

PS - No stamped addressed enveloped attached."
Supersub, I don't like this B championship plan. It'll only increase the gap in standards between the so-called weaker counties and the bigger counties.

I can't say this without sounding disrespectful, but I'm not. Would Carlow prefer to play in a B championship or would they prefer some change in league and championship structure where they can improve standards by playing teams of a better standard more regularly?

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7360 - 31/07/2016 10:33:32    1892678

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Were the two games in Croke Park yesterday worth my 25 euro? Absolutely. And I expect to get even more value out of next Saurday's full house fixtures. If the GAA does decide to stage the Rugby Union World Cup in 2023 given the plummeting attendances at Munster Rugby matches this past season, there's every chance that by 2023 there may be no Rugby Union supporters left to watch it.

mediaman (Antrim) - Posts: 355 - 31/07/2016 11:12:37    1892701

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Finally, the championship came alive. You can imagine my delight when I watched those contested kickouts in the midfield area in the Tipperary game. Was I entertained Brolly? I certainly was. The art of a properly executed 40-50 yard kickout is not a myth, it's real again.

Wicklowman (Wicklow) - Posts: 1139 - 01/08/2016 16:30:34    1893595

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Replying To mediaman:  "Were the two games in Croke Park yesterday worth my 25 euro? Absolutely. And I expect to get even more value out of next Saurday's full house fixtures. If the GAA does decide to stage the Rugby Union World Cup in 2023 given the plummeting attendances at Munster Rugby matches this past season, there's every chance that by 2023 there may be no Rugby Union supporters left to watch it."
It would probably be more accurate to say that there is no chance that there will be no rugby supporters left to watch it. I for one will definitely take a ticket if they are giving them away for nothing (due to your perceived lack of demand). A rugby world cup would be brilliant for the country. From a Cork GAA perspective, the rugby world cup cannot come quick enough, as a rugby match is the only way we are going to fill our new stadium and make some money back..

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 01/08/2016 23:04:12    1893817

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Were the two games in Croke Park yesterday worth my 25 euro? Absolutely. And I expect to get even more value out of next Saurday's full house fixtures. If the GAA does decide to stage the Rugby Union World Cup in 2023 given the plummeting attendances at Munster Rugby matches this past season, there's every chance that by 2023 there may be no Rugby Union supporters left to watch it.
mediaman (Antrim) - Posts:337 - 31/07/2016 11:12:37The GAA wont be staging the Rugby world cup in 2023. They will be helping to host it and there will be very good support of this world cup if we were to host it.
Munster have had some attendances drop but it isn't a big concern especially in relation to the potential hosting of a world wide event that the world cup is.


It would probably be more accurate to say that there is no chance that there will be no rugby supporters left to watch it. I for one will definitely take a ticket if they are giving them away for nothing (due to your perceived lack of demand). A rugby world cup would be brilliant for the country. From a Cork GAA perspective, the rugby world cup cannot come quick enough, as a rugby match is the only way we are going to fill our new stadium and make some money back..
bennybunny (Cork) - Posts:3246 - 01/08/2016 23:04:12There wont be a lack of demand if we host a world cup.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 02/08/2016 10:25:41    1893898

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