National Forum

The Corona Virus And Possible Effects To GAA Matches

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


How do you get the 42000 into croker? Do they queue 1 meter apart outside and wait their turn as each turn style is wiped every time someone goes through. If someone is sitting in the middle of a row, how do they get out to go to the shop/toilet, does everyone in the row have to move out of the row so they won't have to brush past them? Will the urinal troughs have perspex shielding and splash guards set up so that people will be 1 meter apart. I assume all the shops/food courts inside the grounds will be closed.

I realise these matches are months away and situations could have changed, but surely the GAA should have released their plan for keeping patrons safe instead of just being concerned about how many people they can fit into their pay days..

Also no word on how the water boys are going to carry 15 separate water bottles with them, all labelled with the players names/numbers, how they will manage to keep the water bottles segregated from each other, wipe each one down after each use and avoid any droplets straying from one bottle to another.

And if patrons have to stay 1 meter apart, why is it safe for players to be tackling each other and sweating on each other? There is no outline of any testing that will be done on club or county players pre training/games to ensure their safety.

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1679 - 09/06/2020 03:58:34    2280148

Link

Replying To TheUsername:  "So after Johns comments it raises a few questions. 21k - 41k possibly in Croke Park, so basically a quarter or half full to allow a crowd safely.

If that is the standard the GAA are working toward for a Croke Park you have to look at the implications for other grounds, 20 or 10k in PUC, Semple, Gaelic Grounds, Killarney, 15k or 7k or less in Clones, Salthil, Breffni, all the way down to a couple of thousand in smaller county grounds. Be interesting to see if that is honoured home and away, or would they try and play the majority of high profile games in bigger grounds - provincial semis In a provinces bigger ground, all games from the quarter on in Croker.

Be interesting to see how ticketing would work, will season tickets be honoured and be given priority, seems like premium level won't be. Will they waive both schemes and just do a lottery thing for all games. All remains to be seen.

I've often said that an All Ireland final atmosphere - not always but sometimes can be an atmosphere let down with sponsors, hanger ons and event junkies getting their hands on tickets, more so then any other game - would we trust the GAA to give priority to the rank and file or satisfy sponsors with tickets ......hmmm."
An even bigger issue I can see is that he seems to be basing his 21k figures on the 2 metre distancing rule. If he has, his 21k is ambitious, and 40k at 1m is out of the question.

40k would mean someone 500mm away from you on either side and even closer to you diagonally in front and behind. Potentially 6 people within 1m of you.

I'm sure the distance across walkways is considered, but even at that I'd like to see a coloured seat map to back up Horan's numbers. They just don't make sense.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 09/06/2020 09:39:39    2280152

Link

I've no idea what's happening now. One day I read we'll be back to normal next week. The next I read that we'll be social distancing for donkeys' years.

The truth will be somewhere between the two, I expect.

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 475 - 09/06/2020 09:59:34    2280156

Link

Replying To cavanman47:  "An even bigger issue I can see is that he seems to be basing his 21k figures on the 2 metre distancing rule. If he has, his 21k is ambitious, and 40k at 1m is out of the question.

40k would mean someone 500mm away from you on either side and even closer to you diagonally in front and behind. Potentially 6 people within 1m of you.

I'm sure the distance across walkways is considered, but even at that I'd like to see a coloured seat map to back up Horan's numbers. They just don't make sense."
The way I see it losing 4 seats for every 1 is the absolute minimum. That would leave a ring of seats around you free but cut the capacity to 20k

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 09/06/2020 10:01:45    2280157

Link

Replying To cavanman47:  "An even bigger issue I can see is that he seems to be basing his 21k figures on the 2 metre distancing rule. If he has, his 21k is ambitious, and 40k at 1m is out of the question.

40k would mean someone 500mm away from you on either side and even closer to you diagonally in front and behind. Potentially 6 people within 1m of you.

I'm sure the distance across walkways is considered, but even at that I'd like to see a coloured seat map to back up Horan's numbers. They just don't make sense."
It was nice to see Tony Holohan putting horan back in his box last night.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 09/06/2020 10:16:27    2280160

Link

Replying To Breezy:  "The way I see it losing 4 seats for every 1 is the absolute minimum. That would leave a ring of seats around you free but cut the capacity to 20k"
Yep, and with edge of rows, etc that figure may be pushed up slightly.

But a standard seat in Croke Park is 482mm wide I believe - so Horan claiming that he can get 21k in with 1m distancing maintained is incorrect as far as I can see.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 09/06/2020 10:19:35    2280161

Link

Replying To Breezy:  "The way I see it losing 4 seats for every 1 is the absolute minimum. That would leave a ring of seats around you free but cut the capacity to 20k"
I should clarify - leaving a ring of 4 seats around you. . .that's only 2 empty seats for every spectator. (i.e. the free seat to your left is also the free seat to the next person's right), so it would mean 27k if that was the rule.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 09/06/2020 10:21:47    2280162

Link

Replying To wishfulthinkin:  "How do you get the 42000 into croker? Do they queue 1 meter apart outside and wait their turn as each turn style is wiped every time someone goes through. If someone is sitting in the middle of a row, how do they get out to go to the shop/toilet, does everyone in the row have to move out of the row so they won't have to brush past them? Will the urinal troughs have perspex shielding and splash guards set up so that people will be 1 meter apart. I assume all the shops/food courts inside the grounds will be closed.

I realise these matches are months away and situations could have changed, but surely the GAA should have released their plan for keeping patrons safe instead of just being concerned about how many people they can fit into their pay days..

Also no word on how the water boys are going to carry 15 separate water bottles with them, all labelled with the players names/numbers, how they will manage to keep the water bottles segregated from each other, wipe each one down after each use and avoid any droplets straying from one bottle to another.

And if patrons have to stay 1 meter apart, why is it safe for players to be tackling each other and sweating on each other? There is no outline of any testing that will be done on club or county players pre training/games to ensure their safety."
John horan and the GAA changed their tune completely when they started thinking of loosing all that money, a few weeks ago he stated that in no way would the GAA risk anyone in the GAA community and that there would be no matches as long as social distancing is in place, a few weeks after this he is talking about volunteers temperature testing players and fitting 42000 into croke park, it shows the real priority of the GAA is making money, your points here are all very relevant but as they have no regard for players safety on the pitch i dont see them being to worried about the crowd in attandance

Tod (Kerry) - Posts: 31 - 09/06/2020 10:30:23    2280163

Link

Whatever about in Croke Park, how would the Guards organise 21 thousand people landing in Drumcondra? They would all need to access the ground in a socially distant manner too. It isn't just Croke Park itself that would be the concern.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 09/06/2020 10:50:21    2280168

Link

Replying To Breezy:  "The way I see it losing 4 seats for every 1 is the absolute minimum. That would leave a ring of seats around you free but cut the capacity to 20k"
Surely these protective circles overlap. The seat on your right is also the seat on somebody's left. The seat behind you is the seat in front of someone else.

And people from the same household should be grand sitting together. All we ned is a household of 80000 and we've a full stadium again.

lionofludesch (Down) - Posts: 475 - 09/06/2020 12:15:31    2280172

Link

Replying To Lockjaw:  "Whatever about in Croke Park, how would the Guards organise 21 thousand people landing in Drumcondra? They would all need to access the ground in a socially distant manner too. It isn't just Croke Park itself that would be the concern."
Good question. I'd assume the bars would be closed within the venue to avoid crowding and long queues to the toilets but look I suppose who knows where we will be come Oct/Nov....

I don't think we can live under social distancing for years to come...that ain't living.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 09/06/2020 12:43:19    2280174

Link

Replying To lionofludesch:  "Surely these protective circles overlap. The seat on your right is also the seat on somebody's left. The seat behind you is the seat in front of someone else.

And people from the same household should be grand sitting together. All we ned is a household of 80000 and we've a full stadium again."
That's why I said 4. There are 8 seats around you when you sit down front back 2 sides and 4 corners. So if for every person you count the 3 front and the 1 right side then all seats are covered as your back 3 are counted as another seats front 3 and your left is another persons right

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 09/06/2020 13:57:11    2280179

Link

Replying To Tod:  "John horan and the GAA changed their tune completely when they started thinking of loosing all that money, a few weeks ago he stated that in no way would the GAA risk anyone in the GAA community and that there would be no matches as long as social distancing is in place, a few weeks after this he is talking about volunteers temperature testing players and fitting 42000 into croke park, it shows the real priority of the GAA is making money, your points here are all very relevant but as they have no regard for players safety on the pitch i dont see them being to worried about the crowd in attandance"
Jesus get off his back with the money stuff. His tune changed much like the govt and many of the public's did because the numbers look good.

And from what I can see most in the GAA community want to risk it and come back so is he not doin it for them rather than the money

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 09/06/2020 14:00:01    2280180

Link

Replying To Breezy:  "Jesus get off his back with the money stuff. His tune changed much like the govt and many of the public's did because the numbers look good.

And from what I can see most in the GAA community want to risk it and come back so is he not doin it for them rather than the money"
don't kid yourself its the money and nothing else, why else would he change his tune from no GAA while social distancing is in place to suddenly its ok to go ahead with social distancing in place and we can even look at getting 42000 paying customers into croke park!! seriously come on

Tod (Kerry) - Posts: 31 - 09/06/2020 14:50:19    2280182

Link

Replying To Breezy:  "The way I see it losing 4 seats for every 1 is the absolute minimum. That would leave a ring of seats around you free but cut the capacity to 20k"
What would the capacity be in Thomond park then, or the Aviva?

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2517 - 09/06/2020 15:03:03    2280183

Link

Replying To Lockjaw:  "Whatever about in Croke Park, how would the Guards organise 21 thousand people landing in Drumcondra? They would all need to access the ground in a socially distant manner too. It isn't just Croke Park itself that would be the concern."
Croke park has good public transport. People usually walk to the stadium. What is the problem?

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2517 - 09/06/2020 15:04:23    2280184

Link

Replying To Tod:  "don't kid yourself its the money and nothing else, why else would he change his tune from no GAA while social distancing is in place to suddenly its ok to go ahead with social distancing in place and we can even look at getting 42000 paying customers into croke park!! seriously come on"
In fairness the GAA have laid off staff and are looking at huge losses for the year, this will have a massive knock on effect for many years. If there is an opportunity to salvage anything financially I have no problem with that, as long as it can be done safely and everyone is on board.

I do agree that their agenda is mainly financially driven, putting the clubs playing first in July / Aug is a lucky coincidence rather than a case of the grass roots being given priority.

GeniusGerry (Kerry) - Posts: 2105 - 09/06/2020 15:12:13    2280185

Link

Replying To GeniusGerry:  "In fairness the GAA have laid off staff and are looking at huge losses for the year, this will have a massive knock on effect for many years. If there is an opportunity to salvage anything financially I have no problem with that, as long as it can be done safely and everyone is on board.

I do agree that their agenda is mainly financially driven, putting the clubs playing first in July / Aug is a lucky coincidence rather than a case of the grass roots being given priority."
or it gives the GAA the chance to hit the reset button and give clubs and so called 'weaker' counties a fairer chance at winning senior titles and not just send them off into secondary competitions

whatarewewatching (Roscommon) - Posts: 36 - 09/06/2020 15:33:01    2280188

Link

Replying To Tod:  "don't kid yourself its the money and nothing else, why else would he change his tune from no GAA while social distancing is in place to suddenly its ok to go ahead with social distancing in place and we can even look at getting 42000 paying customers into croke park!! seriously come on"
Because the covid situation has changed. The HSE have downgraded some measures too like the UL emergency hospital because they assumed that this was gonna hit harder or lockdown would not be as successful

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 09/06/2020 15:38:59    2280189

Link

Replying To galwayford:  "What would the capacity be in Thomond park then, or the Aviva?"
15000 seats in Thomond Park so with no terrace you are talking 3k or 4 max. 9k for Lansdowne and 6k for PnG unless they have a quick easy way to seat some of the terrace

Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 09/06/2020 15:45:10    2280191

Link