How can the GAA better market their product? I ask the question while thinking of the possibilities that crowds will be big time down this year on last year due to the continuing recession and the European Championships among other things.

I believe the GAA have a big challenge ahead this summer and beyond regarding the marketing of our games. How can they insure that crowds are not down on last year? How can they insure they remain the biggest sporting organisation in Ireland in the future? Sorry to bring up a potentially political subject but I'd be interested in hearing what peoples views are on this issue.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 25/04/2012 16:31:24    1159957

they are comfortably the biggest sporting organisation in ireland no need to worry although there needs to be a bit of cop on this summer in relation to the scheduling of games and also the gaa must stop putting as many games as they can in croke park and use other grounds

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 25/04/2012 16:39:59    1159965

How about a promotion campaign in conjunction with the Irish tourist board?
A trip to croker on a sunday would be better than any open-top bus tour!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 25/04/2012 16:46:24    1159970

They have to be smart with scheduling the matches. For example the league finals. Why not play the mayo cork match in limerick? the gaelic grounds is more than big enough to hold both sets of fans and im sure both would like the lesser distance involved and it would be something or a novelty playing in a different stadium with a better atmosphere.

The other issue is with the gaa refusing to budge from some of our worn out traditions for example the provincial championships. The games must stay amateur. As for hurling I think the gaa must combine smaller counties together and have a combination of lets say longford cavan roscommon competing in division one or two lets say because hurling has no draw to fans outside of the top division and no draw of players either.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 25/04/2012 16:51:59    1159973

This is coming from a relative outsider to GAA.
The GAA would be idiotic to get rid of the provincial championships. patmcgee i wouldnt call the provincial championships worn out but a change in championship structure is needed. Id favour a more league based championship structure with provincial championships still being played
The players and management at the higher levels deserve some form of financial compensation for the work they put in for our enjoyment every spring and summer.
In terms of marketing, more games should be played in double bills, and the venues best suitable to both countys should be used. Croke Park doesnt need to be used as much and when games are played there the marketing department should be going into overdrive with very cheap tickets, drink/food vouchers, upgrades to hospitality level for people to attend.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 25/04/2012 17:21:42    1159994

I feel the GAA are guilty of a lazy complacency when it comes to marketing their games. There seems to be an assumption that the supporters will turn up regardless because they have in the past. Which is probably true to an extent but there should be more recognition of the times we live in with people struggling financially and many more emigrating. People will pick and choose how they spend their time and money now and the GAA needs to recognise that by improving the overall game day experience as much as they can. The Dublin Spring Series was a good template in this regard.

The GAA shouldn't take its existing support base they have for granted either. Don't have people stranded and struggling to buy a ticket outside Semple Stadium when a League Semi-Final has already started because you decided to make the game all-ticket and hadn't enough ticket booths to accommodate the crowd. Don't deny people the option of saving a few quid and standing on Hill 16 just because the crowd is expected to be small. Don't bring people from Mayo, Cork and Kerry on a 12-hour round trip to Dublin for a League game in the middle of April when the games could have been played somewhere more convenient. Take more games out of Croke Park and ulitise the provincial venues around the country.

The GAA should play hard ball with RTE at this stage. That League highlights show on Sunday nights is a prime example of what I mean. I don't watch League of Ireland soccer or rugby but you can see those shows are well edited and put together. Something like Seo Spoirt on TG4 would be a start.

eviemonkey (Cork) - Posts: 308 - 25/04/2012 18:08:48    1160029

ormondbannerman
County: Clare
The GAA would be idiotic to get rid of the provincial championships. patmcgee i wouldnt call the provincial championships worn out but a change in championship structure is needed. Id favour a more league based championship structure with provincial championships still being played
----------------------------------------------------

How would that work for hurling?

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 25/04/2012 18:11:51    1160032

I think the provincial championships have to be done away with. The only one worth keeping is the munster hurling championship as all the teams are reasonably even. There is no point in holding onto traditions that are clearly outdated. Play the provincial championships as a pre-season tournament if we are to keep them. For an organisation which has become more professional in recent years the gaa in still in the dark ages with regards the format of the competitions. Most club championships have regular formats giving everyone a fair shout.

The league and the championship should be moulded into one competition this would at least give the all ireland club championship and the u-21 championship a place in the calendar and would allow the club championships the time they deserve. One idea would be to draw four groups or 8 groups of 4 and play a league stage then progress to knockouts. If the gaa are worried about their coffers then they could even bring in two legged matches.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 25/04/2012 18:49:29    1160052

I think the GAA would be wrong to remove the knockout (or at least semi-knockout, given the qualifiers) aspect to the games. Losing one game and being out makes you perform better and is far more exhilerating than a league IMO.

Two legged games would not boost attendance at all, few fans would travel as they 'will just see them when they come back up here next week'.

OgraAnDun (Down) - Posts: 406 - 25/04/2012 19:28:41    1160077

eviemonkey
County: Cork
Posts: 230


The GAA should play hard ball with RTE at this stage. That League highlights show on Sunday nights is a prime example of what I mean. I don't watch League of Ireland soccer or rugby but you can see those shows are well edited and put together. Something like Seo Spoirt on TG4 would be a start.

It's obvious you don't watch League of Ireland coverage on RTÉ so.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13830 - 25/04/2012 19:58:31    1160098

there are problems with munster football, only two teams have a hope of winning it, you have to go back to 92 for someone else to win it, i don't see how the euro games will effect this years attendances are the games not on in the evening?

as for changes id like to see, i think getting rid of the current system is a non runner so then your left with how to make the most of what we have, id like to see the league played as 3 divisions, with a junior league for 2nd teams to also include kilkenny and london. i'd leave div 1 as an 8 team division, id have a ten team div2 and the rest in div3

Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1711 - 25/04/2012 20:15:13    1160110

25/04/2012 19:28:41
OgraAnDun
County: Down
Posts: 3

1160077 I think the GAA would be wrong to remove the knockout (or at least semi-knockout, given the qualifiers) aspect to the games. Losing one game and being out makes you perform better and is far more exhilerating than a league IMO.

Two legged games would not boost attendance at all, few fans would travel as they 'will just see them when they come back up here next week'.

A predominantly league based format with semis/finals at end to decide the champions is better format than straight knock out.
In gaelic football, not hurling so much. Straight knock out will mean there is much more liklihood for puke football tactics.
A league format can be very exciting especially if the league is designed so there is relegation and promotion, or you have to fight off for a playoff place

How do you know 2 legged ties will not boost attendances? Id say they would increase attendances
A league based format brings out the best teams to the top and awards the title/championship to the most consistent team of the season

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 25/04/2012 20:22:24    1160113

GAA are disasterous at marketing. The championship usually gets launched with some crap game. Was it Donegal and Cavan last year? Very poor advertising. Why not do it with a bang. Saturday night game with a big side? Enough grounds have floodlights now to have a saturday night championship game. Could launch it with a proper bang firework display or something. I know the cost might be a bit but they really don't market the game because they think they will always have a crowd. Risky game to play.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 25/04/2012 20:34:28    1160122

the price of tickets
full stop

reduce the prices, get more people to games then make money off them while they are there - bars, shops, food, merchandise

valley84 (Westmeath) - Posts: 1903 - 25/04/2012 20:36:39    1160125

Use the head when it comes to scheduling of games. Playing league finals in Croke Park is simply stupid and unfair on supporters from Cork and Mayo to put them to such expense. It's not like 5-6 years ago when people had loads of disposable income, they need to start looking after supporters better.
I would support the removal of the provincial system, at least for a 3-4 year trial period. I cant help thinking that something new needs to be tried, teams are tired of playing the same old teams year in year out. Personally, I often enjoy when Wexford are knocked out of Leinster because we get a trip to Clare or Limerick or Sligo or the like for the footballers. Playing new teams is always a novelty and I think this is something the GAA needs to look at. I cant think of any other sport where there are 12 teams in 1 competition, 5 in another, 6 in another and 9 in another. It is simply farcical....

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 25/04/2012 21:19:14    1160145

from gotmilk (fermanagh) "GAA are disasterous at marketing. The championship usually gets launched with some crap game. Was it Donegal and Cavan last year? Very poor advertising. Why not do it with a bang. "

Its a hell of a lot worse than that my friend. This years "championship" will start (as it does most years mind you) over in New York for the Connacht football. The last few years it has passed without a jot on the horizon, where I am pretty sure a bigger deal could be made of it and tie in the razzmatazz that the states usually brings to any sporting occasion. But alas no, its the same suits, with the same bowl of balls in front of them, holding up the freshly printed county hoping not to get the preverable sweat from d'lights and d'cameras on the paper!

This may not sound popular, but with all due respect to all counties taking part in the Football Championship, the GAA dont really give a fiddlers about most of the counties bar, Dublin, Cork, Kerry, to a lesser extent Kildare and Tyrone. The rest will only get the kudos and the gaa will get the dosh in the pocket if a minnow makes the final with one of the big guns. Example Kildare/Mayo/Anyone from North v the big tree.

thoughts?

glenquagmire (Dublin) - Posts: 20 - 26/04/2012 08:06:07    1160174

valley84
County: Westmeath
Posts: 154

1160125
the price of tickets
full stop

I see the Ulster council are leading the way again.
Reducing prices even though their attendances are on the up in club, u21 and McKenna cup games.
Fair play to them.

Superglue (Kerry) - Posts: 1283 - 26/04/2012 10:25:41    1160238

Thanks for the feedback. In my opinion the best ideas I have heard (and in no specific order and not meaning to sound patronising) up to now are -

* Be sensible with the scheduling of games (and good examples given, The League football semis to mention the most obvious)
* Don't use Croke Park as much and when it is used improve the overall experience (make sure people are getting value for money) and put on a good show like what happened at the Spring Series
* start giving out drinks and food vouchers and provide a service where people can upgrade tickets if they wish to do so
* The kick-off to the chamionships should have an explosive launch (and maybe New York isn't the place to do so - although I think it 'could' be!)
* Lower the price of tickets
* that there should be more than one senior game at fixtures (my understanding of this is that if Offaly were playing Wesmeath and that Meath were playing Louth that these games be atsged at Páirc Tailteann or in O'Connor park to insure bigger attendences - maybe this is not best example of how I understand it but you know what I mean)
* To get Fáilte Ireland on board to attract tourists with tours of the grounds, chea[p tickets etc...
* A show on RTÉ like Seó Spóirt and better coverage of the league - although I feel that that is more of a question for RTÉ than CLG.

The more controversial ideas I liked were to join up weaker counties in hurling to create a more competitive league and championship. I like this idea but cannot see it ever hapening. I also liked the idea that players be rewarded financially at the end of the summer. I like this idea and think if it was thought out and implimented sensibly would put an end to the question professionalism and play for pay in the GAA.

A lot of people mentioned a new championship structure but I wouldn't class that under marketing.

A few of my own ideas would be for the GAA to fund the likes of Hogan Stand to publish a regular GAA magazine and for that magazine to have competitions and articles directed at young people in primary and secondary education in it. Maybe then a seperate magazine for adults. Think about all the rugby/soccer/golf/motorsports magazines out there - and barely a GAA magazine to be seen from one end of the year to another.

Also I would recommend that the GAA promote the League by allocating thousands of very cheap tickets to primary schools all over the country. Even if all they cost was two euro a ticket. Think of the atmosphere a few hundred or so kids would create at grounds all over the country...and just think of the the amount of adults that would pay in because they would have to supervise their kids!! All win if you ask me.

There are two of my own ideas to mention just a few. What do you think?

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 26/04/2012 11:05:08    1160276

glenquagmire
County: Dublin
Posts: 16

1160174
Its a hell of a lot worse than that my friend. This years "championship" will start (as it does most years mind you) over in New York for the Connacht football. The last few years it has passed without a jot on the horizon, where I am pretty sure a bigger deal could be made of it and tie in the razzmatazz that the states usually brings to any sporting occasion. But alas no, its the same suits, with the same bowl of balls in front of them, holding up the freshly printed county hoping not to get the preverable sweat from d'lights and d'cameras on the paper!

This may not sound popular, but with all due respect to all counties taking part in the Football Championship, the GAA dont really give a fiddlers about most of the counties bar, Dublin, Cork, Kerry, to a lesser extent Kildare and Tyrone. The rest will only get the kudos and the gaa will get the dosh in the pocket if a minnow makes the final with one of the big guns. Example Kildare/Mayo/Anyone from North v the big tree.

thoughts?

I'd agree with your point about New York. Just think about how big the launch of the GAA cound be in New York. You bring the game to a whole new level and audience if it was done properly.

Regardingthe GAA's attitude to counties it can often appear that they don't give a fiddlers about weeker counties. I'd have agree with that to a point.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 26/04/2012 11:10:49    1160284

glenquagmire

I forgot that the championship opens in New York. Silly me. I think that just highlights the point i'm making about the lack of promotion of the games. Open it with a whitewash of one team. No one has any interest in it. It's the only sport you see this in.
The NFL in America opens with a bang. The EPL has weeks upon weeks of hype prior to a new season. The GAA just opens with a dull fixture with very little media coverage. You are correct when you say the GAA only cares about the cash cows EG Dublin. Why not open the championship with one of those teams? Grab peoples attention straight away and get them sucked in for the whole summer and not just the business end.
If you were to look at the 4Ps of marketing and how the GAA performs in them I would imagine it is very poor. To be succuesful you need to have each one complementing the other.
Product: The product is there and there is a desire for it.
Place: Could they put the product in a better place? NFL semi finals would suggest they could. A paltry attendance of 11,00 I think. Why not move it to a ground closer to the counties involved? Kerry and Mayo have a savage trek this weekend for a game. Will it affect the number of supporters attending? I would imagine it would. Also championship time why are a lot of games played in croker and stadiums where one side is not at home? I remember going to a Fermanagh, Donegal game in Clones. I know it's not far to travel but why were you having to sets of supporters heading past other useful grounds? It's a long trip from Malin Head to Clones.
Price: In the current times the price of tickets have become unreasonable I think. A family going out for the day will have to pay for tickets. I know there are child rates but it's still expensive to get into the game. Again the fact that they have games all over the country mean that people have to eat out etc. This causes an added expense to people causing the price of the product to go up.
Promotion: I tihnk i have made feelings clear on how poorly the GAA promotes their games.

So as GAA and marketing go I would say that they are quite poor

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 26/04/2012 11:18:44    1160286