Is the GAAs motivation to maximise
profits undermining the amateur
status of the game? Will the players,
who are a credit in the amount of
hours they are giving to the game
voluntarily, finally decide that they
should be making money out of the game too?
This would be a disaster for the GAA?

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 11:33:40    1504766

What are you on about in particular?

A huge amount of county boards are in deficit so anything to bring in more money should be welcomed.Ambitious players want more effort to be put into team preparation at county level which requires more money and thus requires the county board to generate as much money as they can.If the players weren't ambitious there would be no financial problems.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 23/10/2013 12:19:07    1504789

Merely saying is the example set by the GAA in
terms of making money going to encourage
some players to want proffessionalism in the
sport.They are liking to look after their own
interests more given the bad example set by
the GAA.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 12:31:19    1504801

No county board should be in financial deficit
considering the huge, not transparent profits the
GAA. I have no problem with the GAA making money
but the level of profits are too high and should
be capped.Meanwhile the average GAA is sacrificing
4/5 nights a week of their own time. There will
come a time when they say enough is enough?

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 12:40:27    1504808

The amount of money the GAA generates is a pittance compared to the amount required to pay players to play. Ireland is too small and there are too many players in both codes to afford pay for play. The best chance is that some of the most high profile will do a lot of commercial work to supplement their normal jobs. Like at the moment. TV brings in most of the money to pro sports and we cant demand the same levels of coverage as other international sports.
Maybe if we tiered the championships into leagues and acceted that some counties will alays be amateur while some would pay players to play that might be what some people want but as a whole the GAA will not accept that and rightly so. It would kill the best part of our games which is the local pride and passion.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 23/10/2013 12:41:59    1504810

Of course it is. Money and fair play dont mix. Why do dublin play every game in croke park? - Money. Why do the gaa not tackle the obvious issue around population imbalance between dublin and everyone else? - Money. Why was the connacht final in mayo this year? - Money.

Anything that is done unfairly in the gaa, is generally done so because of money. The more of a business it becomes, the less decisions will be made on the basis of fairness. That is just the way it is.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/10/2013 12:49:43    1504817

Ur rite jpcampion no proffessionalism should
ever be allowed. The GAA should not be allowed
to run it like a proffessional sport either
and that is what is happening.Where is all the
money going? Thats why the levels of profit should
be capped and the rest of the excess money
put in to useful projects that will help
to improve areas of deprivation in Irish
society. If they GAA did that it would help
improve its image ie giving something back.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 12:50:03    1504818

Thats true Master what can be done to address this?
A sport polluted by money is not the way forward for
the GAA.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 12:54:09    1504825

Exactly right REDANDBLACK30. I can speak from experience. Mayo needed to redevelop their ground - a necessary requirement for every county over time. Those type of things is where the money should be going, things that cant be done without across the board. Even if they payed it and let the county pay it back over time without interest and in an understanding fashion. That would be ok also. The county has to get a loan to pay it. What about the money generated for the gaa by our own county alone in their last 3 championship runs? The counties are becoming cash cows rather than gaa members.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/10/2013 13:02:42    1504837

REDANDBLACK30
Thats true Master what can be done to address this?


What can be done is kick the accountants out of the meeting when the system is being drawn up. Make it about the game first and foremost, and then look to make profits from this point. Will never happen though.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/10/2013 13:05:11    1504839

Ur rite Master the GAA should have plenty
of money to build a county ground for
Mayo or any other county and to pay for
each countys training fund.3 All Ireland
finals this year 15 million euro? where
is that money going? I think ur rite
though the people at the top of the
organisation. Fair play to the players
for upholding the spirit and ethos of the
organisation hopefully they wont be
influenced by money too.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 13:32:59    1504866

What are you talking about? The vast majority of GAA revenue gets reinvested in the organisation at the local level and helps to pay for the many great club facilities all over the country. Admission prices to GAA matches are significantly cheaper than at major professional sporting events the world over, and with the exception of all-Ireland finals, tickets are easily accessible. However there is always a cynical element of the GAA public and Irish society who are convinced that the bigwigs are keeping piles of money for themselves and that somehow the GAA should be expected to let people in for free or next-to-nothing.

Gaillimh_Abu (Galway) - Posts: 1034 - 23/10/2013 13:45:41    1504878

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 9237

1504837
Exactly right REDANDBLACK30. I can speak from experience. Mayo needed to redevelop their ground - a necessary requirement for every county over time. Those type of things is where the money should be going, things that cant be done without across the board. Even if they payed it and let the county pay it back over time without interest and in an understanding fashion. That would be ok also. The county has to get a loan to pay it. What about the money generated for the gaa by our own county alone in their last 3 championship runs? The counties are becoming cash cows rather than gaa members.
________

But really with the Mayo CB being "forced" into doing up McHale park and building up massive debts in the process...

Developing a massive stadium that may only be filled once a year...?

Should the Mayo CB really be spending €500,000 on the Mayo Senior football team in 2013?

Shouldn't they be using said money or at least a large portion of which getting themselves out of the mess that they "forced" to create

How long can the Mayo CB justify spending such a massive figure while they are in debt....

How is that fair on CB's who operate within their means...

And why should such CB's benefit from creating a shared pool of revenue...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/10/2013 13:53:16    1504887

Gaillimh three all Ireland finals 15 million
euros. if a tenth of this money is reinvested
id be surprised.Nothing to do with
being cynical its reality that money is the
priority of GAA officials.The pount was if they
players ever take this approach it would be a
diasaster for the GAA.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 14:18:09    1504909

I have no problem with the GAA making money
the point is now that they never seem to get
enough and it is distasteful.People are
being priced out of attending matches while
Croke Park has pots of gold.

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 14:24:27    1504912

Well what is your alternative jimbo? Let the stadium go into disrepair? How is that good for the gaa? Counties are within their means. The fact is a big outlay all at once, like a county ground, is always going to need a loan of some description. That goes for any county. They all have to maintain their grounds do they not?

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/10/2013 14:29:18    1504916

Well they were able to raise €500,000 to spend on the Senior team in 2013 - how much did they spend in 2012 - how much did they spend in 2011 ?

Would this money not have been better spent on the stadium which would have meant they didn't need such a massive loan from the banks?

Mayo are spending big... there's no denying that

Should the Mayo CB really be spending €500,000 on the Mayo Senior football team in 2013 while being in debt...

How long can the Mayo CB justify spending such a massive figure while they are in debt....

I find it laughable to suggest that Mayo deserve any sort of additional revenue considering the toxic practices that they are currently operating under. Celtic Tiger stuff isn't it...

How is that fair on CB's who operate within their means...

The phrase "Having your cake and eating it" springs to mind...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/10/2013 14:44:26    1504933

Are you living in the real world, redandblack? There's a touch of paranoid delusion about these 'pots of gold' lads are sitting on

flack (Dublin) - Posts: 1054 - 23/10/2013 15:17:56    1504953

But that is the cost of running the county teams. Again what is your alternative? Not play? Mayo got to a minor final, a senior final, a hurling final and got far in the womens competition also. These things cost money. Does that mean when the time comes for dublin to do similar work on parnell park they should not compete for the year or two it will take them to pay the bill?

The bottom line is every county needs to maintain their stadium from time to time. You cant avoid it and it comes to everyone. The gaa should be looking to ensure that that doesnt inhibit the teams on the field and that counties can handle this requirement as easily as possible. You seem to want it to inhibit them.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 23/10/2013 15:22:11    1504955

Flack where is all the money going? millions of Euros.
The officials of the GAA have been influenced by money,
that is a fact.GAA is still better than other sports
where both the officials and players have been influenced
by money.Is that not a fair assessment?

REDANDBLACK30 (Down) - Posts: 1702 - 23/10/2013 15:41:53    1504977