Sports tax relief - opinions?

Gijoe

Read this article in Indo today:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sports-stars-prepare-to-feel-pain-in-tax-relief-axe-1773279.html

Is this going to be a big deal for our rugby players? Could this have an effect in making players think about moving abroad to play their rugby and away from the Irish provinces?

I'm disgusted with this tbh as our sports, and particularly rugby, people have been great representatives of this country since the sport went pro. In comparison to athletes in other major sports they earn comparatively little and deserve or should be encouraged to play here. I think sport is a shining light for Ireland in bleak times and should be supported not taxed like this.
Any opinions?

Tim Robbins

Gijoe wrote: »

Read this article in Indo today:
http://www.independent.ie/national-news/sports-stars-prepare-to-feel-pain-in-tax-relief-axe-1773279.html

Is this going to be a big deal for our rugby players? Could this have an effect in making players think about moving abroad to play their rugby and away from the Irish provinces?

I'm disgusted with this tbh as our sports, and particularly rugby, people have been great representatives of this country since the sport went pro. In comparison to athletes in other major sports they earn comparatively little and deserve or should be encouraged to play here. I think sport is a shining light for Ireland in bleak times and should be supported not taxed like this.
Any opinions?

It would absolutely stupid, considering the amount of economic activity generated by successful rugby teams.

anonymous_joe

Short term gain in leading to long term loss shocker.

Could fcuk this nation when it comes to sports, which will cause interest to wane and cost the economy a fortune.

Chucky the tree

I don't really have a problem with it, why should sports stars get tax expection? Especially the major sports stars like BOD, Harrington, ROG etc. who are raking it in.

anonymous_joe

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I don't really have a problem with it, why should sports stars get tax expection? Especially the major sports stars like BOD, Harrington, ROG etc. who are raking it in.

In theory I don't mind it, but if somewhere else lowers tax we might lose our players. Which would suck balls.

puntosporting

Its a tought one realy i reckon they should be exempt up to a point but if they or any other pro sports star make a very large sum annualy than they should be taxable in my honest opinion!

Tim Robbins

Chucky the tree wrote: »

I don't really have a problem with it, why should sports stars get tax expection? Especially the major sports stars like BOD, Harrington, ROG etc. who are raking it in.

Reason 1: A career in sports is usually max 10 years.
Reason 2: The common good benefit as having world class players in the community encourages people to play sport.
Reason 3: The common good benefit as it means people can go and watch world class rugby players play in Ireland.
Reason 4: The tax system benefits. As the beer / hotel sales increase when sporting events are on.
Reason 5: The Irish team benefit as we have more control over our top players.
Reason 6: The players benefit as they are a structure where they are looked after and protects them rather than a system that just burns them to the ground to get money's worth.

So there are strong sociological, economical and philosophical arguments for it.

Malmedicine

Do sports people pay tax on the promotional stuff they do i.e their earnings outside of sport? If the government were to bring this in the easy solution would be to tax these earnings and leave what the sportsperson earns from Sport itself alone.

Stealdo

I wouldn't get too excited about this folks. For one it's the independent. Secondly sports stars do pay tax on all of their earnings they can only claim relief on money they earn from other activities after they retire against the tax they pay on their direct sports earnings. The article itself says the cost to the gov last year was 600k in total. This would obviously increase over the years but guys won't be earning nearly enough after retirement to claim back most of what they paid.

themont85

Ultimately I don't see this happening. A few lefties, the likes of Joan Burton and the moral outrage on Joe Duffy might give out about it, but in the end the financial and cultural benefits far far outweigh the 'cost'.

Chucky the tree

Tim Robbins wrote: »

Reason 1: A career in sports is usually max 10 years.
Reason 2: The common good benefit as having world class players in the community encourages people to play sport.
Reason 3: The common good benefit as it means people can go and watch world class rugby players play in Ireland.
Reason 4: The tax system benefits. As the beer / hotel sales increase when sporting events are on.
Reason 5: The Irish team benefit as we have more control over our top players.
Reason 6: The players benefit as they are a structure where they are looked after and protects them rather than a system that just burns them to the ground to get money's worth.

So there are strong sociological, economical and philosophical arguments for it.

Everyone going on as if all our Rugby players will suddenly leave. Where will they go? To the already Salary capped GP or the soon to be capped Top 14? Does anyone know if these countries already have tax reliefs in place for their sports stars? Afaik England doesn't anyway.

anonymous_joe

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Everyone going on as if all our Rugby players will suddenly leave. Where will they go? To the already Salary capped GP or the soon to be capped Top 14? Does anyone know if these countries already have tax reliefs in place for their sports stars? Afaik England doesn't anyway.

England just kicked up their tax for rich people. Sports people have been fcuked over. Wenger came out and moaned about it as have others. Felt to be a reason for Ronaldo to go to Real (amongst others.)

Dunno about France.

Chucky the tree

anonymous_joe wrote: »

England just kicked up their tax for rich people. Sports people have been fcuked over. Wenger came out and moaned about it as have others. Felt to be a reason for Ronaldo to go to Real (amongst others.)

Dunno about France.

Yea I heard Arshavin want's another contract now, lol.:rolleyes:

themont85

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Everyone going on as if all our Rugby players will suddenly leave. Where will they go? To the already Salary capped GP or the soon to be capped Top 14? Does anyone know if these countries already have tax reliefs in place for their sports stars? Afaik England doesn't anyway.

They could still afford to pay certain players more regardless of the cap. A guy like Brian O'Driscoll is the first ever superstar team player to ern his living in Ireland. He could have commanded top doller in France ect but there is plaenty of reasons why he stayed. The endorsments with the tax relief narrows what he would get abroad.

[Jackass]

It's retarded.

It was a MAJOR plus point for keeping Irish rugby talent in Ireland. Plus, with a lot of players in their 30's, retiring a year or two later could cost them millions...so will there be an exodues of big names from the sport now? Like O'Gara, O'Driscoll??

I mean it's just one fu*k up after another with these fools. :mad:

Tim Robbins

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Everyone going on as if all our Rugby players will suddenly leave. Where will they go? To the already Salary capped GP or the soon to be capped Top 14? Does anyone know if these countries already have tax reliefs in place for their sports stars? Afaik England doesn't anyway.

Have you noticed what Ulster best players generally do?
Have you noticed Ulster's record compared to Leinster and Munster?