LOI vs GAA intercounty as a spectator experience

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119658607#Comment_119658607

Haha 'there is no such thing as a bad game of hurling' etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZU_In07yVA

Yer man above, made his debut for Madrid at the then new Tallaght Stadium against Rovers and all! From what I recall there was a great buzz about the place, atmosphere must have been great.

CGI_Livia_Soprano

Honestly after watching a good Premier League or Champions League game on the television you can’t go back to LoI or GAA.

Say what you like about the hotshot pampered millionaires in Blighty but at least they’re cracking down on homophobic and racial abuse in the stands in the BPL. I was at a LoI game a few years ago with my son and honestly some of the stuff we heard from the fans would make a sailor blush. The air was bright blue.

And the Premier League footballers don’t suffer the same delusions of grandeur or claim the same monopoly of their own culture as the GAA players. The way fans of the GAA go on about the “sacrifices” of their participants it’s not a surprise the players expect at least an over-the-trouser handjob every time they go for a jog in February.

WesternZulu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119660406#Comment_119660406

It's funny you mention watching a good EPL or UCL soccer game on telly being great. I have always found that they're not half as glossy in the flesh without the TV production. GAA games compare very favourably in comparison as a spectator at a game.

The Champions League is fantastic entertainment all the same come the knockout stages.

CGI_Livia_Soprano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119660503#Comment_119660503

These days I would question going to a live Champions League game after the debacle at the Final this year. I’m sure it will disgust the “real football men” of boards.ie who turn their nose at opponents of violence or homophobic and racist chants but it’s just not worth the risk.

mikeybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119654870#Comment_119654870

Yeah but part of the craic of going to a football match is being segregated it's own way. The chants, making rude gestures at the away supporters, getting a coach/train to an away with your fellow supporters then sitting with them at the game and the drinking is all part of the craic. It's more a lads culture whereas as GAA is more for families.

This would all be diluted if fans were mixed. It would a bit like American sports probably.

mikeybhoy

The standard of stadiums in Ireland in general for both GAA and soccer is crap. The only decent stadium we have in Ireland is the Aviva and that's an exception.

Most GAA stadiums are crap they're too big for the following and I'd include Croke Park in that. The best GAA ground is Pairc Ui Chaoimh and I say that as a Dub it's modern, it's covered at least the two main stands are and it's about the right size.

Croker is too big 82,000 is too big for GAA it only sells out for 2 or 3 games a year maybe a semi might sell out in a good year. 50,000 or 60,000 would be about right for the main GAA stadium at least then there'd be a semi decent atmosphere for lesser games. Most GAA stadiums resemble soccer stadiums in the UK prior to the Taylor report meaning they're outdated.

LOI stadiums on the other hand are sheds.

WesternZulu

I'd agree with that. Whatever about Croker there is no need for so many GAA stadiums around the country to be above 30k.

GAA county boards seem to go for quantity over quality. You'd swear we were living in a tropical climate with so many stadiums having 3 sides uncovered.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119660588#Comment_119660588

That can still happen at GAA matches, but the fact there is mix of fans in GAA, it makes the stuff less aggressive. Although some GAA mammy's/auld wan's are very intense in their own way!

A lot of the soccer chanting stuff seems 'forced' to me to be honest. A bit pantomime. But the danger is there is a cohort of soccer fans/not just LOI - worldwide. That are fellas who are only looking for an excuse to take the 'tribalism' to another level. But I think that is a societal issue. Thankfully the OTT stuff is discouraged in the GAA by the crowds. As another poster suggested it is the the GAA problem is on the pitch, not off it.

Zebra3

GAA inter county, hands down.

Nothing better than leaving the house with the headband on. The sign of a true fan.

Get to the game and clap a bit and if you lose it doesn’t really matter.

Far better than a League of Ireland match with fans chanting, pyro, tifo displays and bitter rivalries.

Who do that soccer lot think they are?

Strumms

GAA facilities are better.

easy when games development funds stretch to millions a year with even over 900,000 euros allocated to overseas GAA clubs.

the GAA is not a charity, it’s a very profitable and professionally ran organisation that still benefits form the taxpayers to the tune of tens of millions over any decade.

For decades the government have done precious little to help soccer in this country at any level. For fear of upsetting the GAA crowd and losing votes..the facilities at LOI clubs are third world for a modern country.

despite the fact there has been a colossal interest in soccer here…you could fûck millions the GAA and nobody can have a say but try and enable the success and wellbeing of other sports and the GAA shower get all butt hurt….

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663850#Comment_119663850

GAA brings in a lot of money to the exchequer. Far more than it’s gets in grants I dare say. Because there’s no football economy really in Ireland or only a very small time one football is not valuable to the revenue.

i think all sports get fairly shortchanged by the revenue here personally.

Quitelife

Been from Limerick ive attended lots of matchs in 3 codes LOI Soccer, Hurling & Rugby and even a small bit of Gaelic Football.

Limericks championship hurling games even before recent success were always top occassions , Limerick United in the early 80s were a great LOI experience but in recent times interest in Treaty is small aside from recent cup quater final but there was still only 3/4K there whereas Limerick Hurlers can mobilise 10K -35K supporters depending on the game. In GAA you meet everyone from the richest to the poorest person in your community .

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663894#Comment_119663894

No football economy because nobody including our government would invest in the product. The GAA have governments by the bôllocks..that’s why in the main LOI spectator facilities are so basic compared to the GAA.

GAA brings a lot of money to the exchequer but they also as an organisation make significant profits pre covid.

so you need to wonder why the taxpayers need to be propping them up with such substantial government grants.

WesternZulu

You sound like the stereotypical LOI fan blaming the leagues demise on the big bad GAA.

If you've to look at what sporting organisation is to blame for the sorry state of the league look no further than the FAI.

rolling boh

I like the fact that supporters can mingle at GAA matches either inside or outside the ground .I can see that having the same supporters together inside can enhance the atmosphere as well .There has been a bit of growth of aggro at soccer matches I feel over the last few years I speak as a Bohs supporter especially when it's versus Rovers and the chanting for me is not family oriented which is a pity .

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664005#Comment_119664005

FAI carry fault for sure. Government and the paying public do aswell

the “home of Irish football” has been a half condemned ruin for god knows how long: that’s more than just bohemians or the FAI’s fault.

StupidLikeAFox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663850#Comment_119663850

Lol, got a good laugh out of that- the government gave the fai €30m of a bailout not two years ago because it was such a shambles. Also worth noting this article:

"Irish football receives €1.2m more in government funding than rugby and GAA combined, figures released by Sport Ireland have shown."

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/business-of-sport/arid-40936799.html

Irish soccer is a shambles because of the FAI, certainly isn't the gaa or the government's fault at all

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664961#Comment_119664961

you’re taking the grants for one year and because it’s greater for football than GAA and Rugby combined drawing a conclusion over that about the governments entire history of support for the sports.

one of the things to come out of the dail committee investigation into the FAI’s insolvency was government support for all sports decreased dramatically after 2008….and it was never restored thereafter even when the economy got back on its feet. Why is that?

now that might be ok for the GAA who have a lot of income streams and is a far stronger financial proposition than the FAI. But the FAI have one income stream- the senior mens team and that’s it, they have to feed all mouths on the basis of that one income stream. What you have then is a highly financially unhealthy football scene within Ireland.

I guess people like to think now that Delaney is gone, football in Ireland is on the road to recovery. Hopefully it is but to me it’s will always follow a boom bust model as it’s future totally depends on how the senior men’s results are and what the public interest in it is.

Throw in the present CEO doesnt seem to be prepared to leave England and the senior men’s team still doesn’t have a sponsor 2 years after the present CEO’s appointment and there would have to be worries about Jonathan Hill’s performance in the role.

Quitelife

The hard facts are the GAA in most parts of the country is round for donkeys years and generation after generation will tog out or support the club their father or granfather did in years previous. It covers all demographics in parishs and thats more evident in rural ireland. Lots of GAA people follow other sports but their club and county brings out an allegiance passed from generation to generation.

In limerick Rugby would be on a par particulary in the city but both Hurling and Rugby have huge crossover support and get on fine in the main , not all this bitching the LOI go on about blaming everyeone else for their poor facilities/support.

CGI_Livia_Soprano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663850#Comment_119663850

I would have some sympathy for Irish soccer if the custodians of the FAI weren't gombeen parasites for generations. If they want help from the rest of us they need to start helping themselves, and not in the sense that they already have been.

Zebra3

Another violent weekend for the GAA’s thugs, I see.

Rally the wagons round and make sure no charges are pressed now…

castletownman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119663919#Comment_119663919

That's a fact.

Was at a Limerick-Wexford football match a few years ago, and who is taking a piss beside me at the urinal at HT only JP McManus.

You wouldn't get next or near a billionaire in any other team sport setting.

castletownman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664005#Comment_119664005

At least he didn't call it DE GAH or bogball

Salvation Tambourine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119664042#Comment_119664042

That said I went into Fagans after the Shels vs Bohs match last week and there was loads of Shels and Bohs fans happily having pints or eating some food without a hint of aggro.

rolling boh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667463#Comment_119667463

That's good it's just a minority who would not mix OK but proberly wouldn't be in the pubs anyway more causing trouble on the streets I suppose

CGI_Livia_Soprano

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667463#Comment_119667463

Probably a Dublin Man United fan club meeting.

Zebra3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667463#Comment_119667463

I doubt the Bohs fans were happily having pints. 😂😂😂😂

StupidLikeAFox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665192#Comment_119665192

What timeframe do you want to look at? I just googled the government funding for the 3 years after 2008 (2009, 2010 and 2011) and in each of those years the fai got more money than the gaa as well.

I have no question that the gaa grant money is also a much greater return on investment for the ordinary citizen than the money going to the fai.

Did you smash it

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668064#Comment_119668064

Fair point, well made on the first paragraph. Although I would say that saying the FAI get the money is not how I’d describe it. The money goes to football projects within Ireland. It’s not pocketed by the FAI just to be clear.

my main point as I’d said in previous posts is that irelands sports sector is underfunded, our sporting infrastructure is fairly third world- many big ugly uncomfortable ancient stadiums for the GAA, mainly shitholes for soccer. Desperate lack of facilities for minority sports. Eg no velodrome, no year round ice rink, national boxing and basketball arenas are poor.

there’s a narrative out there that the GAA get far more support than soccer. It’s nonsense. Both get feck all support really and particularly GAA since it brings in a lot of tax revenue for the exchequer.

Ireland as a modern sports country is best seen on its race courses and it’s golf courses.

Salvation Tambourine

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667599#Comment_119667599

I walked from Drumcondra down to The Tolka House and didn't get attacked by any Bohs fans on the street either. It was mad.