GAA Infastructure

24-11-2022 09:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917768#Comment_119917768

I’ve been to lots of stadiums in the world to watch all types of sports.

Can tell ya for certain that GAA stadiums in Munster are absolutely shocking especially terraces and will never get us (Ireland) big sporting tournaments.

The point I’m trying to make is if Kerry GAA are going to spend 70+ million then they should do it right and think 100 year’s down the line & future proof it. They’ll make the money back for sure.

Pete_Cavan · 24-11-2022 10:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917778#Comment_119917778

A seated stand doesn’t have to have better facilities than a terrace. That is just an old-fashioned mindset, like a terrace having a roof is some out of this world concept. And yes many people do choose to stand, it allows the opportunity to move around and chat to different people, or get anyway from some you don't want to be around.

If doing up a stadium, it is almost certainly going to be much cheaper to upgrade an existing terrace to a better terrace than creating a seated stand. In many cases, a terrace can be upgraded as a terrace by breaking out concrete and pouring new concrete over. A seated stand would have a completely different profile so would almost certainly require complete demolition and rebuilding. It is going to cost a lot more and is unlikely to deliver any additional income.

PeggyShippen · 24-11-2022 11:55PM

'All seater' stadiums are actually old fashioned now. Some people want to stand. There's 'rail terracing 'which is coming to many premiership clubs as we speak.

Let's call a spade a spade. If you really want to do a proper modern stadium that's good enough for soccer and rugby then you need to be spending about 200,000 million. That's the bottom line. What we ll get for the 72 or 80 or 90 million is PUC mark 2. A good stadium ,perfect for GAA and the odd friendly but not good enough for much else.

Kilarney is miles from anywhere in Munster except West Cork. Hurling teams have no interest in taking a Munster final there. The Gaelic Grounds Thurles and PUC are sufficient a d the big money should only go into those 3. Thurles is the GAAs second stadium. Cork is home to close on 600,000 and Limerick is very strategically placed for qualifiers, Munster finals and as were seen the odd All Ireland match such as Kerry v mayo

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 12:08AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917798#Comment_119917798

I agree about the current stadia. They are big empty shells.

But if you are building a brand new one you would still build a terrace like many modern high end stadia have. Even the Premier League has gone back to standing areas. Closer to home people love the terraces at Thomond Park and many choose them over seats.

roadmaster · 25-11-2022 08:52AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119909872#Comment_119909872

100 % this , Big regional grounds for major chamionship games and then county ground with a good stand to keep you dry during the league with proper toliets and somewhere to get a nice coffee.

The average league attendence i would say for must county would not exceed 6k and early round championships 10k

As a poster mentioned the Nordic Countrys have a good template. If you where to build a 10/15K all seater v 25k stadium with a stand and big terreaces would the price work out in the same ball park?

Pete_Cavan · 25-11-2022 09:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918728#Comment_119918728

In most cases, to build a 10/15K all seater you have to knock the existing stands and start building from scratch. This is going to be far more expensive than refurbishing existing terraces (and adding facilities as necessary). In that case, capacity has little/nothing to do with it. Refurbing three terraces and rebuilding the main stand even if capacity is 25k is going to be a lot cheaper than building a knocking and rebuilding all new stands for 15k capacity. You could say several stadiums are too big but that capacity is there and isn't costing anything, making it smaller and all seater will cost a fortune.

Going back to Killarney specifically, as I said before, they should just refurb the existing seated stand but as the secondary stand and build a new main stand on the other side. Below you can see the new stand planned at St Conleths Park, a variation on this with conference possibility and a museum should be designed for the existing long side terrace. I'm sure this could be done for one third of the money KCB are talking about.

https://kildaregaa.ie/club-kildare/

roadmaster · 25-11-2022 10:16AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918879#Comment_119918879

I think westmeath are going down a refurb route. They are replacing the benches in the stand with bucket seats,Upgrading dressing rooms and replacing the stand roof. The main terracce is getting a scrub down and remedial works done to the barriers on the terrace. A lot better yhan the idea they had of building a 26k stadium in the 2000s

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 10:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918879#Comment_119918879

There is a plan to roof the uncovered stand in Limerick which hopefully will become the new main stand if they stick a few shops in. Mackey Stand has terrible views and ide love to see it knocked for something like above.

raindodger · 25-11-2022 10:30AM

open stand in limerick brilliant on a dry day, wet day =wet arse.If you roofed it pillars would have to go in restricting views.Mackey stand has no redeeming feature

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 10:39AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119919005#Comment_119919005

Pillars don't have to go in.

Pete_Cavan · 25-11-2022 11:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119918963#Comment_119918963

The Mackey Stand needs to be demolished and the replacement should be the new main stand. That plus a roof on the other side and some ancillary upgrades and it would be a very good stadium. As per my earlier point, most grounds could be decent/good by tackling one side, grand notions about building 15k all seater stadiums would cost a lot more.

roadmaster · 25-11-2022 02:12PM

Is it time maybe that the GAA step in and take control of county stadium projects at a national level. Agree a standard and put a PM Team in place that will manage Design & Funding nationally instead of county boards either struggling to manage there projects and stop any crasy ideas of 40k stadiums

Tombo2001 · 25-11-2022 02:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119917798#Comment_119917798

GAA has two enormous stadiums that get flip all use for sporting purposes, it doesnt need any more. The future of the game is in better club facilities at grassroots, not trophy project mega white elephant stadiums.

PeggyShippen · 25-11-2022 02:19PM

Absolutely no need to roof the stand in the Gaelic Grounds. There's usually full stadiums only for the round Robin and munster final and its in spring or Summer. For the times there is rain then so what..American college football stadiums are the same.

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 02:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920018#Comment_119920018

Definitely should happen but won't. Because you will get county X crying when local rivals county Y get a better stadium.

For instance I agree with the Casement project and that Belfast should have Ulsters best stadium and don't believe Thurles should be a marquee stadium. Imagine HQ making decisions like that.

Did you smash it · 25-11-2022 02:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920018#Comment_119920018

The GAA doesn’t want that headache and they know the same as the county’s that a huge part of their entire stadium structure is very creaky. They’ll provide a bit of grant money to developments and wish luck to with getting the rest of the money from fundraising or the government

Did you smash it · 25-11-2022 02:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920037#Comment_119920037

Croke park hosts loads of games, nonsense to suggest otherwise.

in terms of your other suggestion; stadiums are the same as any other large utility; cinemas, shopping centers, college campuses, airports. You can’t build it between 1970-2000 and say it never needs to be updated to a modern level.

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 02:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920037#Comment_119920037

Everyone here is against big stadia so I don't know who all this "mega stadium" stuff is aimed it. New does not mean big.

Facilities are the problem that need upgrading.

roadmaster · 25-11-2022 02:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920054#Comment_119920054

You could do it Bungalow Bliss style and allow counties to opt in or out. Design a simple operational 5k stand and roll it out to whatever county wants it. Put a payment plan in place to let the county boards to repay

Pete_Cavan · 25-11-2022 02:52PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920054#Comment_119920054

That is the same "I wouldn’t start from here" nonsense which regularly gets trotted out in this thread. The facts are that we are where e are, Thurles has a big stadium and the town has historical significance, Clones has a big stadium with historical significance, Belfast doesn't have a stadium and won't get enough big games to justify building a big stadium. Things are the way they are for several reasons, whitewashing history and pissing away money on a big stadium which isn't required isn't a good idea.

Tombo2001 · 25-11-2022 02:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920106#Comment_119920106

There are a bunch of matches there between May and July, not many of which seel the ground out. There is very little before & very little after. Sure it hosts school kid finals and club games featuring the likes of Ratoath but those could go anywhere really.

How often does Croke Park need to open the upper tier for a match? 9 or 10 times a year?

Tombo2001 · 25-11-2022 03:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920120#Comment_119920120

Am assuming 70mn for a stadium in Kerry will be a decent sized stadium. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe its only a ten thousand seater.

funnyname · 25-11-2022 03:09PM

Gaelic grounds should be fully redeveloped as a joint venture between GAA and IRFU, Thomond Park given (govt to cover costs) to TUS to be redeveloped for campus accommodation. Give Clare the option of playing big games there and it would be a well used venue.

Did you smash it · 25-11-2022 03:15PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920200#Comment_119920200

It’s gets used from February at least every second weekend.

what is your point with croke park not full? Like do you think it should only be 40000 and 40000 people get disappointed for every all Ireland final and semi football and hurling?

if you think croke park is not full for too many games then I agree and the best solution if money was no object would be to build a mini croke park somewhere else for 250 million but I doubt you’d like that

Pete_Cavan · 25-11-2022 03:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920243#Comment_119920243

Munster Rugby still have big loans outstanding from the redevelopment of TP, there is no way they are going to take on another pile of debt for a stadium they don't need and which has their fans further from the pitch. TUS don't have significant money to buy the stadium, demolish it and build something else. Non-runner on every level.

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 03:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920243#Comment_119920243

Clare won't play there. They have always chosen Thurles.

PnG is also way too big for Munster. Thomond Park may look big because of the exaggerated stands but it's only 25k and never really full.

A roof for the uncovered stand and proper shops is all that place needs short term. The terraces are good for championship and are only open then but it's not a comfortable stadium for winter/Irish spring league games in either stand.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920211#Comment_119920211

Kerry are not building a new stadium. They said it's for upgrades.

breezy1985 · 25-11-2022 03:29PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920175#Comment_119920175

Its not whitewashing history the history will still be there. I'm a big history fan but honestly I don't get any sort of emotional rush out of Thurles. Croke Park is the only GAA ground I would feel an emotional attachment to (outside Limerick for obvious reasons)

I don't know a lot about Clones but personally I think Thurles is completely inadequate as a town for big games. Big city big games but that's just my preference.

If Thurles had to be rebuilt tomorrow (the terraces need it) personally i'de build something like Thomond Park with bigger terraces maybe 30k.

funnyname · 25-11-2022 03:35PM

We are a small well connected island, we don't need big stadia in every county, need to start looking at building infrastructure that is multi purpose and appropriately sized.

Pete_Cavan · 25-11-2022 03:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920332#Comment_119920332

Any major works at SS probably should see a reduction in capacity, that's fair enough. A new stadium isn't going to be built to replace it, replace stands can happen over the course of decades and would be much better value than building an entirely new stadium and incurring enormous cost in one go. Tipp is a big GAA county and should be able to host big games, always sending their big games elsewhere is only going to damage the GAA.

There are big stadiums in the nearby cities alread, Cork has a big new stadium and while Limerick needs work it still passes muster. Cork went down the big new stadium in one go route and it hasn't worked out very well, a more considered approach of improvements over the long term is what is needed.

25-11-2022 04:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119920243#Comment_119920243

I love the joined up thinking on stuff like this.

If they could just work together and pool their resources we could have fantastic facilities for everyone.

could thomond be redeveloped into a GAA stadium?

GAA Infastructure

Comments