Is the GAA a dying sport?

osarusan · 25-08-2014 12:47PM

Does the analysis go any deeper than looking at crowds for inter-county matches?

I would guess that looking at membership numbers at local clubs would be a better indicator of whether the sports are as healthy as they used to be.

Barely There · 25-08-2014 12:51PM

Can definitely see it becoming a niche interest in the next 20-30 years.

It's popularity was mostly driven by insularity and as Irish society becomes more open and Irish people become more cosmopolitian there will be a continued fall off in interest in GAA sports.

The core problems of the sport as I see it are;

Favours raw athleticism and thuggish behaviour over skill.
Inconsistent referring - sometimes I wonder to the refs even know what the rules are supposed to be.
Too many 'engineered' draws.

Arne_Saknussem · 25-08-2014 01:06PM

Barely There wrote: »

Can definitely see it becoming a niche interest in the next 20-30 years.

It's popularity was mostly driven by insularity and as Irish society becomes more open and Irish people become more cosmopolitian there will be a continued fall off in interest in GAA sports.

The core problems of the sport as I see it are;
Favours raw athleticism and thuggish behaviour over skill.

Inconsistent referring - sometimes I wonder to the refs even know what the rules are supposed to be.

Too many 'engineered' draws.

Hurling is an incredibly skillful sport.

There is the thuggish behaviour granted but in my experience people much prefer that as a viewing experience to the poncy diving you see in soccer.

I think you're wrong about the interest dropping off, although it will be interesting when the inevitable amatuer/pro status comes to a head.

NIMAN · 25-08-2014 01:09PM

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

Hurling is an incredibly skillful sport.

There is the thuggish behaviour granted but in my experience people much prefer that as a viewing experience to the poncy diving you see in soccer.

I think you're wrong about the interest dropping off, although it will be interesting when the inevitable amatuer/pro status comes to a head.

I am a soccer fan and although the antics, feigning and diving annoys me and many people I know, soccer will always be a big draw. Sure you only have to look at the money involved in it to know that the paying public are far from fed up with it enough to stop watching it.

NIMAN · 25-08-2014 01:11PM

One big thing for me that will really affect Gaelic games in the coming years is the fact that players will soon want paid to perform.

Its only a matter of time.

Do you really think top class athletes who give so much of their time and energy to a sport and who produce entertainment like that seen yesterday at Croker, are going to continue doing it for nothing while their association lifts big money from international media corporations? Not a hope. There's only so much love people have for their counties!

GLaDOS · 25-08-2014 01:11PM

As someone with no interest in Hurling or Gaelic Football, I wouldn't say it's dying off at all. Certainly in Dublin there's a healthy bandwagon for the football with all the recent success.

Reekwind · 25-08-2014 01:27PM

I might as well put a disclaimer here: I'm happy to follow most sports* and think that Ireland is blessed with an abundance of these. Why people see the need to stack one against the other has always bemused me.

*Albeit, this summer has been mostly dedicated to the World Cup. With a bit of help from Louth's performances in the football.

Barely There wrote: »

It's popularity was mostly driven by insularity and as Irish society becomes more open and Irish people become more cosmopolitian there will be a continued fall off in interest in GAA sports.

Which is baffling given that the past two decades (ie those in which Ireland has been as open to the rest of the world as any time in its history) have seen a boom in attendance figures, immense investment in the games' infrastructure and the reinvention of the GAA as a modern sporting organisation. While I'd hesitate to describe it as a 'golden age', Gaelic games have certainly thrived. Why do you feel that these trends over the past two 'open' decades will suddenly reverse with more 'openness'?

It's just a ludicrous proposition. Particularly when the GAA itself has proved so adapt at changing with the times - developing a 'product' (in the lingo) and marketing/commercial arm that compares well with any professional competitor. Certainly it's done better in this regard than the FAI and LoI.

The irony is of course that's the close-minded who throw out the charge of being insular. Given the above realities, the only possible explanation for such a charge (ie that the GAA is an insular dinosaur that will inevitably die out) is the reflex association of the organisation with the 'bad old days'. Which is just unsustainable when you actually acknowledge the GAA as a thriving example of 'old meets new' in modern Ireland. It requires ignoring most of the past two decades of the sport's history, in favour of what is often reflex anti-Irishness or anti-ruralism. (Take your pick.)

[*]Favours raw athleticism and thuggish behaviour over skill.

[*]Inconsistent referring - sometimes I wonder to the refs even know what the rules are supposed to be.

You don't read much English soccer writing, do you?

Incidentally, I don't see how any of the reasons that you give supports the notion that the GAA will wither away as "Irish people become more cosmopolitan". How does that work - people's intolerance for poor refereeing calls increases in proportion to the number of Starbucks outlets in the country? An exposure to Italian football reduces the tolerance for draws?

oppenheimer1 · 25-08-2014 01:31PM

NIMAN wrote: »

One big thing for me that will really affect Gaelic games in the coming years is the fact that players will soon want paid to perform.

Its only a matter of time.

Do you really think top class athletes who give so much of their time and energy to a sport and who produce entertainment like that seen yesterday at Croker, are going to continue doing it for nothing while their association lifts big money from international media corporations? Not a hope. There's only so much love people have for their counties!

I don't know. I think people forget that the money raised by the GAA is not used to feather the nests of officials but to promote the sport, develop facilities and coaching.

Perhaps if a lot of international money comes in it will change things, but I can't see it happening any time soon. The GAA will never have the kind of funding to finance 50 professional or semi professional teams. That's what it would take.

Peist2007 · 25-08-2014 01:46PM

thelad95 wrote: »

All of Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool's home games attract in excess if 50000.

No they dont. Villa Park is around 40k and Anfield isnt slightly more.

Mal-Adjusted · 25-08-2014 02:02PM

Berserker wrote: »

I'd go the other way round. Hurling is limited to such a small number of counties that it's declining. Football seems to be growing. Neither have the popularity of association football though.

I disagree with your first point. Both sports are going from strength to strength. Clare achieved promotion out of the bottom division and had a decent run in the Championship this year this year. And Kerry have stated their aim is to get out of the Ring and into Liam.

guest2014 wrote: »

only a handful of teams play hurling, unlike football so maybe you have that the wrong way round.

Every county plays Hurling with the exception of New York

GerB40 wrote: »

Firstly hurling is far superior to football, just look at the Tipp v Cork match last week, nearly full attendance.
Secondly GAA is an organisation not a sport.

Ah, can we do away with sh1te please?

Barely There wrote: »

Can definitely see it becoming a niche interest in the next 20-30 years.

Can I have a loan of your crystal ball for the lotto results?

Barely There wrote: »

It's popularity was mostly driven by insularity and as Irish society becomes more open and Irish people become more cosmopolitian there will be a continued fall off in interest in GAA sports.

If that were the case, how do you explain the recent surge of interest in both Football and Hurling in Dublin, surely the most cosmopolitan place on this Island?

Barely There wrote: »

[*]Favours raw athleticism and thuggish behaviour over skill.

You only need to watch last years hurling final to see outstanding skill, or yesterdays football semi. also, a small thuggish element (which to be fair, there is) hasn't seemed to stop the meteoric rise in popularity of Rugby all over Europe in the last 20 years.

Barely There wrote: »

[*]Inconsistent referring - sometimes I wonder to the refs even know what the rules are supposed to be.

I highly doubt the odd referring controversy (most of which is just fans grumbling because a lad on their team lost his temper and drew a belt) every year will bring the GAA to it's knees. It's something present in almost every sport.

Barely There wrote: »

[*]Too many 'engineered' draws.

Take off the tin-foil hat.

Arne_Saknussem · 25-08-2014 02:03PM

NIMAN wrote: »

I am a soccer fan and although the antics, feigning and diving annoys me and many people I know, soccer will always be a big draw. Sure you only have to look at the money involved in it to know that the paying public are far from fed up with it enough to stop watching it.

I'm a soccer fan myself, what i meant to say was the amount of people put off by the "thuggish behaviour" would be proportionally less imo than those put off soccer by the diving etc.

Talking about hurling here btw, don't watch much football being a bit of a snob

Da Shins Kelly · 25-08-2014 02:14PM

GerB40 wrote: »

Firstly hurling is far superior to football, just look at the Tipp v Cork match last week, nearly full attendance.
Secondly GAA is an organisation not a sport.

Tipp v Cork might have been nearly full attendance, but the match was nowhere near the classic it was built up to be. Cork were found out. In contrast, the Mayo v Kerry match yesterday wasn't full (probably due to rail strikes and the fact that Kerry supporters don't travel), but it was an absolute cracker of a match. The best footballl match of the year so far and as good as any hurling match I've seen so far this year. In fact, I might even say that the hurling championship this year isn't all it's been cracked up to be. Last year was brilliant, this year has been less so.

Gaelic games are as popular as ever, as far as I can see. Attendance is still high (I expect Dublin v Donegal to be jammed next weekend, the Mayo v Kerry replay should be busy too), and there still seems to be great interest in both hurling and football.

As for "thuggery" in GAA? How's that? Both hurling and football are contact sports (which, incidentally, soccer is supposed to he too, although that seems to have been all but eradicated), and frankly I prefer a sport where players aren't afraid to get stuck in. As for supporters, I've never encountered anything but graciousness. Not sure the same could be said for the likes of soccer.

Peist2007 · 25-08-2014 02:16PM

Arne_Saknussem wrote: »

I'm a soccer fan myself, what i meant to say was the amount of people put off by the "thuggish behaviour" would be proportionally less imo than those put off soccer by the diving etc.

Talking about hurling here btw, don't watch much football being a bit of a snob

To be honest i applaud the GAA for maintaining its sports as "contact sports" given what has happened elsewhere in other sports over the years.

OldRio · 25-08-2014 02:16PM

thelad95 wrote: »

All of Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Manchester City and Liverpool's home games attract in excess if 50000.

Incorrect.
Figures from 2013/2014 show only Man U. Arsenal and Newcastle have average gates over 50k.
3 teams only.

http://www.worldfootball.net/attendance/eng-premier-league-2013-2014/1/

Dirty Dingus McGee · 25-08-2014 02:16PM

GerB40 wrote: »

Okay that was more of a knee jersey reaction to someone dissing the GAA. But last year the gate receipts for hurling was €12 million while football was €11.9 and by all accounts this should be repeated this year.
Sorry if I sound like a snob but football was never as important to me as hurling..

That was the first year ever that happened and there was an AI final replay which add's a huge amount to annual gate receipts.Also it only took into account central council matches and not provincial games

The attendances for the semi finals and quarter finals in football this year were much higer than in hurling. Football always seems to get great attendances despite people endlessly slagging it off.

BTW I'm not trying to get into a dick measuring contest just pointing out that football is fairly popular.

iDave · 25-08-2014 02:18PM

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Football always seems to get great attendances despite people endlessly slagging it off.

Maybe its not so bad after all

Balmed Out · 25-08-2014 02:21PM

Growing up in 80's cork city a lot of people I knew werent so into it but now their kids are mad for it due to all the great work done by clubs and the low cost of playing the sport attending the camps etc.

Is the GAA a dying sport?

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