The Sunday Game Thread

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

Well Cusack seems willing to distil corks hurling problems down to one word, Frank. And as usual everyone in cork gaa acts like none of them are even responsible for him being in charge. Some inn here even calling for croke park to intervene to get him out, as though his being there is nothing to do with the clubs themselves that are supposedly crying out for resources that this tyrant that nobody put in charge is denying them.

Frank is a massive problem, but it goes much wider than that. There's been a massive drop off in the standard of the city clubs. They can't hold onto lads and aren't developing them right between those crucial ages between minor and U21. The schools seem to be slowly improving but it's only happened after they hit rock bottom. I also think there should be much greater encouragement and better organisation of the divisional teams. It's vital we get lads from smaller clubs playing as high a standard as possible.

Patww79 wrote: »

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Back in the 1980s there was a total of 6 games a year on tv-that didnt kill the GAA so Id imagine now that theres a few games a year on Sky the GAA might just pull through.
Some would actually argue that there are too many games on RTE so a few less might be a good thing.

Realt Dearg Sec wrote: »

As long as those games don't involve my own county on days where I can't make it to the match.

Id say you could still find somewhere to watch it-or is it too much of an imposition for "real supporters" to have to leave their own front room?

keane2097 wrote: »

It all reminds me very much of the frothing at the mouth that goes on about how the GAA sell out the "real fans" on All Ireland day and give all the tickets to the suits and then you go back and see that 5,000 people turned up to the county's first league game that year.

that's a great point. I guess there are different levels of supporters, some who only go from semi finals on. Some who only go to championship matches and some who only go when they get a free ticket, and the ones who go to all the games. At different stages of my life I've probably occupied most of those categories to be honest.

I do think that season ticket holders are being poorly treated though they actually do go to the league games and have documented attendance, cancelling or not issuing more of these tickets for these types of fans in favor of having more tickets to hand out to fans that only go at the business end is shortsighted IMHO.

Stoner wrote: »

that's a great point. I guess there are different levels of supporters, some who only go from semi finals on. Some who only go to championship matches and some who only go when they get a free ticket, and the ones who go to all the games. At different stages of my life I've probably occupied most of those categories to be honest.

I do think that season ticket holders are being poorly treated though they actually do go to the league games and have documented attendance, cancelling or not issuing more of these tickets for these types of fans in favor of having more tickets to hand out to fans that only go at the business end is shortsighted IMHO.

I'm not aware of the issues with tickets for ST holders, I thought they were guaranteed their seats?

Other than that, while there's nothing wrong with people attending as little or as much as they please, the cognitive dissonance that sees thousands of "real fans" laying into the GAA when they didn't bother to turn up to watch their side playing home league games is indicative of the sense of entitlement that also informs the Sky debate.

30 odd free games on TV isn't enough. We want every single game that will ever be broadcast pumped into our front room for nothing.

Jayop wrote: »

I live in Sligo but come from Tyrone so I'm a member of my Sligo club because my kids are involved. In 2005 Tyrone played 11 games in the championship and I went to ten of them including I think 5/6 trips to croker. There was no chance in the world though that I could get a ticket for the all Ireland final, but I know a good few people from Sligo that don't even go to their games but manage to get all Ireland hurling and football tickets every single year.

Back then I used to travel to every Tyrone championship game but that put me off for a long time.

That's ten years ago, the season ticket exists for just this sort of fan.

I hesitate to point out that it seems you could have gotten a ticket no problem if you had been involved in your local club if a good few people in Sligo who don't even bother going to county games could pick one up.

keane2097 wrote: »

I'm not aware of the issues with tickets for ST holders, I thought they were guaranteed their seats?

Other than that, while there's nothing wrong with people attending as little or as much as they please, the cognitive dissonance that sees thousands of "real fans" laying into the GAA when they didn't bother to turn up to watch their side playing home league games is indicative of the sense of entitlement that also informs the Sky debate.

30 odd free games on TV isn't enough. We want every single game that will ever be broadcast pumped into our front room for nothing.

I agree with you 100% BTW. Such moaning can really only come from the baseline amount of fans, yet in every case that is a small number of supporters.

Season ticket holders are guaranteed tickets (although for the last couple of years they have included a clause that you will not necessarily be seated in the same area as you were for the games up to that for finals and semi finals, so they were pushed out to the sides for some games recently, the quality of the seat position has dropped.

My point about season ticket holders is that that type of fan should be encouraged by the GAA and more tickets sold not less, as these schemes work, encourage and track attendance

for example, for Dublin anyway and I think Mayo too, if you have a season ticket from a supporter who does not want to renew or wants to transfer and you have someone who wants to take it over you can't do that. They accept the cancellations but are issuing no more new tickets. There is no waiting list, that cancellation is just processed. On top of that we were issued with notice that ID supporting the ticket owner matches the season ticket was in place.

I still think a supporter who in not involved in a club but goes to all the games should be held in higher regard by the GAA than someone who is not involved in a club and only goes to semi final and final games.

Stoner wrote: »

I agree with you 100% BTW. Such moaning can really only come from the baseline amount of fans, yet in every case that is a small number of supporters.

Season ticket holders are guaranteed tickets (although for the last couple of years they have included a clause that you will not necessarily be seated in the same area as you were for the games up to that for finals and semi finals, so they were pushed out to the sides for some games recently, the quality of the seat position has dropped.

My point about season ticket holders is that that type of fan should be encouraged by the GAA and more tickets sold not less, as these schemes work, encourage and track attendance

for example, for Dublin anyway and I think Mayo too, if you have a season ticket from a supporter who does not want to renew or wants to transfer and you have someone who wants to take it over you can't do that. They accept the cancellations but are issuing no more new tickets. There is no waiting list, that cancellation is just processed. On top of that we were issued with notice that ID supporting the ticket owner matches the season ticket was in place.

I still think a supporter who in not involved in a club but goes to all the games should be held in higher regard by the GAA than someone who is not involved in a club and only goes to semi final and final games.

I see what you're saying now. I had heard some rumblings along this line alright.

It seems pretty likely that what's after happening is that the season ticket scheme has become more successful and better subscribed than expected leading to problems on All Ireland days.

It's a problem if people who want them and are prepared to go to all the games can't get them, but I suppose there's a reality that there's always going to be some limit or other on how many people can get into something, i.e. they can't sell 100,000 season tickets no matter how many fans want one.

Jayop wrote: »

I live in Sligo but come from Tyrone so I'm a member of my Sligo club because my kids are involved. In 2005 Tyrone played 11 games in the championship and I went to ten of them including I think 5/6 trips to croker. There was no chance in the world though that I could get a ticket for the all Ireland final, but I know a good few people from Sligo that don't even go to their games but manage to get all Ireland hurling and football tickets every single year.

Back then I used to travel to every Tyrone championship game but that put me off for a long time.

Firstly, if you are involved in the GAA and can make a good case on day or the night before in Dublin you will get a ticket.
I was chatting to a Tyrone ladies player who never goes to mens county games as she was too busy playing playing for ladies club and county and training a clatter of underage teams that she valued having a day off (possibly even then no more than an afternoon) and following the game on TV or radio.
She travelled to Dublin without a ticket and had one in no time.

Second thing is to just travel up.
My fairweather Tryone supporter friend travelled up for the second of their all ireland wins (for the first he pulled a premium ticket through work, and bring a VERY protestant company there was nobody else in the queue) and just bided his time and got a ticket in one of the pubs near croker from a lad that either couldnt be arsed or was stood up by a friend. It was a sprint to make it for the throw in but he did.
Or, again go to Dublin and hang round the security cordon before the game. I know of many instances of people I know who have been stood up and have just handed the tickets to the guards to pass on to a deserving fan.

harpsman wrote: »

Id say you could still find somewhere to watch it-or is it too much of an imposition for "real supporters" to have to leave their own front room?

I'm a season ticket holder, who lives in a different county than the one I'm from/supporting so you can spare me the condescending tone about "real supporters" not leaving their own front room.

Jayop wrote: »

I'm not going to drive from Sligo to go to every league game in Omagh. I have other things to be at with the kids and that so the St is no good to me.

If you've no affiliation to a club from the county at the time then it's impossible to get an ai ticket. I managed to get one in 2003 about half an hour before throw in but wasn't going to take the risk again in 05 or 08.

I pay to go to about 15 games a year between club games, Sligo games and Tyrone games so I'd call myself fairly genuine. I just don't have contacts to get tickets.

What happens the kids during the Summer when youre off in Dublin every weekend?