The GAA never thought it would see the day . . .

L

Leper

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Just listening to RTE Radio 1 and it has just been announced that the organisation in Kilkenny and Tipperary have returned thousands of unsold tickets and tickets now can be purchased online at GAA.ie.

I enquired about two tickets two weeks ago to be informed that due to huge demand my club could not sell tickets to me (although I am a paid up club member for thirty years and involved within the club training underage teams for many years also).

It has been obvious for years that hurling is on the decline and the demand for All-Ireland Hurling Final tickets has also been reducing.

From now on I predict it will be much easier to obtain Hurling All Ireland Final tickets and no harm.
 
Don't believe everything you hear. KK returned two stand tickets (out of about 12 to 15 thousand) as the view was obscured by the big screen.

Should be easy to get tickets if you keep trying, same as always. Just don't expect them to fall into your lap at the first time of asking.
 

You're wrong there DerKaiser. Kilkenny returned a lot more than 2 tickets. Tipperary returned many also. As we speak some clubs in both counties are trying to offload tickets as expiry for returns has lapsed and the GAA expects to be paid for tickets issued to clubs which were not returned.

But, I got my tickets last week, I just wanted to have got them from my club to which I have given loyal service. The club failed me and is now left with loads of unsold tickets. So, do not be surprised if you see club chairmen and club secretaries etc speeding around doing handbrake turns with bulging pockets of unsold tickets.
 
Back to your point, I assume you mean that levels of interest are in decline rather than the standards of play?

There will probably be about 15,000 up from Kilkenny and 25,000 from Tipp. You're pushing almost 20% of the combined populations there. Adding 40,000+ neutrals to that is a pretty good level of interest all in all. I'd also expect about 900,000 people, over 60% of viewers, to tune in in TV. That's phenomenal for a sport in which over 20 counties have never really enjoyed any level of success.

As for selling out croke park. I guarantee you that were the likes of Cork and Wexford to feature in a final, you could sell out croke park more than twice over.

Then again, Garth Brooks sold 400,000 tickets so maybe that's not anything to boast about!
 
Nice post DerKaiser and there is not doubt there is huge interest in hurling in Ireland and more interest from abroad. But, the interest in playing hurling has declined. You can see it in many hurling clubs where they have to pull out all the stops to keep underage hurling turning over.

There are lots of reasons for this including injuries. It is easier to play tennis. You have injuries in soccer and Gaelic Football as well as in rugby, but for hurling you need a helmet, hurley, probably a gum shield. Let's face it, the coaching of hurling is much more difficult than coaching rugby or football.

But, it is good to see the multicultural hurling off the ground also. This will occur more and more as Ireland (as some would put it) "matures."

However, there is one thing that will always be with us and that is the GAA hack who rightly or wrongly will impose his outdated beliefs. Apologies if this sounds sexist, but it is always a "his" - like in golf clubs the female of the species has little say.
 
The fact that KK are in the minor means a bit less demand (and Limerick were up for the semi so some will leave it at that). KK not the biggest county and there a lot, so wont get lads from Australia (say) coming for 'once in a lifetime' stuff.

Anyway, re club & getting a ticket. Did ye not have a draw?, typically a club will get far fewer than the demand, so you have a draw. Hard for non-members to break into but, by and large, its no bother get tickets for all games bar the All Ireland final (& some Dublin football games).
 

Get the auld digs in on the personal beliefs on any thread possible!

At the game today..a classic. Immaculate hurling...only 5 wides I heard afterwards. Classic game, classic contest...all thats good about the GAA, all thats good about us and what is unique to this Island.
Bring on the replay
 

Obviously, you are not involved in the GAA and know little or nothing about it. If what I said is untrue then take me on, but what I said is fact.

Yesterday's hurling was indeed a classic. As a person who played the game at senior level I can vouch for the effort both teams made. I look forward to the replay also.

I love your quote "all thats good about the GAA, all thats good about us and what is unique to this Island." I hear it every week at our meetings but usually with "our games" inserted instead of "GAA."

While we're at it look out for how often the word "Hunger" is used in player interviews.

Enjoy the replay.
 
On the GAA hacks point, I hate the way there's so much "scoreboard journalism", and a devotion to attributing results to character flaws. Liam Hayes used to be a divil for it, psychobabble to beat the band, along the lines of "They fleetingly thought they might win, but deep in their soul they knew they just didnt have what it takes, they didnt deserve it, their fathers didnt and their kids wont". Of course if the ball had deflected into the net they'd all be heroes.

A lot of what Brolly goes on with is irritating too. A county's fans occasionally have a right to feel let down, but the players are feeling it a lot worse having put in all the time and effort. So I think its v poor form for journalists (& former players of that county) to drive it into them when they're down.

As regards hurlings status, its the singular most grevious fault of the GAA that every child in the country does not have the opportunity to play hurling (& football). Even in All-Ireland winning counties there are huge swathes of the county where there's no outlet to play hurling. Its not some chief execs fault, its tradition and people on the ground. I think change should be "enforced" from the top.
 
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