Financial prudence is arguably one of the most valuable aspects of life that anyone can learn. In many ways, it is self-taught because getting your fingers burnt once, makes you reluctant to dip them into the hot water a second time. We have come out of a decade where everything was achievable, where many (though not all) could drop everything at a moment’s notice and attend any recreational event, regardless of the location or the financial cost. It applied to major sporting events more than anything. People no longer have the money to throw around like confetti and have to choose their games carefully this summer.

In Munster rugby, for instance, there were overnight queues outside Thomond Park for Heineken Cup tickets and some of those at the top of the queue named their price for the tickets on the way out. Prior to the 2006 Heineken Cup final, tickets were selling at anything up to four times their value on e-Bay and supply could not keep up with demand. A 5-year ticket at Semple Stadium cost IR£200 in 2000. By 2008 the very same ticket with slightly less entitlements cost €1000. Neither ticket included league games. A Limerick ticket introduced for 2004 cost only €400 and also included league games. The market was there to be exploited, and Thurles could command more money than Limerick and fair play to them for doing so.

However, those days are gone and may never return. The Limerick 5-year tickets were not renewed after 2008 and the frighteningly low attendance at last years Munster final replay would suggest that the Semple Stadium tickets are on borrowed time. The real perk for having such a ticket was guaranteed access to games, but when stadiums are only half full now, there’s no value in having a 5-year ticket. The GAA Season ticket seems to have taken over now, and given that it provides more for less, patrons are gravitating towards it.

The past decade was probably the most indulgent decade enjoyed by the Irish population. Even those who had nothing had something. We are now in 2011, in the depths of a recession and the money isn’t there any more. Petrol is reaching €1.50 a litre, whereas prior to the last decade it was available at roughly half that cost. Prior to the start of the last decade, 50% of GAA supporters had one day out supporting their county in each code, and opened the purse strings for that one day. If their team won and advanced, they joined the enjoyed the journey, but there were a limited number of excursions.

In 2010, between the league final and the championship games, a Cork supporter had to follow the hurlers on seven occasions. And that does not include following the footballers until the third Sunday in September. We have reached a situation where the supporters can no longer afford to sustain that many days out. Day-to-day GAA outgoings mean that there is little room for manoeuvre because reducing the number of games, reduces the revenue. The GAA need to consider (a) reducing unnecessary trappings and perks as opposed to sacrificing positions of employment on the ground (b) bringing the games to the people as much as possible (c) pruning the salaries of those who are paid more than €60,000, (d) reducing entry fees, (e) playing games at smaller grounds to improve atmosphere, (f) continuing their good work on the Season Ticket structure.

The role of Dublin in the recession cannot be understated. Based on population Dublin have a support base to be exploited, and it makes sense for the GAA for financial reasons to attempt to popularise the game of hurling in the Capital by piggy backing them onto the hurlers as they have done in this year’s league campaign. Some may question why the Division 1 football and hurling league finals were not played together, but the GAA are aiming towards a theoretical situation whereby both the footballers and hurlers of Dublin are capable of filling Croke Park on their own.

But can it happen? Last summer, a winning Dublin football team were unable to fill Croke Park on their own for a number of games. The hurlers have struggled to captivate an audience to match the footballers, and, indeed, brought a limited crowd to Thurles for the All Ireland Quarter final in 2009. With this in mind it was crucial to keep the Dublin hurlers at home for the League final. However it’s one thing keeping them at home but it’s another thing filling the stadium.

Even though the initial plan would have been to couple both hurling league finals together, the Limerick vs. Clare game had to take place at a Munster venue as it would have been lunacy to bring them to Dublin. The toss for a home and away venue has rankled with a few in Limerick primarily because the toss was lost, and Ennis has been a graveyard for many teams in the past. The Limerick supporters would have travelled to Thurles, but the Clare supporters would not. For that reason, it seems as though Thurles was not an option for the game.

As we approach the summer, questions will need to be asked about how best to bring the games to the people in terms of the Leinster Football championship, and All Ireland quarter finals in both codes. Regional venues need to be used as often as possible. For instance, there would be no logic in taking a Donegal vs. Galway quarter final to Croke Park when it could be played in Castlebar to facilitate supporters, or a Tipperary vs. Galway hurling quarter final could be played at Limerick where the Galway supporters now have motorway access, and the tunnel means that the Tipperary supporters no longer have to come through the city.

The important thing in this recession is not to lose the support of the people. Bringing the games to them is arguably the best way to do that. The essential target for the GAA in 2011 should be to spare supporters unnecessary trips to Dublin unless their counties reach the semi finals or unless Croke Park is the most logical neutral venue. If you liked this article, tell other people about it...