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The Next MAJOR Change In The GAA Will Be...

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Replying To zinny: "I have seen that operate in 7s and 9s and it works very well. I have refereed some of the games where it has been used and believe me as a ref its a nightmare. As a ref you never want to be the winning or losing of a game off the back of something you missed or though you saw, in a regular game you can always comfort yourself with the fact that the other team nearly always gets another chance - in a golden score game that never happens - it adds a huge amount of pressure!" I can understand that. I've never been a ref and it's something I never want to be. Very thankless job most of the time. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 26/05/2020 18:28:10 2279274 Link
Replying To Breezy: "There does seem to be a lot more rugby outside of the cities nowadays but I wouldnt know enough about it to tell you if they are new clubs or old ones that are getting taken a bit more serious recently. I do know that the AIL was a big help as it has a merit based promotion system which rugby didnt have before the league" Saw an article recently highlighting the steep decline of club rugby attendances in New Zealand. They are down to something like 10,000 per game, for the top professional club competition in the world. The technical quality of rugby is better than ever but people just seem to care less. The reasons proposed 1) Game days have become too expensive. 2) Pay per view TV deals have led fans to choose one over the other (not paying twice for the same game) 3) TV dictates match times which may not suit younger families 4) Lack of attachment to amalgamated 'super teams' in the pro era. Fans are now consumers not supporters, with frivolous entertainment at half time etc. failing to make up for the drift in supporter's sense of identity around a team. Transfer of players between regions critical here also. 5) Too many meaningless games due to the format. Competitions not being seen as do-or-die anymore 6) Lack of local rivalries in the format a huge factor in this also 7) Falling participation rates in schools 8) Competition from other entertainments A lot of potential lessons for the GAA there. The core message for me is that a club sport built on grass roots support and communal effort should not try to turn itself into a slick entertainment 'product'. Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1055 - 26/05/2020 20:39:02 2279282 Link
Replying To Eddie the Exile: "Saw an article recently highlighting the steep decline of club rugby attendances in New Zealand. They are down to something like 10,000 per game, for the top professional club competition in the world. The technical quality of rugby is better than ever but people just seem to care less. The reasons proposed 1) Game days have become too expensive. 2) Pay per view TV deals have led fans to choose one over the other (not paying twice for the same game) 3) TV dictates match times which may not suit younger families 4) Lack of attachment to amalgamated 'super teams' in the pro era. Fans are now consumers not supporters, with frivolous entertainment at half time etc. failing to make up for the drift in supporter's sense of identity around a team. Transfer of players between regions critical here also. 5) Too many meaningless games due to the format. Competitions not being seen as do-or-die anymore 6) Lack of local rivalries in the format a huge factor in this also 7) Falling participation rates in schools 8) Competition from other entertainments A lot of potential lessons for the GAA there. The core message for me is that a club sport built on grass roots support and communal effort should not try to turn itself into a slick entertainment 'product'." Yes a lot of lessons in your post for the GAA. Let's hope they heed it. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 27/05/2020 02:12:59 2279302 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "Yes a lot of lessons in your post for the GAA. Let's hope they heed it." Yea, speaking to Kiwis about it they say you have definitely noticed the change over they years. The number one reason for not going to the live games they say is cost, you want to bring the kids etc but the cost is prohibitive. They reckon that even in pubs where once they were packed when rugby games were on and the only thing shown in the pub was rugby, that has changed as well. You go into a pub now and there is so many screens and all different sports on, rugby no longer has the same draw it once did. Its funny how the super league created the best rugby there is in club competition to watch yet its very success in that regard is almost considered a cause of some of the decline in the levels below. Before this year they were massively worried about attendance at the Mitre Cup games which are down big time on years back. This is where the local rivalry does come back into play but its now without the star players. I guess the analogy would be playing the club championship without the county players. Lessons for the GAA - everyone wants more live games on TV but is that a good thing as long as the prices for the games are low enough? I think that hearing the reports (which perhaps invariably make the game better than reality) from other games also spurs people to attend other games - even their own counties. Could be a saturation issue. Family packages perhaps are key to keeping the costs low. The grassroots is what count! zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 1799 - 28/05/2020 01:12:26 2279366 Link
Replying To Eddie the Exile: "Saw an article recently highlighting the steep decline of club rugby attendances in New Zealand. They are down to something like 10,000 per game, for the top professional club competition in the world. The technical quality of rugby is better than ever but people just seem to care less. The reasons proposed 1) Game days have become too expensive. 2) Pay per view TV deals have led fans to choose one over the other (not paying twice for the same game) 3) TV dictates match times which may not suit younger families 4) Lack of attachment to amalgamated 'super teams' in the pro era. Fans are now consumers not supporters, with frivolous entertainment at half time etc. failing to make up for the drift in supporter's sense of identity around a team. Transfer of players between regions critical here also. 5) Too many meaningless games due to the format. Competitions not being seen as do-or-die anymore 6) Lack of local rivalries in the format a huge factor in this also 7) Falling participation rates in schools 8) Competition from other entertainments A lot of potential lessons for the GAA there. The core message for me is that a club sport built on grass roots support and communal effort should not try to turn itself into a slick entertainment 'product'." Gaa as a whole takes a lot of money to run. Ticket income is hugely vital to that. If you reduce prices what do you replace that income with and from where? New Zealand rugby. At very top level they play so many games at non TV times so hard to watch and then they're always winning which over time reduces interest. If Aussies were to get better over time it will help New Zealand considerably. Where else do you cut prices on game day to make it less expensive? How often does TV dictate game start times. And is there really much bad times for games to start? TV income is vital as while providing for the fans who attend games is important you have to pay huge attention to those watching from home or you will struggle hugely long term Competitions being do or die for most part is overrated. Players want to play matches and do or die doesnt help that as it reduces potential number of games they will play in a year. You need to have your sport as 'entertainment' to help get the next generations interested and willing to play the sport KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3494 - 28/05/2020 09:37:57 2279370 Link
Replying To Eddie the Exile: "Saw an article recently highlighting the steep decline of club rugby attendances in New Zealand. They are down to something like 10,000 per game, for the top professional club competition in the world. The technical quality of rugby is better than ever but people just seem to care less. The reasons proposed 1) Game days have become too expensive. 2) Pay per view TV deals have led fans to choose one over the other (not paying twice for the same game) 3) TV dictates match times which may not suit younger families 4) Lack of attachment to amalgamated 'super teams' in the pro era. Fans are now consumers not supporters, with frivolous entertainment at half time etc. failing to make up for the drift in supporter's sense of identity around a team. Transfer of players between regions critical here also. 5) Too many meaningless games due to the format. Competitions not being seen as do-or-die anymore 6) Lack of local rivalries in the format a huge factor in this also 7) Falling participation rates in schools 8) Competition from other entertainments A lot of potential lessons for the GAA there. The core message for me is that a club sport built on grass roots support and communal effort should not try to turn itself into a slick entertainment 'product'." Excellent post. I think the key for the GAA is that commercialisation should be a necessary evil rather than the primary goal in itself. It's why I've been disappointed that we went with Sky when we did. Really didn't seem to properly fit with the mission statement of the GAA. We got a bit more money but we also lost a lot in viewing figures. I believe it's the case that the viewing figures are roughly 90% lower than they were for matches shown on TV3. The GAA does have to modernise it's structures to fit in with modern life and the commitment levels that players are expected to produce. It has to be focussed in n the games and the players though. Not on the sales. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4193 - 28/05/2020 12:42:00 2279381 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "Excellent post. I think the key for the GAA is that commercialisation should be a necessary evil rather than the primary goal in itself. It's why I've been disappointed that we went with Sky when we did. Really didn't seem to properly fit with the mission statement of the GAA. We got a bit more money but we also lost a lot in viewing figures. I believe it's the case that the viewing figures are roughly 90% lower than they were for matches shown on TV3. The GAA does have to modernise it's structures to fit in with modern life and the commitment levels that players are expected to produce. It has to be focussed in n the games and the players though. Not on the sales." I know the sky deal got a few non Irish in the UK talking about hurling but it would be interesting to see an impact report on its affect on overseas GAA. Personally I doubt it convinced anyone with no Irish connections to join a club or buy a jersey or whatever Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 28/05/2020 15:05:31 2279387 Link
Replying To Breezy: "I know the sky deal got a few non Irish in the UK talking about hurling but it would be interesting to see an impact report on its affect on overseas GAA. Personally I doubt it convinced anyone with no Irish connections to join a club or buy a jersey or whatever" It takes time and takes great marketing too. But it's hard to market GAA players that are amateurs compared to marketing a Messi or a Harry Kane in Professional Sports. Might sound silly but the GAA could learn a bit from Conor McGregor on marketing. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 28/05/2020 15:43:37 2279389 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "It takes time and takes great marketing too. But it's hard to market GAA players that are amateurs compared to marketing a Messi or a Harry Kane in Professional Sports. Might sound silly but the GAA could learn a bit from Conor McGregor on marketing." Funny you mention UFC cause that and American football are the only sports I can think of that are making grounds into virgin markets. God knows why though I think both are muck Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 28/05/2020 16:32:13 2279393 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "It takes time and takes great marketing too. But it's hard to market GAA players that are amateurs compared to marketing a Messi or a Harry Kane in Professional Sports. Might sound silly but the GAA could learn a bit from Conor McGregor on marketing." You know that marketing is a tough competitive business that doesn't come cheap and interest can't just be created from nothing. Did you watch The Last Dance documentary. The NBA got huge because of the Bulls but it was something organic. You Jordan who captured the world's imagination. He was larger than life. Basketball is also amongst the biggest team for global participation in the world. The GAA can't just magic that interest. They can't just jazz up the teams or players to generate the interest. We've great games and players who are very skilled at what they do but it's still just a National sport with players who's skills are at a national level. Not only that but a very small nation. We don't and can't compete with Messi or Ronaldo or Jordan or whoever else and it got nothing to do with marketing. These guys are the greats of truly global games. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4193 - 28/05/2020 16:50:05 2279394 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "You know that marketing is a tough competitive business that doesn't come cheap and interest can't just be created from nothing. Did you watch The Last Dance documentary. The NBA got huge because of the Bulls but it was something organic. You Jordan who captured the world's imagination. He was larger than life. Basketball is also amongst the biggest team for global participation in the world. The GAA can't just magic that interest. They can't just jazz up the teams or players to generate the interest. We've great games and players who are very skilled at what they do but it's still just a National sport with players who's skills are at a national level. Not only that but a very small nation. We don't and can't compete with Messi or Ronaldo or Jordan or whoever else and it got nothing to do with marketing. These guys are the greats of truly global games." All true and I addressed that it's not easy and not a fair comparison but the NBA had its low time too and they woke up and marketed their stars. A few rule changes adopted from the old ABA and things went up from there. If you have a great product anything is possible. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 28/05/2020 18:40:54 2279405 Link
Replying To Trump2020: "It takes time and takes great marketing too. But it's hard to market GAA players that are amateurs compared to marketing a Messi or a Harry Kane in Professional Sports. Might sound silly but the GAA could learn a bit from Conor McGregor on marketing." The day the GAA takes lessions from McGregor is the day we should close down the GAA!!! Selling your sport with questionable comments is not the way to go, the way to make money in a America but still a sad reflection on the man. The simply numbers say professionalism cannot work. How many teams can a 6 M people market sustain??? Few if any. witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 29/05/2020 09:39:40 2279433 Link
Replying To witnof: "The day the GAA takes lessions from McGregor is the day we should close down the GAA!!! Selling your sport with questionable comments is not the way to go, the way to make money in a America but still a sad reflection on the man. The simply numbers say professionalism cannot work. How many teams can a 6 M people market sustain??? Few if any." If you cherry-pick the negative from anyone you'd never learn anything from them. Muhammad Ali did the same thing as McGregor. There's lessons in there if you look. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 29/05/2020 12:12:10 2279439 Link
Replying To Breezy: "Funny you mention UFC cause that and American football are the only sports I can think of that are making grounds into virgin markets. God knows why though I think both are muck" Everyone has preferences but I used to hate the NFL and College Football until someone explained things to me and then I finally saw the art of the sport. Now I love them. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 31/05/2020 20:40:11 2279613 Link
Replying To witnof: "The day the GAA takes lessions from McGregor is the day we should close down the GAA!!! Selling your sport with questionable comments is not the way to go, the way to make money in a America but still a sad reflection on the man. The simply numbers say professionalism cannot work. How many teams can a 6 M people market sustain??? Few if any." I would think several. The counties with cities/large populations could certainly have teams and then there could be other teams of merged counties. You would still have 32 county inter county alongside this pro regional level. KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3494 - 31/05/2020 20:58:03 2279615 Link
Replying To witnof: "The day the GAA takes lessions from McGregor is the day we should close down the GAA!!! Selling your sport with questionable comments is not the way to go, the way to make money in a America but still a sad reflection on the man. The simply numbers say professionalism cannot work. How many teams can a 6 M people market sustain??? Few if any." But the 6 million are ALREADY supporting a Professional Soccer League. Even Ulster are supporting a Professional Soccer League. So it can work. Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2111 - 01/06/2020 10:33:34 2279635 Link

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