GAA alienating the grassroots

I see that Sean Moran today is wondering if the GAA HQ is in danger of alienating the grassroots. He asks if the GAA has run too far ahead of its membership in streamlining everything from revenue generation to the commercial exploitation of Croke Park.

Yes would be my answer, but thanks to the Irish Times' backward subscription model I can't read the rest of the article and don't know of anywhere close by that I can buy a copy of the "Protestant rag" as Frank McCourt's mother referred to it (I live abroad, you see). I'll try over on GAAboard.ie, hopefully someone has copied it to there to generate a discussion.

It's terrible that 2008 has seen the emergence of the term "grassroots" to describe the majority of GAA members. Before there was no distinction among GAA members, nor a need to distinguish between them, but since the "grants" fiasco and the GAA HQs money-hungry approach which has created difficulties for the local GAA we are seeing the term used more and more frequently. It's a sad sign of the times and the direction the GAA is taking.

GAA Money from Opening Croke Park

Although GAA HQ will not divulge how much money they are giving to Antrim GAA to build their GAA centre of excellence at least it is a sign that the they are delivering on their promise to the grassroots.

Of course, this news is not exciting enough for the Indo or the Irish Times so it was left to BBC Sport Gaelic Games to report it.

It does make one wonder, however, why GAA HQ cannot publish the sum of money they are contributing and make a bit of noise over their contributions to such projects. It's an opportunity missed to generate postive coverage and show what the GAA, unlike soccer, rugby etc. does with its money.

GAA Investment in Grassroots

"A good graphic can tell a story, bring a lump to the throat, even change policies".

 

I'm not sure the simple pie chart below will have such a profound effect, but this one is worth the attention of all those interested in GAA. It's taken from the official match programme of the All-Ireland Final 2007. 

Of the 80,000 or so people that attended that match it's not possible to estimate how many read the article "GAA Announce Significant Investment for Grassroots" on page 97 and saw how their money is reinvested in Gaelic Games. Although it is likely that a large majority of those who bought the match programme read a lot more of the programme than they planned to given the quality of the match, not enough people will have seen the figures. As members of the GAA we should all receive this information and as the PR spokesperson Danny Lynch should wear the figures out distributing them to journalists. 

Why? Because protecting the GAA's amateur status protects this reinvestment in the game. Pay to see games in Croke Park and you get to see your money again in your local GAA clubhouse or new all weather pitch. It's a virtuous circle - a cycle of development and redevelopment. 

HOW GAA REVENUES ARE USED

The figures below are calculated on the basis of a family of two adults and two children attending an All Ireland  Semi-Final in 2007.