Once again, the GAA have decided, rather than keep ticket prices down to a manageable level for families, OAPs and and Students, prices for stand and terrace tickets for the All Ireland finals in hurling and football have reached new heights.
Stand tickets priced at €100 and terrace tickets at €55, with no concession for students or OAPs, shows that the GAA are not concerned about cost of living or any outside economic factors that could affect avid supporters who have followed the game religiously, but instead their base line which is revenue and gate receipts over supporter financial costs.
That a cohort of supporters could find themselves unable to afford these ticket increases is totally and utterly unfair to those who have committed their lives to the sport.
What the GAA has done is to disenfranchise a cohort of supporters with these ticket price increases, and also the use of their much vaunted but contentious pay per view, GAA+.
The cost for families or individuals going to Croke Park, especially those of us from the far reaches of the country has become prohibitive.
No overnight stays, unless you want to pay exorbitant prices being charged by Hotels or B&Bs in Dublin.
The cost of fuel, parking, and other sundries must be included in this overall package.
The cost of food and drink at the stadium is a complete rip off.
Two burgers and two teas will cost you a whopping €22, or a bag of cold curried chips and a bottle of Coke will cost close to €11.
Given that the GAA finances are in a healthy state, with total revenues for 2024 reaching €132.9 million, with a surplus of €6.3 million, gate receipts at €39.1 million, one would think that the power that be in GAA HQ would have reduced rather than increased the price of tickets to a more sustainable level.
While we all enjoy the spectacle of attending Croke Park when our counties reach the pinnacle of their seasons the GAA must look at their overall pricing and must consider the cost to families, individuals and OAPs. We don’t all live in Dublin or its satellite counties.
There will come a time when ticket prices become so prohibitive that supporter numbers will fall and all the GAA are left with are the multiplicity of tickets they sell to VIPs or corporates.
While they sell amateurism in order not to pay their professional athletes a proper wage/salary the ethos of the association which includes, community, volunteerism and inclusivity has been somewhat negated by what most will see as milking the proverbial cow. ie.the supporter, who are the eternal ethos of this association.
Yours,
Christy Galligan,
Letterkenny.
