What an opportunity for GAA to showcase clubs
THERE is a major opportunity now for the GAA to encourage families to attend club games when they resume.
With social distancing restrictions in place, this is the perfect time to sell and cement the idea of a family ticket to all club games.
Families have fewer restrictions on distancing and by and large they have become closer as a unit, so it’s the ideal time to sell this idea. I would suggest a €20 ticket gets up to five family members into any game.
l would even to go as far as promoting a one-off €50 payment that gets a family into all club Championship games for the entire campaign.
More importantly, it would provide badly needed cash up front for club coffers. We have to think outside the box and make things happen.
THE most popular sports in Ireland are back and will take place in 2020.
Gaelic footballers, hurlers and camogie players have their games back, a welcome structure in their lives again and it has certainly put a big smile back the majority of faces.
It was crucial to the GAA that games were given the go ahead for this year. It will drastically reduce the threat of widescale drop-outs.
The way things have evolved – be it by accident or by extremely clever work by the GAA – there is a wonderful opportunity now to take back control.
The club has clearly been put first now. For this year at least, the club takes precedence over the county game and it represents an seismic, modern day shift.
County managers and their backroom staff have been put on the back foot. They have very little wriggle room in terms of calling the shots.
The GAA has afforded the county game a tight window – but five weeks of team training before the Championship kicks off on October 17 is enough for any player on any county side.
I’m fascinated to see what effect cutting the lead in time to the county game will have and how the season unfolds.
It may well have no adverse effect and, in fact, enhance the club game.
As of now, county teams can’t get together for collective training until September 14 –yet club teams can start full contact training from July 20, and in smaller groups from June 29.
Usually the situation is completely the opposite way around.
The change will give a great sense of pride and provide a huge lift to clubs to have their main men for almost two months before they head off to the county panel. It’s a powerful shift.
If GAA chiefs have the nerve and the conviction to stick with it, the precedent they’re setting this year could change the landscape of Gaelic Games with the clubs the big winners.
l know the virus dictated this change to a certain extent but the clubs now need the GAA to give them the respect they deserve. Isn’t it just mighty to have our games back – and with the clubs spearheading the return.
The clubs have clearly been put first - and it is a seismic change
ONE of the advantages of lockdown is surely enjoying mammy’s home cooking again.
There’s nothing the Irish mammy loves more than having their sons and daughters home – especially the ones who devote so much time away playing Gaelic Games.
And to such a extent that many may have put on a few extra pounds - which is no harm.