HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

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Hurling semis on same weekend

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Just throwing out an idea that's part of a proposal I've put together to radically reform the AI championship. The subtext is to get the championship finished 3-4 weeks earlier to allow club players the chance to play their championships July/Aug/Sep. Play the two AI semis on the same weekend, one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Let's say both attract 40k fans. Create a new type of ticket that allows you to attend one and get a discounted ticket for the other - so you go to your county's game on Sat for €50, but you have the option of a €25 add-on to see the other the next day. People get value for their tickets...it attracts neutrals (I'd go if Clare weren't involved)....it helps to fill Croke Park....hurling takes over the media for a weekend. Any thoughts? 1914 (Clare) - Posts: 92 - 15/08/2016 10:55:20 1901158 Link
Replying To 1914: "Just throwing out an idea that's part of a proposal I've put together to radically reform the AI championship. The subtext is to get the championship finished 3-4 weeks earlier to allow club players the chance to play their championships July/Aug/Sep. Play the two AI semis on the same weekend, one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Let's say both attract 40k fans. Create a new type of ticket that allows you to attend one and get a discounted ticket for the other - so you go to your county's game on Sat for €50, but you have the option of a €25 add-on to see the other the next day. People get value for their tickets...it attracts neutrals (I'd go if Clare weren't involved)....it helps to fill Croke Park....hurling takes over the media for a weekend. Any thoughts?" I think it's a great idea. It'd be great for the fans. Making a big weekend of it in Dublin every year. Are you putting together a formal proposal to your club? Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 15/08/2016 11:41:51 1901184 Link
That is a great suggestion, hope it is put forward as a motion at Congress. Would both semis have to be played at Croke Park? Suppose it was Clare v Kilkenny, Thurles might be a possible venue. thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1735 - 15/08/2016 12:06:34 1901202 Link
So 53k yesterday, 35k at the other semi, you are locking people out already..... Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 15/08/2016 13:29:31 1901248 Link
Not necessarily a bad idea but from a personal perspective, if Kilkenny lost a semi final on Saturday night I wouldn't have the stomach to hang around Dublin another 24 hours for another match the next day. Would definitely appeal to neutral hurling fans. ballydalane (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1246 - 15/08/2016 13:45:08 1901265 Link
Replying To Pinkie: "So 53k yesterday, 35k at the other semi, you are locking people out already....." He's not suggesting a double header Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 15/08/2016 13:55:20 1901277 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "He's not suggesting a double header" My mistake! Great idea, but 25 euro extra to see the two matches, not a bit steep no? Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 15/08/2016 15:08:15 1901318 Link
Replying To Pinkie: "My mistake! Great idea, but 25 euro extra to see the two matches, not a bit steep no?" €75 to see both matches seems like good value to me. I'm not a big hurling fan. If it were for the football semifinals at that price I'd go pretty much every year. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 15/08/2016 15:42:03 1901334 Link
Replying To Pinkie: "My mistake! Great idea, but 25 euro extra to see the two matches, not a bit steep no?" €50 is the going rate for a semi (correct me if I'm wrong) so it's just €25 to see the other AI semi extra, make it €20 even, just to fill up the place for atmosphere, and a few extra quid in revenue as a bonus. 1914 (Clare) - Posts: 92 - 15/08/2016 16:59:11 1901383 Link
Replying To Whammo86: "I think it's a great idea. It'd be great for the fans. Making a big weekend of it in Dublin every year. Are you putting together a formal proposal to your club?" Still a work in progress, it involves both football and hurling championship changes - I think they are both better systems than exist and than the football proposals I've seen in the last couple of years, but that will be for others to judge! 1914 (Clare) - Posts: 92 - 15/08/2016 17:01:16 1901384 Link
Replying To 1914: "Just throwing out an idea that's part of a proposal I've put together to radically reform the AI championship. The subtext is to get the championship finished 3-4 weeks earlier to allow club players the chance to play their championships July/Aug/Sep. Play the two AI semis on the same weekend, one on Saturday, one on Sunday. Let's say both attract 40k fans. Create a new type of ticket that allows you to attend one and get a discounted ticket for the other - so you go to your county's game on Sat for €50, but you have the option of a €25 add-on to see the other the next day. People get value for their tickets...it attracts neutrals (I'd go if Clare weren't involved)....it helps to fill Croke Park....hurling takes over the media for a weekend. Any thoughts?" If you attended the game on Saturday, it would mean you had to stay in Dublin overnight, or travel up and down two days in row. This idea is fine for people who live in Dublin or nearby, but no good for the others. Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2447 - 15/08/2016 17:39:45 1901408 Link
Replying To Cockney_Cat: "If you attended the game on Saturday, it would mean you had to stay in Dublin overnight, or travel up and down two days in row. This idea is fine for people who live in Dublin or nearby, but no good for the others." You can still just go to the one semi-final and just don't use your option on the second day. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 15/08/2016 17:55:05 1901420 Link
The GAA are suggesting the semi-finals after the group stage in football be played on one weekend with extra-time if needed. legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7823 - 15/08/2016 20:20:43 1901490 Link
great idea,anything which helps to compress an already too drawn out system is a great idea. we should have more matches on fewer weekends. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 16/08/2016 08:55:29 1901588 Link
great idea,anything which helps to compress an already too drawn out system is a great idea. we should have more matches on fewer weekends. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts:1471 - 16/08/2016 08:55:29 1901588 id agree with the post above, however there seems to be very few neutrals going to games so may not be big take up on second game e.g been in thurles for most of quarter finals the last few years , seems to be very few neutrals there id even wonder how many dubliners go to croke park when dublin are not playing was in thurles sat night - didnt seem to be lot of neutrals there youd have thought there would be good tipp crowd there even at this years munster final even with limerick in minor finals there wasnt huge limerick support janesboro (Limerick) - Posts: 1502 - 16/08/2016 13:18:19 1901775 Link
Replying To janesboro: "great idea,anything which helps to compress an already too drawn out system is a great idea. we should have more matches on fewer weekends. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts:1471 - 16/08/2016 08:55:29 1901588 id agree with the post above, however there seems to be very few neutrals going to games so may not be big take up on second game e.g been in thurles for most of quarter finals the last few years , seems to be very few neutrals there id even wonder how many dubliners go to croke park when dublin are not playing was in thurles sat night - didnt seem to be lot of neutrals there youd have thought there would be good tipp crowd there even at this years munster final even with limerick in minor finals there wasnt huge limerick support" I suppose janesboro, getting neutrals to pay 40 quid or whatever it was when their own counties are beaten, when the same match can be watched on TV, is the real problem. Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 16/08/2016 15:59:26 1901921 Link