National Forum

'The People's Game'

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Ormond from someone who loves Rugby try not to flood the thread with delusional posts. You know I love rugby, played it right up to 20's level but it is not the peoples game, something you didn't really acknowledge. It is the 4th most popular sport in the country, and that is not going to change. Even if it grows gradually it will never grab the attention of every section.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8355 - 07/03/2018 09:28:11    2082384

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Every year we have this debate. Last year there was a thread on "Can GAA survive the rugby onslaught". It is getting harder to sell the GAA to the youths. But there are some things they could do:
An Gaeilge: GAA should have more Gaelic language on their site and in their clubs. One thing rugby does well is sell the idea- that they are "different". Look at the good work TG4 does for the GAA. Next Sunday 5 matches, on tv. None on TV3 or RTE.
GAA clubs should try and become hubs for Irish culture: music, coel, caint agus craic. And dancing.

galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2611 - 07/03/2018 09:38:07    2082387

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Ormond from someone who loves Rugby try not to flood the thread with delusional posts. You know I love rugby, played it right up to 20's level but it is not the peoples game, something you didn't really acknowledge. It is the 4th most popular sport in the country, and that is not going to change. Even if it grows gradually it will never grab the attention of every section."
I clearly acknowledged it isn't as ubiquitous as Gaelic football and I don't see any reason why Rugby can't overtake hurling in terms of playing numbers if it isn't close already. Rugby exists nationwide and has far more potential for growth than it imo

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 07/03/2018 10:48:02    2082400

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Replying To galwayford:  "Every year we have this debate. Last year there was a thread on "Can GAA survive the rugby onslaught". It is getting harder to sell the GAA to the youths. But there are some things they could do:
An Gaeilge: GAA should have more Gaelic language on their site and in their clubs. One thing rugby does well is sell the idea- that they are "different". Look at the good work TG4 does for the GAA. Next Sunday 5 matches, on tv. None on TV3 or RTE.
GAA clubs should try and become hubs for Irish culture: music, coel, caint agus craic. And dancing."
Couldn't disagree more to be honest. Just because someone wants to play football or hurling doesn't mean they want to buy into the Irish language or Irish dancing etc. GAA need for focus on running their sports well and giving people the opportunity to be involved in the sports and have well organized competitions etc.

Leave the cultural and language stuff to the many organizations around who exist to support those things. If people want to engage with them, then they have they have the opportunity.

On the point of the thread.. Rugby is on the up and fair play to the IRFU for that. I'll always followed rugby as well and GAA and whatever else. But to say it is the peoples game is way off the mark.

Cupotay (Donegal) - Posts: 31 - 07/03/2018 10:53:51    2082404

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If by 'The People's Game' you mean the toffs of south Dublin and smatterings of the population around the island and those with the stony faces during the anthem........then yeah, it's the peoples game alright

ramor101 (Cavan) - Posts: 289 - 07/03/2018 11:07:58    2082407

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Replying To ormondbannerman:  "I clearly acknowledged it isn't as ubiquitous as Gaelic football and I don't see any reason why Rugby can't overtake hurling in terms of playing numbers if it isn't close already. Rugby exists nationwide and has far more potential for growth than it imo"
Ah and if you go to the club games you will find it very difficult to get in with the huge numbers of supporters trying to gain entry.

You say it is the peoples game. You could also say cricket is a peoples game!!

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 07/03/2018 11:23:06    2082411

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Replying To ormondbannerman:  "I clearly acknowledged it isn't as ubiquitous as Gaelic football and I don't see any reason why Rugby can't overtake hurling in terms of playing numbers if it isn't close already. Rugby exists nationwide and has far more potential for growth than it imo"
I don't have a clue about playing numbers for hurling but to say Rugby has far more potential for growth than it nationally seems a bit far fetched.

bananaskin (Monaghan) - Posts: 47 - 07/03/2018 12:18:47    2082419

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A sport that has one professional outfit in the east of the country, one in the west, one in the south and one in the north. And at the same time it's own club scene is collapsing.

Seems to me like the GAA is trying to follow the IRFU model instead of being threatened by it.

Greenfield (Meath) - Posts: 524 - 07/03/2018 12:30:05    2082424

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Replying To galwayford:  "Every year we have this debate. Last year there was a thread on "Can GAA survive the rugby onslaught". It is getting harder to sell the GAA to the youths. But there are some things they could do:
An Gaeilge: GAA should have more Gaelic language on their site and in their clubs. One thing rugby does well is sell the idea- that they are "different". Look at the good work TG4 does for the GAA. Next Sunday 5 matches, on tv. None on TV3 or RTE.
GAA clubs should try and become hubs for Irish culture: music, coel, caint agus craic. And dancing."
Sell it to the young people? I hope you're taking the p*ss, because that would ensure the demise of gaelic games with today's youth.

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8741 - 07/03/2018 13:34:54    2082447

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Replying To galwayford:  "Every year we have this debate. Last year there was a thread on "Can GAA survive the rugby onslaught". It is getting harder to sell the GAA to the youths. But there are some things they could do:
An Gaeilge: GAA should have more Gaelic language on their site and in their clubs. One thing rugby does well is sell the idea- that they are "different". Look at the good work TG4 does for the GAA. Next Sunday 5 matches, on tv. None on TV3 or RTE.
GAA clubs should try and become hubs for Irish culture: music, coel, caint agus craic. And dancing."
Is binn béal ina thost.

As an aside, which Gaelic language should they use more of?

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13795 - 07/03/2018 14:05:05    2082453

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It's definitely the media's game one look at independent website 13 articles on main page 7 to rugby , 3 to soccer,2 to athletics and one to horse racing, that has nothing to do with hype over this game it happens when we are losing also , no mention of league ireland and all Ireland champions meeting , its allways been this way , no doubt Ormo will refute this as allways, log on check the articles all week and today

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 07/03/2018 14:21:48    2082455

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A load of nonsense. I really enjoy watching the internationals and the odd big Heineken Cup game (or whatever it's called now) and I would say the vast majority are exactly the same as that. Of course the IRFU have done a great job growing the game and making Ireland one of the most competitive countries in the world internationally, and they deserve great credit for that in a country where they no doubt struggle with attracting players to their game with the competition of soccer and GAA.

The people's game though, I ask you. Ignoring GAA for just a second, in terms of getting the country wrapped up in a bit of hype and mania they come nowhere near the soccer team. The only thing that's ever come close to the likes of Houghton v Italy or Robbie Keane v Germany or even Robbie Brady v Italy/James McClean in Cardiff was Ronan O'Garas drop goal for the Grand Slam. The soccer team have never won a major international tournament at senior level but put them in a World Cup and the country goes mad. The rugby lads are great sportsmen and fantastic ambassadors but I'm sorry, in terms of the people's game it's well behind the big 3.

JoeSoap (Donegal) - Posts: 1432 - 07/03/2018 15:35:20    2082475

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Replying To bananaskin:  "I don't have a clue about playing numbers for hurling but to say Rugby has far more potential for growth than it nationally seems a bit far fetched."
Far fetched? It's a self evident fact! We have had over 130 years of the GAA and half the country is hurling wasteland. Ye haven't actually embraced the sport in Monaghan anyway! Barring a rich sugar daddy (and theyd want to be of the billionaire class) coming in to bankroll the promotion of hurling and building a bit of hype round it, rugby has far more potential to grow in Ireland than hurling. The young are already hooked in terms of interest...the professional organisational abilities of the IRFU could without too much effort change that passive interest into an active one over the medium to long term.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2009 - 07/03/2018 15:42:50    2082479

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One aspect of Rugby that is deterring parents from letting their children playing the game is the increased physicality of the game. I listened last year to a former English player, now a doctor, saying on RTE that he didn't want his 16 year old son playing Rugby due to the increasing number of serious head injuries, even at schoolboy level and the so far as unknown consequences those injuries might have in later life. The modern fly half/ out half now as in the case of Johnny Sexton etc. is often at the receiving end of some serious hits whereas their counterpart not that long ago lived a charmed existence by comparison.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 3027 - 07/03/2018 16:11:29    2082490

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Soccer is the highest participation sport among young people in Ireland

Soccer sits atop the pile with 340,070 participants across the country in 2,500 clubs.

The GAA finds itself in second place with 294, 577 registered players across 2,359 clubs.

Rugby, though growing, is a distant third with 158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.

Problem with the Gaa sport is its the only one out of the 3 that's not growing ...its decreasing in numbers and clubs. But in Dublin and other leinster areas the numbers are growing by a small fraction ! And yet the sport has grown incredibly in terms of popularity in Germany. Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden, Darmstadt and Munich are all cities which now proudly have a GAA club, with ten clubs situated around the country.

Were as Soccer is growing player numbers and new club registration.

Lets take Rugby and Gaa players ratio to club numbers .
______________________

294, 577 registered players and 2,359 clubs...would be 124 players per clubs

158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.....would be 672 players per clubs

interesting ..well kinda

WhyTheLongFace (Meath) - Posts: 940 - 07/03/2018 16:53:58    2082501

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Rugby has the added advantage of being the only real professional option of the three in this country.
While the numbers making it would be a small fraction nevertheless it is high profile and we do compete favourably at international and provincial level along with the marketing that goes with it.
It definitely has the potential to grow considerably over the coming years.

catch22 (USA) - Posts: 2148 - 07/03/2018 17:06:31    2082504

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Replying To WhyTheLongFace:  "Soccer is the highest participation sport among young people in Ireland

Soccer sits atop the pile with 340,070 participants across the country in 2,500 clubs.

The GAA finds itself in second place with 294, 577 registered players across 2,359 clubs.

Rugby, though growing, is a distant third with 158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.

Problem with the Gaa sport is its the only one out of the 3 that's not growing ...its decreasing in numbers and clubs. But in Dublin and other leinster areas the numbers are growing by a small fraction ! And yet the sport has grown incredibly in terms of popularity in Germany. Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden, Darmstadt and Munich are all cities which now proudly have a GAA club, with ten clubs situated around the country.

Were as Soccer is growing player numbers and new club registration.

Lets take Rugby and Gaa players ratio to club numbers .
______________________

294, 577 registered players and 2,359 clubs...would be 124 players per clubs

158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.....would be 672 players per clubs

interesting ..well kinda"
That number for rugby well not all are linked/associated/play with a club. They only play in school. Many in big rugby schools are not members of a club at least not as a playing member anyway. Like when you look at Leinster club competitions at under 14/15/16/17/18.5 and you won't see a lot of Dublin clubs competing associated many kids play in school (both fee and non fee paying schools) so much that they don't also play club Rugby

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 07/03/2018 17:11:27    2082505

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Rugby is the people's game in Limerick but only Limerick. I think it is certainly growing countrywide but the parish and club scene in Limerick is unique. It was set up for parish rivalry and took off. It's an anomaly for Ireland.
I don't think GAA will have it all its own way because hurling and football are going to separate more and more as the years go by and they 'll be competing.
As an aside Iv been told that soccer participation is falling around the mid west and has been for a while. I know that premiership viewing is falling aswell across the UK and Ireland. Has anybody noticed this in the soccer heartlands of Dublin , Cork, Louth ect?

PeggyShippen (Limerick) - Posts: 300 - 07/03/2018 17:13:26    2082506

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Replying To WhyTheLongFace:  "Soccer is the highest participation sport among young people in Ireland

Soccer sits atop the pile with 340,070 participants across the country in 2,500 clubs.

The GAA finds itself in second place with 294, 577 registered players across 2,359 clubs.

Rugby, though growing, is a distant third with 158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.

Problem with the Gaa sport is its the only one out of the 3 that's not growing ...its decreasing in numbers and clubs. But in Dublin and other leinster areas the numbers are growing by a small fraction ! And yet the sport has grown incredibly in terms of popularity in Germany. Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden, Darmstadt and Munich are all cities which now proudly have a GAA club, with ten clubs situated around the country.

Were as Soccer is growing player numbers and new club registration.

Lets take Rugby and Gaa players ratio to club numbers .
______________________

294, 577 registered players and 2,359 clubs...would be 124 players per clubs

158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.....would be 672 players per clubs

interesting ..well kinda"
Many of these soccer clubs have little or no facilities apart from a metal container to tog out in with no showers or toilets and some are little more than Sunday morning pub teams. I'm not being disparaging towards Soccer but this is simply my own observation. Rugby clubs like GAA clubs have far superior facilities to them. If this is replicated across the country then those that have decent facilities are few and far between.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 3027 - 07/03/2018 17:15:56    2082508

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Replying To WhyTheLongFace:  "Soccer is the highest participation sport among young people in Ireland

Soccer sits atop the pile with 340,070 participants across the country in 2,500 clubs.

The GAA finds itself in second place with 294, 577 registered players across 2,359 clubs.

Rugby, though growing, is a distant third with 158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.

Problem with the Gaa sport is its the only one out of the 3 that's not growing ...its decreasing in numbers and clubs. But in Dublin and other leinster areas the numbers are growing by a small fraction ! And yet the sport has grown incredibly in terms of popularity in Germany. Stuttgart, Berlin, Hamburg, Dresden, Darmstadt and Munich are all cities which now proudly have a GAA club, with ten clubs situated around the country.

Were as Soccer is growing player numbers and new club registration.

Lets take Rugby and Gaa players ratio to club numbers .
______________________

294, 577 registered players and 2,359 clubs...would be 124 players per clubs

158,685 registered players and 236 clubs.....would be 672 players per clubs

interesting ..well kinda"
Just wondering how many pitches would be required to accommodate 672 players? And that's an average figure.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 3027 - 07/03/2018 17:23:25    2082509

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