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Attendances 2025

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Replying To tearintom:  "I absolutely hate the current intercounty season as it stands.

Rush everything through, get it out kf the way as soon as possible. People talk about promoting the games particularly hurling yet you don't even get to see the majority of the games so how the hell are they going to get promoted. We don't get the build up to big games anymore or even proper analysis or reflection because the time isn't there, I mean we can't even do a proper build up to our All Ireland finals.

Something has to change, has giving a club player more certainty been worth all this? Not even close imho.

But that doesn't change the fact that the first thing that has to give is the amount of games at intercounty level and in certain counties also at club level. That doesn't mean straight knockout should return but a reduction across the board league and championship.

The GAA needs to reclaim the summer before other sports make hay with the fact we decided to sacrifice the best months of the year something we had a monopoly over. But sacrifices need to be made, fhe GAA mantra of the last few years that more is better is flawed and it's the first thing that needs to be rectified."
its all about GAA Corporate now, all key decisions are being made by paid officials. The cost that the GAA is levelling on families and suppoters in general who want to support their counties is criminal, before the condensed season the cost could be spread out. Ticket prices have increased and then there is GAA plus. there is no such thing as free to air in Ireland as the TV licence fee takes care of that, no need to put games behind a pay wall as well. It's all about packaging the "Product". years ago I would have held every position in my home club before work took me away, now I just have a sense of disillusionment at where our once great organisation is heading.

It's time the clubs started to reclaim our games from these people. Attendances are falling at football matches because of the condensed season and the cost is becoming prohibitive.

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1055 - 29/04/2025 12:22:40    2605325

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@OpenStand you love nothing more than showing how great the crowds are in Munster, do you?
Its not so long ago that there was 20k at a Munster semi finals. Indeed, a quick wikipedia search shows that in 2017, the year before the Limerick bandwagon got going, there was only 19,168 at Limerick v Clare in the Munster Championship. 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon in June.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1336 - 29/04/2025 12:41:42    2605336

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "@OpenStand you love nothing more than showing how great the crowds are in Munster, do you?
Its not so long ago that there was 20k at a Munster semi finals. Indeed, a quick wikipedia search shows that in 2017, the year before the Limerick bandwagon got going, there was only 19,168 at Limerick v Clare in the Munster Championship. 4:00 on a Sunday afternoon in June."
I don't really watch hurling and sure how could I get the chance now as they're always clashing with football matches bar the ai semi final and final but you cannot knock the Munster hurling championship and it's showing the right approach to a successful competition.

Each team gets two home games guaranteed and two away every single season and know months in advance when those games are on for forward planning for fans etc.

Real jeopardy as each side is evenly matched and rivalry is well established.

You could complain I suppose when your week off comes but overall it's currently the best competition in either codes and the fans know it.

Whereas football now have no certainty on games, have mismatches, lack of jeopardy and obsess with neutral grounds for semi finals and finals.

shaggykev (Donegal) - Posts: 322 - 29/04/2025 13:38:19    2605371

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Replying To tearintom:  "I absolutely hate the current intercounty season as it stands.

Rush everything through, get it out kf the way as soon as possible. People talk about promoting the games particularly hurling yet you don't even get to see the majority of the games so how the hell are they going to get promoted. We don't get the build up to big games anymore or even proper analysis or reflection because the time isn't there, I mean we can't even do a proper build up to our All Ireland finals.

Something has to change, has giving a club player more certainty been worth all this? Not even close imho.

But that doesn't change the fact that the first thing that has to give is the amount of games at intercounty level and in certain counties also at club level. That doesn't mean straight knockout should return but a reduction across the board league and championship.

The GAA needs to reclaim the summer before other sports make hay with the fact we decided to sacrifice the best months of the year something we had a monopoly over. But sacrifices need to be made, fhe GAA mantra of the last few years that more is better is flawed and it's the first thing that needs to be rectified."
I agree with most of this.

Certainty for the club player can be arrived without the split season.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 437 - 29/04/2025 14:36:19    2605398

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Replying To shaggykev:  "I don't really watch hurling and sure how could I get the chance now as they're always clashing with football matches bar the ai semi final and final but you cannot knock the Munster hurling championship and it's showing the right approach to a successful competition.

Each team gets two home games guaranteed and two away every single season and know months in advance when those games are on for forward planning for fans etc.

Real jeopardy as each side is evenly matched and rivalry is well established.

You could complain I suppose when your week off comes but overall it's currently the best competition in either codes and the fans know it.

Whereas football now have no certainty on games, have mismatches, lack of jeopardy and obsess with neutral grounds for semi finals and finals."
And ironically, Munster hurling arrived at this successful formula reluctantly and by chance. These extra games were introduced as a reaction to the extra games brought about by the backdoor system in football. It was felt that hurling would get swamped by the plethora of games in football and would struggle to get sufficient media coverage. It was the last thing the Munster hurling counties wanted to do as they feared that moving from a knockout system would undermine the importance of winning the Munster championship!

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2015 - 29/04/2025 14:50:54    2605401

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "And ironically, Munster hurling arrived at this successful formula reluctantly and by chance. These extra games were introduced as a reaction to the extra games brought about by the backdoor system in football. It was felt that hurling would get swamped by the plethora of games in football and would struggle to get sufficient media coverage. It was the last thing the Munster hurling counties wanted to do as they feared that moving from a knockout system would undermine the importance of winning the Munster championship!"
That is the great irony of the Hurling championship - it was dysfunctional for 100 years, then the Hurling counties panicked at the thoughts of the super 8's, and they rushed through the current format without any great debate.

What they got was a great championship that people love and can plan around. They are not tweaking the league to suit it.

In football, we got rid of the qualifiers (which were a great success at the time), brought in a super 8, abandoned it during COVID and now have a super 16 (which no one likes).

The template for football should be the same as hurling.

Ulster championship of 6 teams with relegation (Armagh, Derry, Donegal, Monaghan, Tyrone, Down)
Rest of Ireland championship of 6 teams with relegation (Kerry, Dublin, Cork, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway)

Intermediate of 12 teams (4 groups of 3) and junior of 9 teams (3 groups of 3)

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1382 - 30/04/2025 09:30:30    2605583

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It's the product on show that attracts the crowds not the format…. A dead rubber hurling match in Munster would still draw a huge crowd while 2 Leinster football semifinals only attracted a paltry attendance…. Its not rocket science… Hurling is exciting and entertaining with great atmospheres while football is dull and boring in quiet half empty stadiums…simple really

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3816 - 30/04/2025 10:52:41    2605608

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "That is the great irony of the Hurling championship - it was dysfunctional for 100 years, then the Hurling counties panicked at the thoughts of the super 8's, and they rushed through the current format without any great debate.

What they got was a great championship that people love and can plan around. They are not tweaking the league to suit it.

In football, we got rid of the qualifiers (which were a great success at the time), brought in a super 8, abandoned it during COVID and now have a super 16 (which no one likes).

The template for football should be the same as hurling.

Ulster championship of 6 teams with relegation (Armagh, Derry, Donegal, Monaghan, Tyrone, Down)
Rest of Ireland championship of 6 teams with relegation (Kerry, Dublin, Cork, Roscommon, Mayo, Galway)

Intermediate of 12 teams (4 groups of 3) and junior of 9 teams (3 groups of 3)"
So you have Cork and Down in main championship but demote Meath,Cavan louth etc who all finished higher than Down in the league (Assuming you are going by the league) not very fair on these counties do you not think?

Proudroyal (Meath) - Posts: 340 - 30/04/2025 11:13:35    2605618

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Replying To ForeverBlue2:  "It's the product on show that attracts the crowds not the format…. A dead rubber hurling match in Munster would still draw a huge crowd while 2 Leinster football semifinals only attracted a paltry attendance…. Its not rocket science… Hurling is exciting and entertaining with great atmospheres while football is dull and boring in quiet half empty stadiums…simple really"
Hurling has 2 active provinces and the big teams play each other twice , sometimes 3 times in championship. But you still think football doesn't have a structure problem?

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8376 - 30/04/2025 11:26:47    2605623

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "Hurling has 2 active provinces and the big teams play each other twice , sometimes 3 times in championship. But you still think football doesn't have a structure problem?"
I agree that football has a major structural problem but this was the brainchild of the top GAA who wanted more meaningless games hoping fools would pay in to make up the shortfall in attendance figures… but the games became so dire that even the fools have stopped attending.. As for hurling the same 2 teams could play each other as often as they like as the entertainment is that good crowds will still attend… Football became so bad that a raft of changes were brought in to try and entice people back….but some of them are so ridiculous people are just not interested any more

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3816 - 30/04/2025 12:01:43    2605634

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I see Louth's new stadium will eventually hold 14,000. I would have thought this was on the low side of ambition. A ground of 25-30,000 in that prime area would attract a lot of decent games, with it being on the motorway, rail links etc. And why Dundalk and not Drogheda?

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 284 - 30/04/2025 12:53:38    2605658

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Replying To boxtyburgerbuns:  "I see Louth's new stadium will eventually hold 14,000. I would have thought this was on the low side of ambition. A ground of 25-30,000 in that prime area would attract a lot of decent games, with it being on the motorway, rail links etc. And why Dundalk and not Drogheda?"
One thing the GAA does not need is another disused white elephant.
What matches will it attract in reality? Ulster games will be played in Ulster, it might get a qualifier here or there but not much more.
Where I would suggest could be a 30k stadium and it is a shame it was not is Newbridge. A lot of big games could be played in a stadium there. Prime location off the motorway and accessible by train. Opportunity missed.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1336 - 30/04/2025 13:13:45    2605665

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Replying To Proudroyal:  "So you have Cork and Down in main championship but demote Meath,Cavan louth etc who all finished higher than Down in the league (Assuming you are going by the league) not very fair on these counties do you not think?"
Nothing in life is fair to everyone.
If the only sticking point is that Cavan replace down and Meath replace Cork then lets do it and have a football championship that would outshine the hurling every weekend.

Ironically, Proposal B was defeated by the Counties that win provincials, where as the counties that don't wanted the mess of a thing we have now.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1382 - 30/04/2025 15:35:14    2605742

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Replying To tirawleybaron:  "Nothing in life is fair to everyone.
If the only sticking point is that Cavan replace down and Meath replace Cork then lets do it and have a football championship that would outshine the hurling every weekend.

Ironically, Proposal B was defeated by the Counties that win provincials, where as the counties that don't wanted the mess of a thing we have now."
The beauty of the hurling championships is that there is a lot to play for. Every match matters. There is no jepordy in the All Ireland groups. We need to break the link to the league and reward championship performance with championship based promotion and relegation. That would immediately solve the current format.

Imagine if the bottom placed team in the Connaught / Ulster / Dublin / Derry group were going to be relegated. That would allow the top 2 to go through to the 1/4 finals and no need to have the preliminary 1/4 finals. A much better format.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 437 - 30/04/2025 23:18:48    2605881

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I am not sure what the attendance will be on Sunday week but €40 for a seat seems too high considering the way attendances are falling. Surely reduce the tickets and get more fans in would be a better idea.....
€30 for a student or OAP seems too high also.
And no family tickets on offer...

Are the GAA cutting their nose off despite their face....

Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4229 - 02/05/2025 11:42:09    2606241

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Replying To brianb:  "The beauty of the hurling championships is that there is a lot to play for. Every match matters. There is no jepordy in the All Ireland groups. We need to break the link to the league and reward championship performance with championship based promotion and relegation. That would immediately solve the current format.

Imagine if the bottom placed team in the Connaught / Ulster / Dublin / Derry group were going to be relegated. That would allow the top 2 to go through to the 1/4 finals and no need to have the preliminary 1/4 finals. A much better format."
That's true. Only Dublin football I went to in championship were Mayo in Roscommon and the quarter final. Another trip west on cards.

As you say, hurling had something important attached to every game and was at all of ours other than in Wexford.

Farcical that 12 out of remaining 16 teams go through to another stage with half of them no more chance of winning All Ireland than team from the Moon.

Some teams will have lost 80% of matches before departing the stage after 6/7 games! No sense to that.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3512 - 02/05/2025 12:37:22    2606264

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "That's true. Only Dublin football I went to in championship were Mayo in Roscommon and the quarter final. Another trip west on cards.

As you say, hurling had something important attached to every game and was at all of ours other than in Wexford.

Farcical that 12 out of remaining 16 teams go through to another stage with half of them no more chance of winning All Ireland than team from the Moon.

Some teams will have lost 80% of matches before departing the stage after 6/7 games! No sense to that."
Agree with you 100% Barney yet some of the deluded on here could never see a problem with it and were not willing to accept that attendance figures had fallen through the floor…. 24 games to eliminate 4 teams is farcical and anyone paying into these worthless group games need to get pills… The QF's is when the competition starts … these games mean nothing to those who are really in contention

ForeverBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 3816 - 02/05/2025 13:15:45    2606272

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Replying To BarneyGrant:  "That's true. Only Dublin football I went to in championship were Mayo in Roscommon and the quarter final. Another trip west on cards.

As you say, hurling had something important attached to every game and was at all of ours other than in Wexford.

Farcical that 12 out of remaining 16 teams go through to another stage with half of them no more chance of winning All Ireland than team from the Moon.

Some teams will have lost 80% of matches before departing the stage after 6/7 games! No sense to that."
You wont be missed at the games.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 498 - 03/05/2025 04:13:08    2606378

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Replying To brianb:  "The beauty of the hurling championships is that there is a lot to play for. Every match matters. There is no jepordy in the All Ireland groups. We need to break the link to the league and reward championship performance with championship based promotion and relegation. That would immediately solve the current format.

Imagine if the bottom placed team in the Connaught / Ulster / Dublin / Derry group were going to be relegated. That would allow the top 2 to go through to the 1/4 finals and no need to have the preliminary 1/4 finals. A much better format."
You could be right but the big problem is the short season.We are overloaded with games and cant get a chance to enjoy them.Then come August we have nothing.

brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 54 - 03/05/2025 22:17:49    2606528

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Replying To ORIELMAN85:  "You wont be missed at the games."
How profound.

You will never have worry about watching hurling anyway.

BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 3512 - 03/05/2025 22:40:29    2606537

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