HoganStand GAA Football and Hurling

National Forum

Croke Park expansion

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post

You need to Login to Post

Replying To Thejampot: "Was in croke park last Saturday for the longford game. Was shocked at the state of the place. Disappointed to see it getting so run down" It could do with sprucing up alright. They are taking their time replacing the old seats in the upper decks also. Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4894 - 04/04/2026 21:43:13 2664800 Link
Replying To Square_B: "Oh you definitely do." Thats what they said about the GAA, Conradh na Gaeilge, Griffith, Connolly and IRB in 1914. A tiny minority who refused to "cop on" bought us some breathing space. Last chance saloon! BarneyGrant (Dublin) - Posts: 4239 - 04/04/2026 22:12:23 2664807 Link
Replying To BarneyGrant: "Thats what they said about the GAA, Conradh na Gaeilge, Griffith, Connolly and IRB in 1914. A tiny minority who refused to "cop on" bought us some breathing space. Last chance saloon!" Feel free to address my earlier reply to you, page 16 for reference. Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2020 - 04/04/2026 23:08:08 2664820 Link
Replying To Saynothing: "Wrong on all accounts. The GAA had near 30% more Gaelic fans through the gates in 2025. Over 650,000 fans compared to just over 500,000 in 2024. And that is not counting replays which they done away with to shorten the championships. GAA can stand on its own two feet without foreign sports. Sure concerts can create revenue but not in the Summer months when it should be GAA season." Tell me you have no clue what you're talking about without telling me you have a clue what you're talking about. Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2020 - 04/04/2026 23:12:48 2664824 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "To hold one match a year" How would it only hold one match a year the like of Kilkenny hosts lots of games. Its not a bad idea. In fact, it is more sensible than rebuilding Pairc Ui Chaoimh to the white elephant it is. StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2007 - 05/04/2026 00:23:03 2664837 Link
The GAA got a lot out of the NFL game 1. 360° Digital Branding The old static and partial-digital boards were replaced with a permanent, high-definition LED perimeter system. The Upgrade: A seamless "ribbon" of LED boards now wraps around the pitch. The Benefit: It allows for instant ad changes between matches (GAA to NFL) and enables the stadium to sell "synchronized" moments where every board in the stadium flashes the same brand during a score. 2. Broadcast-Grade LED Lighting The Upgrade: A total shift to Musco LED floodlights to meet 4K ultra-HD requirements. The Benefit: Slashes energy costs by ~50% and allows for instant "on/off" capabilities for pre-match light shows, which was impossible with the old bulbs that needed time to cool down. 3. "Hyper-Fiber" Connectivity The Upgrade: Infrastructure was boosted to 10Gbps to support NFL sideline tablets and massive media uploads. The Benefit: Guaranteed high-speed Wi-Fi for 82,000 fans and faster processing for Hawkeye decision-making. 4. Precision Turf Technology The Upgrade: Enhanced under-soil vacuum and heating systems to handle the heavy foot traffic of 300lb linemen. The Benefit: Faster drainage and better grass recovery, ensuring the pitch remains "Championship-standard" even during a rainy Irish winter. 5. Multi-Game Locker Rooms The Upgrade: Expanded locker room footprints and tech suites. The Benefit: Easily accommodates GAA double-headers, giving four teams professional-grade space simultaneously without the usual logistical "traffic jam Kew (Galway) - Posts: 307 - 05/04/2026 11:45:20 2664857 Link
Replying To Thejampot: "Was in croke park last Saturday for the longford game. Was shocked at the state of the place. Disappointed to see it getting so run down" Its a magnificent stadium, but it does need a wee bit of a spruce up, it has gotten very grey looking. The concourses need to be brightened up a bit, but it wouldn't take a lot, let it be paint or some sort of facades. You notice it a hell of a lot more on the quiet days. SouthOfTheGap (Donegal) - Posts: 923 - 05/04/2026 11:58:08 2664859 Link
Replying To SouthOfTheGap: "Its a magnificent stadium, but it does need a wee bit of a spruce up, it has gotten very grey looking. The concourses need to be brightened up a bit, but it wouldn't take a lot, let it be paint or some sort of facades. You notice it a hell of a lot more on the quiet days." They should get better quality from food vendors. And lay the place out better to stop people going to toilets walking into people queuing up for the vendors. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8536 - 05/04/2026 13:10:45 2664876 Link
Replying To SouthOfTheGap: "Its a magnificent stadium, but it does need a wee bit of a spruce up, it has gotten very grey looking. The concourses need to be brightened up a bit, but it wouldn't take a lot, let it be paint or some sort of facades. You notice it a hell of a lot more on the quiet days." Camp Nou is a run down stadium but it still rocks and looks the part when it's full on big match days. Same with Croke Park, nobody notices minor defects on big match day's and to be honest nobody cares. Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2646 - 05/04/2026 13:39:30 2664883 Link
Replying To Saynothing: "Camp Nou is a run down stadium but it still rocks and looks the part when it's full on big match days. Same with Croke Park, nobody notices minor defects on big match day's and to be honest nobody cares." Camp Nou WAS a run down stadium... Eh hello - brand new stadium there now.... lol ;o) Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 4894 - 05/04/2026 19:59:08 2664913 Link
Leeds and Man Utd play in Croke park in August. I am sure it will sell out. galwayford (Galway) - Posts: 2748 - 06/04/2026 21:44:12 2665020 Link
Concourses could do with a tidy up and a bit of cover, particularly in the upper tiers. StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2007 - 07/04/2026 09:20:43 2665043 Link
Replying To StoreysTash: "Concourses could do with a tidy up and a bit of cover, particularly in the upper tiers." Just on the way home from the u10 blitz there today. Got a good look at it as it was pretty empty. Its grand as it is. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19373 - 07/04/2026 18:12:34 2665140 Link
Replying To StoreysTash: "How would it only hold one match a year the like of Kilkenny hosts lots of games. Its not a bad idea. In fact, it is more sensible than rebuilding Pairc Ui Chaoimh to the white elephant it is." Which matches in a Leinster venue would attract 45-50,000 spectators as poster suggested? Claretandblue (Westmeath) - Posts: 2612 - 08/04/2026 04:52:48 2665182 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Which matches in a Leinster venue would attract 45-50,000 spectators as poster suggested?" If Dublin built themselves a 25000 capacity stadium at Hollymount or Spawell that would probably serve better. A crowd of 50000 may as well be in Jones Rd Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19373 - 08/04/2026 09:22:01 2665192 Link
Replying To Claretandblue: "Which matches in a Leinster venue would attract 45-50,000 spectators as poster suggested?" Leinster Hurling Final, Leinster Football Final, neutral venue football qualifiers, U20 / Minor All-Ireland finals (25-30-35k depend on who is in it), some bigger Leinster championship fixtures in both codes. I was not claiming they'd all fill them but a 40-50k venue would fit them better than a cavernous Croke Park which looks brutal without 50k in it and kills the atmosphere. The best atmosphere I ever was at was Kilkenny v Dublin in Portlaoise in 2013. Small grounds lend themselves to great atmospheres. This is a fact, no? How many times is Pairc Ui Chaoimh full every year? Semple? 2-3 times? (I would also say that a Kilkenny v Galway Leinster Final should be played in Thurles) ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1635 - 08/04/2026 09:47:02 2665201 Link
Replying To Viking66: "If Dublin built themselves a 25000 capacity stadium at Hollymount or Spawell that would probably serve better. A crowd of 50000 may as well be in Jones Rd" Portlaoise Serves that purpose - a short train ride from Hueston station, beside the motorway, not a lot wrong with that. Add 5,00 more steats and it would solve a lot of problems. Connacht counties voted to have Roscommon as the main Connacht final venue but then Mayo and Galway spent a heap of money doing up stadiums no one uses. Thurles should have been the same thing - but Limerick, Kerry and Cork decided to build their own white elephants. Omagh would probably be the best bet in the North but every other county in Ulster would pick Tyrone as their biggest enemy so that wont every happen. So Belfast it will be. tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1778 - 08/04/2026 11:02:33 2665215 Link
Replying To ExiledInWex: "Leinster Hurling Final, Leinster Football Final, neutral venue football qualifiers, U20 / Minor All-Ireland finals (25-30-35k depend on who is in it), some bigger Leinster championship fixtures in both codes. I was not claiming they'd all fill them but a 40-50k venue would fit them better than a cavernous Croke Park which looks brutal without 50k in it and kills the atmosphere. The best atmosphere I ever was at was Kilkenny v Dublin in Portlaoise in 2013. Small grounds lend themselves to great atmospheres. This is a fact, no? How many times is Pairc Ui Chaoimh full every year? Semple? 2-3 times? (I would also say that a Kilkenny v Galway Leinster Final should be played in Thurles)" No more neutral football qualifiers. Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 516 - 08/04/2026 11:28:49 2665226 Link
Replying To tirawleybaron: "Portlaoise Serves that purpose - a short train ride from Hueston station, beside the motorway, not a lot wrong with that. Add 5,00 more steats and it would solve a lot of problems. Connacht counties voted to have Roscommon as the main Connacht final venue but then Mayo and Galway spent a heap of money doing up stadiums no one uses. Thurles should have been the same thing - but Limerick, Kerry and Cork decided to build their own white elephants. Omagh would probably be the best bet in the North but every other county in Ulster would pick Tyrone as their biggest enemy so that wont every happen. So Belfast it will be." True. I like O Moore Park myself. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 19373 - 08/04/2026 12:04:30 2665236 Link
No reason to not use temporary seating to extend our stadiums. It happens in cricket stadia in Australia all the time, 10-15k people could be on temporary seating. What you need is space behind a main stand, a guarantee of a game being held there and then a contractor able to provide it and safety verify it. A friend of mine used to look after this is for a cricket ground in the UK. Done right, it works well. It could be there May - July and then taken away for 10+ months. StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 2007 - 08/04/2026 15:23:22 2665280 Link