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Man Utd V Leeds Utd - Croke Park

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Replying To brayballer: "Thats the Jarlath Burns line Fionn and of course the gaa coaches benefit from money but are you telling me that if Croke park was nt used for other sports the gaa would not have money to coach kids.No money shortage in the gaa." My last post didn't get by the filter... a perfectly reasonable post I'll may add. Anyhow, please provide some rationale for the statements above... what's your evidence? Feel free to refer to GAA's own financial statements and the value of debt owned to the GAA by it's various units. Also you should comment on what you might think it would cost to redevelop stadiums such as Semple stadium and the like. Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2396 - 30/08/2026 12:31:54 2691931 Link
Replying To brayballer: "Thats the Jarlath Burns line Fionn and of course the gaa coaches benefit from money but are you telling me that if Croke park was nt used for other sports the gaa would not have money to coach kids.No money shortage in the gaa." "No money shortage in GAA" because they do a fairly good job in maximising all potential commercial revenue streams. If they were to deny themselves a €14 million revenue stream but still wanted the same output on Coaching & Games and everything else, well then, they'd have to generate that €14 million elsewhere. And if they didn't have that €14 million to spend, they'd have to cut the budgets for coaching and all sorts of other things. This is pretty basic stuff. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3943 - 30/08/2026 13:01:14 2691936 Link
Replying To Square_B: "My last post didn't get by the filter... a perfectly reasonable post I'll may add. Anyhow, please provide some rationale for the statements above... what's your evidence? Feel free to refer to GAA's own financial statements and the value of debt owned to the GAA by it's various units. Also you should comment on what you might think it would cost to redevelop stadiums such as Semple stadium and the like." To update Semple and Killarney will need many many €millions. Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 899 - 30/08/2026 13:45:42 2691941 Link
Replying To Dothesimplethingswell: "And the kids going back to school talking about Man Utd v Leeds at Croke Park. There are just some things that money cannot buy and other things it destroys." But to counter all the accusations that "the GAA is only interested in making money from concerts and soccer matches in August" - a reminder that it was actually a committee from HQ in Croke Park who were behind the proposal at Congress this year to move the All-Ireland Finals back into August. But that proposal didn't even make it to the floor, because it was so obvious that the county delegates - representing the clubs and counties who are happy with the current split season - would overwhelmingly vote it down. GAA/Croke Park itself was willing to move the All-Ireland Finals to later in the year and suffer the loss of revenue from concerts and other events. Counties and clubs said "no". Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3943 - 30/08/2026 15:23:05 2691954 Link
Replying To Square_B: "My last post didn't get by the filter... a perfectly reasonable post I'll may add. Anyhow, please provide some rationale for the statements above... what's your evidence? Feel free to refer to GAA's own financial statements and the value of debt owned to the GAA by it's various units. Also you should comment on what you might think it would cost to redevelop stadiums such as Semple stadium and the like." I have no problem with gaa making extra money but not at the expense of our national games. All gaa counties make money on sponserships,lottp sales,car and house draws. Croke park make money on gaa programmes,cafes,bars and so on but besides that The gaa made 45.7 million directly from ticket sales for intercounty level. The gaa made 19 million euro from county championship level. The gaa made a further 25 million euro from broadcasting and sponsers. The gaa make milions on match day corporate services. The gaa also now are involed in gaa plus and recieve millions in state funding.. Last year the gaa made about 142 million and the players do not get paid. brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 775 - 30/08/2026 15:44:45 2691958 Link
Replying To Fionn: "Sounds like PG is not a fan of Croke Park now being a cash cow… https://www.rte.ie/sport/boxing/2026/0828/1589611-profitable-croke-park-taylor-made-for-entertaining-masses/" Pat is a true gael and feels we are turning into Brits.Gavin did great work with Dublin but it was Pat that started it all.He brought Dublin gaa back to life. brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 775 - 30/08/2026 15:53:41 2691959 Link
What does 'in partnership with Dalata Hotel Group' actually mean? Are they leasing the land in Clonliffe Road to the owners of Maldron Hotel, are they doing that and getting some share of the hotel profits, what sort of arrangement is it? GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8744 - 30/08/2026 16:28:57 2691960 Link
Replying To Seanfan: "To update Semple and Killarney will need many many €millions." Easily 100mil+ for Semple & I think 70mil+ is being talked about for Killarney. And lets not even talk about Casement assuming the £15mil they have committed is enough. But shur look, the GAA is swimming in money according to the astute commentators out there. Ya know so we can keep Croker for the pigeons for 8 months of the year... Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2396 - 30/08/2026 16:34:22 2691962 Link
Replying To brayballer: "I have no problem with gaa making extra money but not at the expense of our national games. All gaa counties make money on sponserships,lottp sales,car and house draws. Croke park make money on gaa programmes,cafes,bars and so on but besides that The gaa made 45.7 million directly from ticket sales for intercounty level. The gaa made 19 million euro from county championship level. The gaa made a further 25 million euro from broadcasting and sponsers. The gaa make milions on match day corporate services. The gaa also now are involed in gaa plus and recieve millions in state funding.. Last year the gaa made about 142 million and the players do not get paid." Valid points but the alternative ?? Payment to players is a slippery slope. Do you pay the senior intercounty players, including the hurlers ?, then what about junior and intercounty football and hurling players, lady footballers and Camogie players ?? The vast bulk of that 142 million goes back into developing our games at grass roots level, including some clubs being given grants for facilities development. Pay for play may eventually become a fact of life, but that will come at a cost to the amateur status which is currently the favoured model. I think most senior players are pretty well looked after - and more so in some counties than others. Not every county has the luxury of maybe €500k plus, sponsorship to ease the financial burden on their county boards of catering for their teams. Freethinker (Wicklow) - Posts: 2333 - 30/08/2026 16:35:19 2691963 Link
Replying To brayballer: "I have no problem with gaa making extra money but not at the expense of our national games. All gaa counties make money on sponserships,lottp sales,car and house draws. Croke park make money on gaa programmes,cafes,bars and so on but besides that The gaa made 45.7 million directly from ticket sales for intercounty level. The gaa made 19 million euro from county championship level. The gaa made a further 25 million euro from broadcasting and sponsers. The gaa make milions on match day corporate services. The gaa also now are involed in gaa plus and recieve millions in state funding.. Last year the gaa made about 142 million and the players do not get paid." You are talking turnovers rather than profit there. And you are ignoring the fact that all the profits get ploughed back into the GAA, be it coaching, clubs, infrastructure or whatever. There are very few paid staff in the GAA considering the size of the organisation. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20595 - 30/08/2026 16:49:18 2691970 Link
Replying To Square_B: "Easily 100mil+ for Semple & I think 70mil+ is being talked about for Killarney. And lets not even talk about Casement assuming the £15mil they have committed is enough. But shur look, the GAA is swimming in money according to the astute commentators out there. Ya know so we can keep Croker for the pigeons for 8 months of the year..." Why does there need to be 2 top of the range large capacity stadia in the same province? And how many big games a year are there in Killarney? How often has it been sold out in the last 10 years? Less times than the Gaelic Grounds anyway. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20595 - 30/08/2026 16:52:38 2691973 Link
Replying To Viking66: "You are talking turnovers rather than profit there. And you are ignoring the fact that all the profits get ploughed back into the GAA, be it coaching, clubs, infrastructure or whatever. There are very few paid staff in the GAA considering the size of the organisation." I am well aware of profits and turnovers but Im just saying that the gaa are very comfortable money wise and can get along fine without premier teams playing in croke park . The Gaa have big assets and savings also. On top of all that counties get sponsorship also to help.I know Wicklow get over 300,000 euro per year in sponsorship and Dublin get around 1.5 million euro. The gaa put back in most of their money but there is plenty of brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 775 - 30/08/2026 17:22:39 2691981 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Why does there need to be 2 top of the range large capacity stadia in the same province? And how many big games a year are there in Killarney? How often has it been sold out in the last 10 years? Less times than the Gaelic Grounds anyway." I know that with Fitzgerald stadium in Killarney that much of the money for upgrades came from local businesses and state funding.Bars,restaurants ,hotels agreed to handing over money as their businesess boom on big matchdays. Also a well know Limerick man has been very generous to Limerick gaa aswell as all counties.The gaa do not pay for all upgrades or redevelopments. brayballer (Wicklow) - Posts: 775 - 30/08/2026 17:28:14 2691982 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Why does there need to be 2 top of the range large capacity stadia in the same province? And how many big games a year are there in Killarney? How often has it been sold out in the last 10 years? Less times than the Gaelic Grounds anyway." The stadia are there, what alternative is there? Let them rot? Semple needs to be renovated without question. Kerry have plans to renovate Killarney and that's what I understand it to cost to do what is required. 70mil won't get much in this financial climate, the likely cost is to replace a stand & stop the place from falling apart altogether. Oh and also I forgot Clones, another 50mil+ is probably needed there. The crux of my point was that the GAA needs to maximise all the income they can but other clearly refuse to see the wider picture for their own agenda. Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2396 - 30/08/2026 17:42:03 2691987 Link
Replying To GreenandRed: "What does 'in partnership with Dalata Hotel Group' actually mean? Are they leasing the land in Clonliffe Road to the owners of Maldron Hotel, are they doing that and getting some share of the hotel profits, what sort of arrangement is it?" My understanding is that the GAA own the hotel buildings and rent them to the two operators (Doyle Collection & Dalata). Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2396 - 30/08/2026 17:51:09 2691990 Link
Replying To Square_B: "The stadia are there, what alternative is there? Let them rot? Semple needs to be renovated without question. Kerry have plans to renovate Killarney and that's what I understand it to cost to do what is required. 70mil won't get much in this financial climate, the likely cost is to replace a stand & stop the place from falling apart altogether. Oh and also I forgot Clones, another 50mil+ is probably needed there. The crux of my point was that the GAA needs to maximise all the income they can but other clearly refuse to see the wider picture for their own agenda." I agree with you, we need to maximise revenue for sure. From a National perspective I think Clones and Semple make more sense than Killarney to pump alot of Central funds into. Both are more Central for a start. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20595 - 30/08/2026 18:34:56 2691999 Link
Replying To Viking66: "I agree with you, we need to maximise revenue for sure. From a National perspective I think Clones and Semple make more sense than Killarney to pump alot of Central funds into. Both are more Central for a start." Thurles beside a motorway and on a train line. Clones not so accessible . Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 899 - 30/08/2026 19:05:38 2692006 Link
Replying To brayballer: "I have no problem with gaa making extra money but not at the expense of our national games. All gaa counties make money on sponserships,lottp sales,car and house draws. Croke park make money on gaa programmes,cafes,bars and so on but besides that The gaa made 45.7 million directly from ticket sales for intercounty level. The gaa made 19 million euro from county championship level. The gaa made a further 25 million euro from broadcasting and sponsers. The gaa make milions on match day corporate services. The gaa also now are involed in gaa plus and recieve millions in state funding.. Last year the gaa made about 142 million and the players do not get paid." Have a look at the same financial report, and this time have a look at the expenditure figures and how total retained surplus was less than €4 million. Now ask yourself if they lost the €14 million from Croke Park rental and so found themselves in a deficit of €10 million overall - what budget cuts would you make to allow for the €10 million shortfall? Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 3943 - 30/08/2026 19:53:13 2692009 Link
Replying To Seanfan: "Thurles beside a motorway and on a train line. Clones not so accessible ." Agree, but it is more central. Next urban area after Killarney is New York. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 20595 - 30/08/2026 20:26:33 2692013 Link
Replying To Viking66: "I agree with you, we need to maximise revenue for sure. From a National perspective I think Clones and Semple make more sense than Killarney to pump alot of Central funds into. Both are more Central for a start." I don't disagree, I merely used an example of Killarney... 70mil+ is what is required down there just to stand still. Kerry will not be able to raise 70mil to pay for it without Central Council assistance. And all of this is in light of the serious amount of debt already owed to the GAA by the various units. Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 2396 - 30/08/2026 20:54:49 2692018 Link