Thanks for the memories, Croker. Now let’s hear the Lansdowne roar

By Matt Cooper

Friday, March 26, 2010

THERE are some people who won’t be unhappy about rugby and soccer internationals returning from Croke Park to the lower capacity Lansdowne Road.

These are not just the few remaining GAA people who maintain their objection to the ground ever having been opened up to foreign games. Instead these are people who believe some of those who got to matches at Croke Park might be described as "unworthy" of the tickets because they do not have sufficient interest in or knowledge of the games.

These people are being blamed for the lack of atmosphere at many of the matches at Croke Park. The argument goes that Lansdowne Road will be full of 50,000 real fans who will make a real racket, as opposed to 82,000 at Croke Park, providing the required atmosphere to inspire the Irish teams.

This debate was sparked by a text message to the Last Word that I received last Friday and read on air. The author, from Co Meath, alleged the easier availability of tickets at Croke Park meant many lads had to bring wives and girlfriends with them and, instead of roaring at the game, had to explain its workings to their appendages.

Not surprisingly this controversial opinion brought about angry reactions from many female listeners who declared they knew the laws of rugby better than their male partners and they roared every bit as much, if not more. But many agreed with my contributor, telling (old) tales of being behind women who were asking where the goalkeeper stood in rugby.

The "atmosphere" issue is one that dogged Irish soccer and rugby internationals during the four years when the GAA graciously made its headquarters available to other sports. The size of the pitch, designed for hurling and football, was clearly an issue.

But was that really the problem? There have been some great non-GAA days at Croke Park over the past four years. Although the result was a disaster for Munster fans, the Heineken Cup semi-final day with Leinster was a remarkable occasion, full of colour, passion and noise.

The soccer matches, particularly during the dire Steve Staunton-managed period, lacked fizz, but the arrival of Italy last year for a World Cup qualifier brought a packed house, a wonderful night-time atmosphere and an exciting see-saw game too. Last year’s Ireland v France matches, in soccer and rugby, benefited from a fully engaged crowd who added to the sense of occasion.

The most special occasion of course was the second rugby international played there, in February 2007, when England came to visit. I was lucky enough to be there as the British national anthem was played to utmost and silent respect, to be followed by emotional renditions of our national anthem and our national rugby team’s song. The game that followed was special too, with Ireland scoring four tries in a 30-point win. There was nothing wrong with the atmosphere then.

That day was truly special. It showed we had matured and developed so much confidence as a nation that our old hang-ups about our relationship with England was being consigned to history. The event was one that transcended sport. It was of value to the country in a way that money cannot gauge.

But it’s a great pity a decision was not taken immediately afterwards to persuade the GAA to make Croke Park available on a permanent basis, instead of merely while the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road continued. If that had happened then that redevelopment could have been done on a far more modest and less costly scale.

Instead, the IRFU and FAI have built a wonderful state-of-the-art stadium for €420 million and they cannot afford to allow events move from it to Croke Park in the future for financial reasons.

It might seem like a no-brainer to move an Ireland-England rugby international or an Irish soccer international with a major nation to Croke Park because the revenue from the extra 30,000 seats would more than comfortably cover the cost of renting the venue from the GAA.

But the IRFU/FAI have entered into contracts, such as the naming rights for the stadium with Aviva, that require them to play all games at Lansdowne Road.

The damage to the Irish economy from this is enormous. It will no longer be possible to give visiting nations tens of thousands of tickets for the game, therefore depriving hotels and restaurants of enormous extra income.

The GAA will also suffer: it has received about €36m in income from its generosity and the money has been put to good use throughout the island at various clubs and for initiatives promoting involvement in the games. The big issue, however, will be the rows over availability of tickets at the new Lansdowne Road and their price.

Although it has a capacity that is 30,000 lower than Croke Park the fear must be that the effective availability of tickets has been almost halved. There are about 20,000 corporate and long-term tickets in the new stadium, allowing about 30,000 to be distributed on a match-by-match basis. That compares with about 60,000 at Croke Park. My Meath texter may find that indeed many people will be going to the match on their own in future rather than with company — if they can afford the tickets. The tickets for Croke Park internationals were very expensive as it was but in these recessionary times the idea of paying €100 for a seat to watch a match is hard to justify. The corporate ticket sales were successfully booked by the IRFU just before the credit crunch hit, but the FAI is in an unenviable position, selling an overpriced product at just the wrong time.

AND the European Championships draw wasn’t kind either from the point of view of having big games that will attract the punters, even if it does hold a better prospect of getting to the 2012 finals (which should be the main thing, after all). The FAI’s financial position — always precarious at the best of times — must be a worry to the IRFU and to the Government (which has already put €190m into the cost of constructing the stadium).

John Delaney has insisted always that the FAI’s investment in the project is fully financed. I don’t doubt him, but that was never the point: it is the FAI’s ability to meet the repayments on borrowings that is the key issue. There is little now that we can do but hope the finances of Lansdowne Road work out — and that the real fans get the opportunity to enjoy the beauty, comfort and, hopefully, atmosphere of the games that take place there.

A stadium design does not guarantee exciting atmosphere — the game itself and the attitude of the crowd are central to that — but the new Lansdowne Road offers room for few excuses.

The era of international rugby and soccer at Croke Park was bookended by two disappointments — late defeat by France in February 2007 that ultimately denied the Irish rugby team the Grand Slam that year and last Saturday’s three-point defeat by Scotland that stopped a Triple Crown — but the positives of the initiative way outweighed the negatives. It is a pity it has come to an end, but we have been left with some great memories. Hopefully the new Lansdowne Road will offer many too, to those lucky enough to get in.

The Last Word with Matt Cooper is broadcast on 100-102 Today FM, Monday to Friday, 4.30pm to 7pm.

This appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, March 26, 2010