Clause means no refunds likely for GAA season ticket holders

GAA season ticket holders are not expected to receive refunds if the coronavirus pandemic forces the abandonment of the Allianz Leagues and/or Championship.

The terms and conditions to the loyalty scheme specifically mentions pandemic. They state: “In the event of the GAA season, Allianz National League or Championship being postponed, due to circumstances outside of the control of the GAA (Natural Disaster, Pandemic, etc) there will be no refunds available for GAA season tickets.”

The GAA are fully intent on completing the Championship this year, although the fate of the remaining games in the Allianz Leagues look uncertain.

Adult season tickets, priced at €120, entitle subscribers to admission to all their chosen county team’s league games, their opening Championship game and the All-Ireland club finals. The Club Plus option, which includes entry to all club games in the county as specified by that county board, costs €200 and the €300 Ulster Club Plus initiative incorporates county club as well as Dr McKenna Cup, Ulster club, U17, and U20 fixtures.

After the opening Championship game, “pay and play” kicks in. The holder is automatically charged in advance of every subsequent match that your county plays in the GAA Senior Championships irrespective of whether he or she attending the game. Providing a season ticket holder attends at least 60% of the county team’s league and Championship fixtures, they are entitled to purchase an All-Ireland final ticket should their side reach it.

The Irish Examiner reported last month that counties were due to receive season ticket monies from Croke Park earlier than scheduled to help with any cashflow difficulties. It is believed counties receive over 35% of the proceeds of each regular season ticket.

The loyalty scheme is extremely popular in hurling for Cork, Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, Tipperary, and Wexford as well as Dublin and Mayo in football. Dublin’s Club Plus option, the Parnell Pass, is heavily subscribed and combined with the regular season ticket is believed to take in over €500,000 per annum.

Meanwhile, GAAGo subscribers are also facing similar difficulties as the small print for the streaming subscription states payment for premium content is not refundable.

The terms and conditions also mention: “GAAGO Media shall have no liability to you under these terms if we are prevented from or delayed in performing our obligations under these terms, or from providing the GAAGO services or any of the content by acts, events, omissions or accidents beyond our reasonable control, including, without limitation, strikes, lock-outs or other industrial disputes, failure of a utility service or transport or telecommunications network, act of God, war, riot, civil commotion, malicious damage, compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation or direction, accident, breakdown of plant or machinery, fire, flood, storm or default of suppliers or sub-contractors.”

The annual GAAGo Pass costs €140 and annual GAAGo Britain Pass, which excludes Sky Sports games due to rights, is €70. The Sunday Game is included in both packages.

No subscriptions are currently available on the GAAGo website, while several items such as RTÉ’s League Sunday are currently available on the website for free.

Meanwhile, the GAA’s management committee are expected to heed the advice of the Central Competitions Control Committee and reduce their number of Championship games should this Friday’s Special Congress empower them to make changes to the Championship.

It has been speculated the GAA are still holding out hope that they can stage the Liam MacCarthy Cup while retaining the provincial round-robin championships. However, only the first and second-placed teams will emerge from the provinces into All-Ireland semi-finals. That would cut the competition by just four games and two weekends.

As has been previously reported, the Sam Maguire Cup could revert to the pre-2018 model with teams guaranteed at least two games with the four-round qualifier system without the Super 8 quarter-final phase or the second tier Tailteann Cup. Removing the Super 8 would shrink the senior football championship by eight matches and two weekends.

The GAA are also reported to be considering a longer club period before the start of the provincial inter-county championships with club championships possibly being completed in a two-month period. Wholly dependent on the coronavirus restrictions being lifted, it is also expected crowds will initially not be permitted at the resumption of action.