Player image rights stand-off brewing

THE GPA and the GAA could again be on a collision course.

Croke Park bosses hope to launch a Gaelic football computer game for the Christmas market despite GPA concerns over infringement of player image rights.

“We will be very interested to see what format the game takes,” GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell admitted yesterday.

“All our members have assigned their image rights to the Association (GPA). So if any of their images, names or nicknames are used then it becomes an issue. We have voiced our concerns to the GAA and to Sony, the makers of the game. They are very aware of where we stand. This has been ongoing for the past two years.”

Farrell admits the lack of agreement on such a product is quite rare in world sport.

“In all the other codes, whether it is soccer, rugby or AFL, an agreement is reached between the governing body of the sport and the players’ Association to decide on how the money is shared and other issues are thrashed out.

“Sadly the GAA has been reluctant to deal with us.”

Farrell added that despite the efforts of President Seán Kelly, there has been little improvement in relations between the GPA and the GAA.

“Sean Kelly has a fairly enlightened attitude and approach to the GPA. But structures should be put in place by the GAA. We should not be dependent on the president of the day to keep the lines of communication open. The onus should not be on the president but on the GAA management team to form a relationship between the two.

“Some may view Dessie Farrell’s seat on Central Council as a way of addressing that. But that has nothing to do with the GPA,” Farrell added.

He admits to speaking with the Sean Kelly regularly but said there are no plans for a formal meeting between the two organisations.

He said they requested a number of meetings with the marketing department of the GAA but to no avail.

“We are very anxious to meet with their marketing arm to discuss issues on a commercial front.

“The Playstation game, the sticker book collection, the ban on Club Energise, which still beggars belief, are some of the things we want to discuss. There has been correspondence but no meeting.”

The GPA boss also revealed the Association are to publish the results of their first inter-county survey later this year, which will outline the concerns of players on many issues.