GPA deal 'back to grassroots'

THE Carphone Warehouse-sponsored GPA yesterday launched a major new partnership deal with fixed line telephone company ClubTel which they claim will refute the suggestion that the association is elitist in nature.

Launched almost five years ago in Belfast, the Gaelic Players Association has frequently faced the criticism that it benefits only the highest profile inter-county footballers and hurlers, while doing little for the grassroots members of the association.

Yesterday, the players' body announced the venture with ClubTel, which they hope will provide €7m annual revenue for GAA clubs throughout the country and allow the rank and file members of the GAA playing and non-playing to save significant figures on their residential and business phone bills.

The basic element of the venture is that, by transferring their telephone service from their existing provider to ClubTel, GAA club members and supporters can save up to 30% on their phone bills.

Ten per cent of each member's annual phone bill will be paid directly to their GAA club and a further 5% will go to the GPA.

The initiative will be spearheaded by the individual clubs.

"We launched the GPA in Belfast four and a half years ago and we declared that first night that part of our policy was to help club members of the association," said the GPA's Commercial Director Donal O'Neill in Dublin yesterday.

"It's taken four and a half years for us to get that really up and running, but we're confident that the arrival of the first major club initiative will go off with a bang."

GPA Chief Executive Dessie Farrell echoed O'Neill's sentiments, claiming the ClubTel phone deal would be a significant help to grassroots clubs struggling to stay above the financial water line.

"This will prove to be the most significant commercial arrangement undertaken by the GPA to date," the Dublin footballer declared.

"It is an initial foray into a different but equally important area that of clubs and club players.

"Clubs are under tremendous financial burden and we are confident this deal will help alleviate that burden."

In launching the initiative yesterday, the GPA have beaten the GAA who have agreed a similar deal with Access Telecoms - to the punch.

There are two million fixed phone lines and counting in the country so Farrell isn't worried about the competition from the GAA when they eventually launch their own initiative.

"Apparently the GAA have signed a deal, though I don't know to what extent they have gone with that," said Farrell.

"As far as I can see it was something that was cobbled together overnight, but we're not worried about the GAA having their own deal.

"This is a vast market and if, by the GAA getting involved in it as well, that benefits GAA people on the ground then we're happy."

Donal O'Neill revealed that the GPA approached the GAA with a view to cooperating on a mutual deal but that Croke Park failed to return the interest shown.

"We were looking to proceed with a cooperative way forward on this but, to our dismay, the GAA failed to respond to that so we had to take the decision to go it alone," O'Neill said.