County boards beginning to feel the pinch as costs mount

MORE and more GAA county boards are struggling to keep their heads above water, new figures released yesterday reveal.

The cost of preparing teams and meeting increased player requirements is set to become the biggest single headache for various boards, particularly in smaller and less successful counties.

Croke Park figures for 2002 show that 19 county boards found themselves in debt at the end of last year.

Over 11m was spent on team expenses, an increase of 25% or 2.2m on 2001. The average expenditure per county was over 334,000 with Galway the biggest spenders (over 835,000) for their hurlers and footballers.

Though the so-called weaker counties are finding it increasingly difficult to generate resources, the GAA powers are also feeling the pinch of success. All-Ireland finalists Kerry, Armagh, Clare and Kilkenny spent 651,260, 538,560, 480,264 and 362,553 respectively.

Croke Park officials defended the decision to reveal individual county team expenses yesterday.

“There is nothing new in publishing the figures as they are readily available in the Árd Stiúthóir’s annual report to congress. It was his decision to release the figures now,” said a GAA spokesperson.

GPA chief Des Farrell said he would like to see a complete breakdown on the expenses, but agreed that it is becoming more and more expensive to provide adequately for teams.

Farrell maintained that with such huge sums of money being spent on teams, it leaves little or nothing available for players’ out-of-pocket expenses which his organisation has been campaigning for.

“There will have to be better overall financial planning by county boards if these expenses are to be maintained. I see sponsorship and supporters clubs playing a bigger role in this regard in the future.

“There are still huge sums of money out there to be tapped into with the proper planning. In the case of the Guinness sponsorship of the hurling championship, I’ve no doubt that there will be a number of high-profile companies clamouring to take over when that deal finally runs out,” he said.

Galway hurling secretary, Phelim Murphy said that their spending was significantly less in 2002, due to their failure to reach the All-Ireland SHC final. However, he added that the basic needs and requirements of the players at all levels amounts to a costly exercise.

“We weren’t the All-Ireland finalists last year so naturally the cost was much higher in 2001 when we got to the final. We spent about 545,993 that year as we had a senior team and a minor team in the final. But last year we spent about 100,000 less as the teams did not get as far but we still had a good run with the intermediate side.

“But it does not all revolve around how far the teams get these days as you have to look after the players, and in our case we are in charge of four inter-county teams. You have to look after your players ,” he said.

However, despite the massive outlay in recent years, Murphy stresses that the Galway hurling board is not amongst the 19 who are in debt.

“We are in the black at the moment and thankfully we have never been under any serious pressure,” he said yesterday.

Galway football secretary, John Power agrees that the cost is high even if the senior team is not contesting All-Ireland Final.

He admits that it cost a lot when Galway won their last two All-Ireland SFC crowns.

Despite the seniors’ defeat by Kerry at All-Ireland quarter-final stage last year, it was still a costly campaign due to the success of Galway’s U21 footballers.

Meanwhile, supporters will also feel the impact in their pockets this season, with an increase in prices for All-Ireland tickets.

There will be no price hike for the first four rounds of the qualifier series, but stand prices for All-Ireland quarter-final double-headers and All-Ireland finals will increase by 5 while terrace tickets for the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals will also increase by the same amount.

It is envisaged that any increased revenue from ticket sales will be used to fund proposed increases to club, county and provincial ground grants, strategic urban developments and also to alleviate the spiralling costs of team preparation.