Finances an on-going cause of concern for GAA

THE qualifier series in both the football and hurling championships may not be quite the money-spinner for the GAA that the figure of €2.6m in gate receipts last year would indicate.

Within the association there is concern that the increasing number of live television games over the course of the season is having a serious impact on attendances at domestic level. An audit of county finances, yet to be completed, is expected to confirm this trend.

Predictably, because of the greater number of games played, the football qualifier series generated the bigger return €1.7m, with the hurling games yielding €0.9m.

It cost €640,000 to stage the games and, with a total of €2.1m being distributed to the counties, the provinces and the insurance fund, more money was actually paid out.

Once again, the published accounts highlight the dependency of the association on gate receipts. Last year's figure of €19,128,431 accounted for 72% of the total income of €26.3m.

Commercial income, mainly from television fees, advertising space and franchising were the other main sources of finance.

On the expenditure side, the principal items were match expenses (€5,590,839), games development (€3,964,936) and administration/ general expenses (€3,448,634). Total outgoings accounted for €17,294,912 producing an operating surplus of €9,043,545. A total of €1,594,907 was allocated in grants for provincial, county and club grounds.

In addition amounts of €1.1m and €200,000, respectively, were set aside for strategic developments in Dublin and special urban developments. County committees received €2,101,324 from the qualifier series while €4m was allocated for the Croke Park redevelopment bringing to €36m the total paid over from central funds to date.

Current indebtedness on Croke Park stands at €53m and the intention is to hold the level of borrowings at a maximum of €70m. That commitment, says Director-General Liam Mulvihill, will stretch them to the limit for a considerable time.

As a result, it could take up five years to complete the redevelopment of extending the Hill 16 terrace over to the end of the Hogan Stand. Mulvihill believes that due to the huge amounts of money being expended in preparing county teams, the next year will be a crunch year.

"I can see counties having to take a serious look at the number of teams they have and maybe having to pull out of some of the subsidiary competitions. Hard questions will have to be faced by all of us over the next couple of years because it's getting, very, very expensive."

This weekend's annual Congress, to be held in the Europa Hotel in Belfast, will largely be dominated by the installation of Sean Kelly as president, the first Kerryman to hold the office.

Sean McCague leaves office after three years, during which time spectator interest in the games reached new heights and Croke Park took its place alongside major world stadia.

A highlight of his reign was his successful campaign to eliminate the rule banning members of the British armed forces and police from joining the association.

Famously, he refused to order a recount on the proposal two years ago to open up Croke Park to other sports after it failed by just one vote.

Critics failed to acknowledge a vote which would have produced a similar result on the other side would have led to calls for a third count and the whole thing could have descended into farce.

Criticism has again been levelled at him over the rejection of the Clare motion calling for the Central Council to be given the authority to decide on the policy governing the use of the stadium for other games.

In response, he points out that he allowed discussion on the same motion last year, in the interest of debate, even though it was out of order. "That was pointed out to the sponsor of the motion personally and to the county, as to why it was out of order, but they sent it in exactly verbatim this year."

Kelly has indicated that he is favourable towards the granting of the authority to Central Council. After that, it would be a matter of finding out whether or not the IRFU or the FAI would be interested in playing some of their games in Croke Park and whether the GAA would gain more or lose by agreeing to such a radical change of policy.

Against the background of the soccer and rugby bodies possibly putting a joint proposal before the Government in the near future, the issue for the GAA could very well become irrelevant.