AFL blow set to cost Limerick €10m
The Gaelic Grounds in the city was to host the opening test on October 24, however the Australian Football League has asked that the competition be put on hold for 12 months due to the global economic crisis.
Limerick Chamber of Commerce had estimated that the game would result in a €10m bonanza for the city and the associated television coverage down under would be a huge boost to tourism in the mid-west region.
Limerick GAA secretary Mike O’Riordan said the news was “bitterly disappointing”.
“It is bitterly disappointing given the amount of work we had put in to get the fixture. But at least the GAA has promised that we will be hosting the event next year.
“We saw this as a fitting way to launch our new floodlight system and open our redeveloped grounds. We had also planned a festival of GAA in Limerick around the game and were looking at having a number of events around the city.
“All these things are on hold. We will meet and have a look at what we’ll do but it is highly unlikely there will be a festival.”
He said that no costs have been incurred in preparing for the game.
“The floodlighting and upgrading the dressing rooms were necessities which we were undertaking regardless of the test.
“Regarding the event itself, nothing was laid in stone and no money changed hands. We would have got a percentage of the gate had the game been played but that’s just the way things go.”
The Limerick official said that plans to launch their new floodlighting system may be put on hold until 2010.
“We are looking for an event. It may come during the National Football or Hurling league next season.”
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the decision to seek a deferral of the series for a year had been a difficult decision to make as the AFL valued the GAA relationship very strongly.
“The relationship with the GAA and the exchange of information over the last decade has been extremely important to us for the growth of the AFL as an organisation,” Mr Demetriou said. “The current global situation has severely impacted on the sponsorship and support opportunities available for sporting organisations around the world and we needed to make a responsible decision and wait for 12 months. I’d like to thank the GAA for their professionalism and understanding in working through this decision, which indicates how strong our relationship continues to be.”
GAA President Christy Cooney said the deferral of the series was a huge disappointment but that had received a guarantee from the AFL that Australia will travel to Ireland in October 2010 to resume the series. He said all things being equal, the Gaelic Grounds would host the first test in 2010.
Since competition between Australia and Ireland resumed in 1999, the two countries have played 10 series with both teams winning five. Ireland holds a 10-8 advantage, with two draws, from the 20 Test matches.
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