Burns raises GPA rights fear
Former Orchard County captain Burns has raised the subject at the last two Central Council meetings, his latest comments coming at last Saturday’s Croke Park gathering as the deal was rubber-stamped.
According to the protocol, a joint committee — comprising GAA and GPA representatives — will decide on all commercial activity, such as video games and sticker albums.
However, Burns is adamant this doesn’t go anywhere near far enough and expressed his astonishment at the issue not being put on the table by the GAA, claiming officials have placed far too much faith in the players’ body.
“I spoke to officials in Croke Park about it last Thursday and they said that in the current climate there is such trust and camaraderie between the sides, and there is absolutely no way the GPA would play that card,” said Burns.
“I would respect that. However, why do we have a protocol? We have a protocol to make sure, like a prenuptial agreement when the relationship is sound and strong but keeping in mind what should happen if the worst come to the worst.
“The reason why there is a protocol is because there is this trust and rules and terms of reference established and everybody needs to know where they stand.
“But to leave out the issue of image rights? I just hope I’m wrong. I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite us because it’s a chilling thought that the image rights of those players the last eight years do not belong to us.
“They belong to a public limited company and this really should have been top of the agenda.
“The GAA should have said ‘right, we’re giving you this money and what we want back from you in return is the image rights of our own players’.
“I’m astounded they weren’t included. As someone who has experience with dealing with the GPA, I’m worried for the Association as a GAA man.”
Burns recalls what happened in 2004 when a Monaghan company Cranridge were brought to the High Court by the GPA.
The firm had been given a licence by the GAA but the players body successfully countered that they owned the intellectual property of their members.
Much to the GAA’s embarrassment, the issue was also raised when the Association endorsed PlayStation football and hurling video games in 2007 without any of the players’ real names.
In the same year, the GPA gave their backing to another video game, Bainisteoir Hurling.
“The images rights of all the top players, every one of them who has won a GPA All Star or a player of the month award, belongs to the GPA,” explained Burns.
“I find it bizarre that issue hasn’t been recognised because of two main areas. There was the sticker album which a few fellas remortgaged their houses in 2004 to set up before the GPA took them to court. They won the case and it almost financially ruined the boys.
“The second thing is the Playstation game. The last one was a joke because it was using fake names.
“It meant that children who might know the names of, say, the Wigan Premier League players on FIFA or some other game on the PlayStation don’t know who plays midfield for Laois.
“The GAA stooped by not carrying the real names.”
Burns is otherwise a supporter of the official recognition protocol — even if, as his county board voted against it, he had to represent their opinion.
“There is great trust between the two sides and I agree with the protocol and every aspect of it,” he remarked. “I supported it but I was concerned as somebody involved on the players committee.
“I have great time for [GPA chief executive] Dessie (Farrell) and I think so far as the protocol goes, it is excellent.
“However, I just feel that if in three or four years time things get toxic, as they did three or four years ago, the GPA have a trump card they can play.”
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