Munster crowds down again

ATTENDANCES for the Munster senior hurling championship matches were down for the third consecutive year in 2010.

Figures revealed in the provincial convention report show numbers going to Munster SHC games were on average 3,305 less than the previous year (24,046 as opposed to 27,361) while attendances for SFC games were down by an average of 323 (15,697 compared to 16,020).

In his report to convention, Munster secretary Pat Fitzgerald suggested Limerick’s hurling strike was a contributory factor to the decrease, as well as the paltry 11,028 attendance for last year’s Munster semi-final between Waterford and Clare in Thurles.

“It is worth noting that attendances at senior hurling championship matches were down for the third year running,” he wrote.

“This can be mainly attributed to the draw and associated venues as well as some internal county issues. It must also be acknowledged that the attendance at the senior hurling semi-final on June) Bank Holiday Monday was disappointing.”

But interestingly Fitzgerald has not ruled out staging another Bank Holiday Monday hurling championship fixture.

“ It was definitely an avenue worth exploring as we continuously seek to reflect the changing lives of our patrons and maximise attendances. Gate receipts remains the Council’s major source of income, down slightly at 57% of total income. The senior hurling championship accounted for 51.2% of total gate receipts; this reflects a decline of 15.8% from the 2008 percentage.”

Munster vice-secretary Enda McGuane acknowledged gate receipts dropped but pointed out that total Munster attendance numbers were up due to the Council’s ticket initiatives.

“Gate receipts were down in 2010 but overall attendance figures were up slightly on 2009 figures to 327,846.

“This reflects the success of the various discount schemes employed by the Council, these saw over 18,000 children availing of €five tickets for our ticketed championship games.”

Interestingly, fines issued by the Munster Council to counties and clubs rose €2,300 in 2009 to €6,900 in 2010.

Fitzgerald also launched a staunch defence of the council with respect to the criticism received for the staging of games on Saturday evenings and Bank Holiday Mondays. He claimed the disapproval shown towards them wasn’t entirely justified and should also have been directed at the TV broadcasters for dictating the throw-in times.

“We had to make calls such as: allowing our Munster SHC semi-final Clare v Waterford to be played on a Bank Holiday Monday; playing replays on Saturday evenings, even where we had no game of significance on the following day; and bringing forward by one week the meeting of Tipperary and Kerry in the SFC quarter-final.

“We also delayed the Munster senior hurling quarter-final Cork v Tipperary to accommodate the showing of the extra-time in another live television fixture. In making these decisions we drew the wrath of many, including inter-county players, officials and supporters.

“Much of the media added to this criticism, and we must accept this, however I found it a bit galling to find our TV companies and their sister radio stations jumping on the bandwagon and without consideration or examining the reasons, having a cheap shot at the Council and its officers.”

Fitzgerald warned there may be similar issues again this summer.

“The new contract, which commences in 2011, will also have problems for the Council, however, hopefully we will never find ourselves in this situation again. TV games, do a lot to promote and enhance our sports, but the player, and the attending patron is, and must be our first priority.”

Vice secretary McGuane also voiced the Council’s unhappiness with their commercial return from Croke Park for the two senior championships.

“Council income shows an increase, however this is as a result of a streamlining of cash flows rather than an increase in funding. Commercial income from central sponsors (€250,000) and TV companies (€350,000) remained steady. At first glance this might seem to be positive, given the current recession.

However, closer examination of these figures reveals that Croke Park pays Munster GAA €50,000 per televised match and approximately €27,777 per sponsor as its share of the centrally negotiated sponsorship deals.

These figures do not include the value of complimentary tickets associated with these arrangements. Viewed from a Munster perspective and based on the commercial value of the Munster championships in both codes, these figures are a mediocre return for the province.”

- The Munster Council will broadcast the Dr Harty Cup and Corn Uí Mhuiri finals live on their website.

The Harty Cup (Munster Colleges SAHC) decider pits Ard Scoil Ris (Limerick) against Charleville CBS (Cork) at the Gaelic Grounds, Limerick on Sunday, February 28.

The football equivalent will be played a week later at Dr Crokes’ Lewis Road grounds in Killarney between Coláiste Chríost Rí (Cork) and PS Chorca Dhuibhne (Kerry).