GAA in danger of following banks down spoof street
It was the usual crew with sport, news and features represented. Different departments, but one common denominator. Nearly everyone was broke.
The five-week gap since our last payday was being cursed. One diner would be living on €20 for the next week. A colleague eyed him jealously. He was already completely skint. I have no doubt similar conversations are being carried out the length and breadth of the country. Things are tight.
As a rule, I try to avoid reality. On Sundays, I have taken to extracting the sports section of the newspaper and dumping everything else. But in a moment of weakness, I plunged into the serious world of finance. I read and kept reading. It was absolutely terrifying.
In these times, when money is so scarce, and when even the Ulster Council is offering discount deals, I still find it hard to fathom how or why the GAA agreed to give €1.6m to the Gaelic Players’ Association.
Nearly a year after the agreement the GAA has yet to provide a detailed financial breakdown of how it was spent. Clues are provided on the GPA website. Admittedly, it looks impressive. The section devoted to Player Development Programmes contains sub-sections on education, general programmes, career development and health and well-being. Like anything that looks so polished and professional, this oh-so-slick website carries the distinct whiff of snake oil.
The GAA used to be a spoof-free zone, and if recent history is to teach us anything, then we need to remember those core values.
Indeed, it’s worth recalling why the current global financial meltdown happened. Banks used to employ a simple calculation when working out how much money they were prepared to lend a couple. Providing the borrowers could cough up a 10% deposit, the bank would give them four-and-a-half times their combined earnings.
The formula was based on what people could be expected to pay back over 25 years. Somewhere along the way, banks forgot how their business worked. We, the public were so grateful for the loans we didn’t see that the emperor was in the nip.
A similar scenario is now taking place in the GAA. Members are forgetting the key function of the GAA.
For their benefit, here’s a reminder. It’s a sporting and cultural organisation that promotes Gaelic Games and pastimes. End of story.
And while this will come as a major shock to the new wave of Gaels that emerged during the Celtic Tiger, the GAA is not responsible for the financial, mental or spiritual well-being of players.
Yes, it’s an absolute travesty so many are struggling to find work. But, it’s not the fault of the GAA. Again, we need to go back to basics. We pay taxes. Those taxes are supposed to fund institutions which educate and take care of us.
At GAA games, we pay admission fees. That revenue is supposed to be redistributed to develop the game. That is the work of the GAA. Having received so much funding from the GAA, the GPA has to be seen to be doing something.
It needs to be stressed I am not questioning the integrity of the GPA’s staff. I am asking why the GPA has gone in this direction? Back in the day, it used to be about medical treatment, match tickets and training gear. For all the money ploughed into the GPA’s lovely website, it’s extremely unlikely the expense has justified the rewards.
But the real fault lies with the GAA. At a time of huge economic difficulty, why is Croke Park pouring money into initiatives that have got absolutely nothing to do with an amateur association? It’s the price they were willing to pay to kill the commercial menace the GPA carried.
But it was a bum deal. The idea that the GAA is somehow responsible for the employment of players has already taken hold. It’s dangerous ground. The GAA is about playing, not paying.
The GPA still has a role. For instance, next year as part of the agreement, every inter-county player will receive free tracksuits, football boots and gloves. For seasoned inter-county players, it will be more gear they don’t want or need. It’s another waste of money.
Maybe an experienced player with a wife would prefer a gift token for a hotel or restaurant? These are the bread and butter issues the GPA could solve.
It is an unpalatable truth for some but the GAA owes us nothing. It continues to be an amateur organisation whose existence is dependent on volunteers. Yes, the GPA has a part to play. But that role needs to be redefined.
And during these days when most GAA members are counting every penny, Croke Park has an obligation to account for the portion of gate receipts it is handing over to the players’ body. The generic, unspecific details provided to date are unacceptable.
A war against waffle must begin. Unlike the banks, the GAA can’t afford the luxury of forgetting how and why it operates.
