Ticket decision made on promotion and reward basis
In reducing prices by almost 40% across the board and making more children’s tickets available, the Association are forfeiting a potential €2m in gate receipts.
The GAA president insists the decision was made purely on a promotion and reward basis.
Following Kilkenny chairman Paul Kinsella’s comments in yesterday’s Irish Examiner, O’Neill also intimated Croke Park will contribute more to the Kilkenny and Galway team holiday funds for playing their part in the replay. “We’ve never shirked our responsibility in that and we’ve always thought of the players first and that will be done in consultation with the county boards.”
As much as the GAA stress 86% of all its profits are channelled back into clubs and counties, O’Neill knows they are viewed more cynically in certain quarters.
“It always amazes me that people believe we want to amass money. Money is of no value to us unless we can give it out. We exist to get people (players) out on All-Ireland final day — that’s the result of the investment we have put into their playing careers.
“That’s what it’s all about and it’s recycling all of the time. The idea that we’re a grab all organisation (is wrong), we don’t need that money. I don’t know how people can just see that it all goes back anyway. We only exist to recycle, renew and regenerate.”
O’Neill has heard the calls for the GAA to tier Croke Park ticket prices such as charging less for a Davin Stand ticket than one for either the Hogan or Cusack Stands.
“I walked around the full perimeter of the lower deck one day and there is no bad seat in Croke Park, nowhere is your view impaired.
“The pricing and that whole commercial end doesn’t weigh heavily on me. Every time we do something, somebody wants us to do something different and no matter what we do it’s never enough. We are quite happy, we want to move it on, maybe that is a good suggestion, I don’t know.”
O’Neill’s intention is to ensure Croke Park on September 30 is packed to capacity regardless of whether a ticket is worth €50 (adult stand) or €10 (child).
“We’re going to leave no seat unsold if we can give it to a child or somebody who hasn’t got one before.”
Last week, the Trumera man spoke to one family of eight (two adults, six children) who spent €640 on tickets for Sunday. On September 30, they can gain entry for €160.
“That sort of value is not to be had anywhere in the world.”
He continued: “The key to our thinking was it was the first time we’ve been afforded the chance to bring children to our final at a reasonable rate. We’re delighted to get the opportunity and we recognise we’re fortunate to be handed it but we now want to capitalise on it.”
He admits he doesn’t know whether the GAA would have been able to fill Croke Park on September 30 if it retained the same prices as last Sunday.
“People have accused me of being naive about business before. I come from the voluntary world, from the policy-making end of things. I am not a businessman.”
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