O’Neill sees foreign fields as fertile ground for GAA

GAA president Liam O’Neill has outlined why he believes the number of those participating in Gaelic games outside Ireland can dwarf those playing in the country within the next 20 years.

O’Neill has been greatly encouraged by the amount of underage development in the US and sees no reason why the sport can’t be spread internationally. He also explained how the GAA intend maximising foreign broadcasting rights after some difficulties in the past.

“It’s no longer about the emigrant going abroad and growing the GAA,” he said, “it’s about the emigrant who has gone abroad whose child is now playing games. That’s where the growth is going to be.”

He has full faith in his declaration at last Thursday night’s Irish-American Heritage awards dinner that Gaelic games participation can accelerate over the next 20 years.

“That’s not unreasonable. I spent one morning in Rockland, a suburb north of the Bronx, and the club was founded in ’72 as a junior club but it started a juvenile programme a number of years ago.

“They have six or seven hundred children, boys and girls, in the juvenile programme up there. They spent $2.3m (€1.8m) on their facilities, acquired a mental hospital facility that was being sold off and they managed to get their hands on seven to 10 acres in two lots. They’re going to spend a further $3m (€2.35m) on facilities and they are just rooted in that community.

“I was out last night for a dinner dance in Shannon Gaels, who are based in Queens. They, after just 10 years, have acquired ground from the state. They’re putting down roots too, and they had 11 juvenile teams at the Continental Youth Championships in Chicago and they’re just ready to spring off as well. Those are just two groups.

“We have Chicago, a 56-acre site. Boston is a big place as well and Philadelphia is buying land. That’s just on this, the east coast section of it. Then you have San Francisco, Buffalo and all these other places springing up with juvenile activity. That’s going to be a huge boost.”

O’Neill believes ladies’ football can play a major role in the promotion of Gaelic games abroad, while he sees a huge market for hurling in China following the visit of then Chinese vice-President Xi Jinping to Croke Park earlier this year.

“If I was leading to sell Gaelic football around the world, I would probably lead with the ladies’ football game,” added O’Neill. “The take-up of ladies’ football among women would be much faster than Gaelic football with men. I think we have failed so far to grasp that reality.

“If you take the growth in Far Asia and there is talk of the [Opel hurling All Stars] tour going to Shanghai next year, I would say hurling in China has huge potential.

“If we can get our TV campaign tidied up abroad and actually publicise our games I think there would be a huge take-up in China because China is supposed to be the place where ball and stick games originated.

“The visit of the [Chinese] vice-President was significant and the fact that he took a hurley in his hand is also significant.”

After the GAA’s broadcasting rights were sold on by the successful bidder last time around, O’Neill is confident the association will be savvier about the next round of deals at the end of 2014.

“I know when the package was sold that our television rights were then sold on. That wasn’t a great deal. I think we have to be a lot sharper about that.

“We have a different approach to marketing now. Peter McKenna and his marketing team are now in charge of that. I think there is a bit more awareness of that TV rights game and how it is done. I would be hopeful that the world has moved on and that we will be in a better position when we go to do it the next time.”

Meanwhile, O’Neill hopes some of the Football Review Committee’s recommendations may translate to hurling.

The Laois man said the Eugene McGee-led group will shortly report to O’Neill and their proposals will either be voted on by Central Council or March’s Congress in Derry.

“We’ll give this full debate. There won’t be any attempt by us to alter, water-down or change in any way their recommendation.

“I am hopeful that some of the stuff that comes out of the football review might be transferable to hurling too and might change our thinking a little on that but it is an ongoing process.”