D-G wants say in selecting match venues

GAA director general Páraic Duffy has bemoaned the fact that neither he nor the GAA president have any say in the venue selection for national games.

Duffy was referring to a number of fixtures last year which he believes were let down by the venues in which they were staged. He didn’t specify any games in particular but the decision to bring Cork and Kerry’s league semi-finals to Croke Park last April was criticised in the counties. The double-header brought a paltry 11,342 crowd to GAA HQ.

“It was disappointing to observe that a number of high-profile games in 2012 were fixed for venues that met none of the criteria for achieving maximum attendances,” wrote Duffy in his report.

“Venues with superior facilities, better seating and easier journeys for supporters were sometimes not selected. CCC [competition controls] committees have a responsibility at all levels to select venues that meet the criteria identified in the 2009 research.

“It is no longer good enough that venues are selected on account of politics or traditional practice. It is frustrating that, at national level, neither the Uachtarán nor the Ard Stiúrthóir has the opportunity to have an input into venue selection for key matches.

“At the very least, we need to establish clear and transparent criteria for the evaluation and selection of venues.”

Speaking after delivering his report to the media, Duffy said the GAA have to become more aware of what considerations supporters make in deciding whether or not to go to a game. He also articulated his opposition to home and away agreements between counties.

“Sometimes venues are fixed because there are agreements between counties, if you go here this time and we’ll go there the next time and so on. That kind of thing is what I’m opposed to.

“There should be no deals or arrangements. You try to pick what is the best possible venue to attract the maximum number of people at the highest level of comfort.”

Duffy expressed his concern about the attractiveness there is for supporters to become armchair fans and watch games on TV.

“As the technology of sports broadcasting improves, and as HD and 3D make the viewing experience more and more dramatic, greater will be the temptation for some supporters to conclude that watching a match on television is as good as being at it.”

To that extent, he has ruled out cutting the amount of live GAA games on TV but is adamant supporters’ match day experiences have to be improved.

“TV is not going to go back to black and white. It’s going to get better and better. But better and better raises the bar for us.

“I think it’s a real challenge so therefore you’ve got to make the experience of going to a match as positive as you possibly can.”

Duffy confirmed Hawk-Eye will begin its two-year trial run in Croke Park come the Leinster quarter-finals in June providing the motion is passed at next month’s Congress.