Gaelic Players Association may go after gate receipts in new deal

Gaelic Players Association chief executive Paul Flynn has not ruled out seeking a portion of GAA gate receipts to fund the players body. The GPA’s three-year funding arrangement with the GAA runs out in October and Flynn confirmed talks over a fresh agreement are ongoing.

The GPA secured a historic €6.2m-per-year deal for 2017-19 with at least €2.5m of ‘core funding’ to be sourced directly from GAA commercial revenue. That was a groundbreaking development and the next step could be to demand a slice of gate receipts, in line with how various other player bodies are funded.

Asked specifically about moving for a percentage of gate receipts, Flynn said: “I think what’s critically important is that we have enough funding to support the demands that the players present to us. Whatever way that funding comes, we’re very open minded, whether it be coming from commercial revenue, whether it be coming from ticket prices, we’re agnostic to that.

The most important element is that the price that players are paying to fill stadiums, to generate revenue for the GAA, you’re asking that they’re supported.

"If we talk about expenses, for instance, and people think all inter-county players are in receipt of expenses and a nutrition allowance, and by the book they are, but they’re not getting paid the right expenses at all times. They’re not getting paid them in a timely fashion.

“So one of the main things that I would be very strong on is that players get paid their expenses, month to month, and that they’re not paying a price to play, that they’re at least getting their costs reimbursed.

“That’s a really important item from our own perspective. If that’s paid by whatever shape or form, through the revenue that’s generated by the inter-county game, we’re agnostic to that.”

Under the 2017-19 deal, the GPA was guaranteed 15% of GAA commercial revenue, or €2.5m, whichever was the higher figure.

GAA commercial revenue rose in 2018, resulting in a €2.8m payment to the GPA, though gate receipts fell. Flynn shrugged at the suggestion it would be a giant break from tradition to cut the GPA in on gate receipts.

“Look, there’s many things (with) the way they want to go, from our perspective it’s around just getting the funding, where it comes from is secondary,” said Flynn.