GAA face up to bleak financial picture of games behind closed doors

Croke Park will pay for the preparation of no more than 32 players in a training panel and overnight training camps cannot take place during the championship.

The GAA will have to conduct a massive financial overhaul if crowds are not permitted to return to games within the next 12 months.

That was the stark message from Croke Park officials at Saturday’s Central Council meeting where it was confirmed that inter-county leagues and championships will go ahead on the understanding the Government will help fund it.

As the Irish Examiner reported last week, there had been strong indications that the Government would back up their vocal support of the Championship taking place with a subvention. With official collective inter-county training commencing today, that support is timely. It is not expected the Government will bankroll the entire €19.5 million that the GAA estimate the inter-county period will cost to organise from next month until the All-Ireland senior football final on December 19. However, a substantial contribution is anticipated.

The amount could depend on the announcement of the new national coronavirus plan on Tuesday and whether spectators in the 26 counties can be permitted to attend games, and the possibility the GAA will be able to accrue meaningful gate receipts from next month. It is speculated that in venues with over 5,000 capacity, crowds of 300 to 400 could initially be allowed from this weekend.

Along with the FAI and IRFU, the GAA are working on a submission for the safe return of supporters to games. The GAA will make a strong case on the basis of their hugely successful organising of the recent Cúl Camps, where over 71,000 children attended — as well as the very few Covid cases related to watching adult club games. It is also believed Croke Park will highlight their own successful track and trace protocols with over 6.5m health questionnaires pertaining to club activities now having been completed.

The bleak financial picture of games behind closed doors and severely restricted capacities was made clear to the GAA’s Management Committee and Central Council on Friday and Saturday respectively. Unless crowds of reasonable sizes are permitted to attend games again, funding for matters such as coaching and capital projects will be severely impacted for several years. The GAA’s share of the €40m Covid resilience fund is likely to go towards operational costs well into 2021.

The GAA will contact the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) today regarding the cost-cutting measures it has agreed for the inter-county season to take place from next month. As part of the €7m package (preparing teams cost counties almost €30m last year), the mileage rate is expected to be reduced from 65 cents per mile, while nutrition and gear allowances will also contract significantly. The mileage and nutritional allowances agreed with the GPA for players usually comes to a maximum of €2.7m per annum.

Counties are to be limited to three training sessions per week. Croke Park will pay for the preparation of no more than 32 players in a training panel and overnight training camps cannot take place during the championship. On match day, team groups will comprise 26 players, 11 management/backroom team members and two county officials.

Squads will not be allowed to meet up any earlier than three hours prior to throw-in unless their game is 130 miles away at which point they can arrange hotel accommodation the night before a game. Multiple dressing rooms could also be used by the same squad.

County delegates were also warned that their boards would have to cut their coats according to their cloth and not to complain to Croke Park if they find themselves in arrears as a result of preparing teams.