Can Croke Park do more to help counties realise their financial and commercial potential?

Donegal chairman Mick McGrath believes the GAA top brass could be empowering county boards to sell themselves better and become viable businesses.

Donegal GAA chairman Mick McGrath

Donegal chairman Mick McGrath says Croke Park must do more to assist counties realise their financial and commercial potential.

McGrath believes the GAA top brass could be empowering county boards to sell themselves better and become viable businesses.

“We seem to be moving closer and closer to having an operations manager in each county. The success of those positions is entirely up to those who are qualified to give advice. 

"The role is designing itself. We’re dealing with multi-million euro industries per county.

“I would welcome each county being audited but I would think it needs to go further. We need to be professionally structured to manage the income and expenditure, to get uniformity into what our costs are and to get assistance in ensuring the funding can match the costs.

“I think we have a lot of expertise within the GAA that could assist in helping counties to approach businesses and offering them more in becoming associated with the GAA brand. In a word, it’s marketing ourselves. What benefit has a company other than getting a hoarding around a pitch in getting involved with the GAA? There are many more benefits. The value we have of our county and club brands, there is a huge window for education and expertise required around that.

“Some counties and clubs have managed that quite well, but in general I think we are lacking in it and we certainly need structures. "We in Donegal are reviewing that on an ongoing basis. I’m not saying we have it right or wrong but we are improving it year to year.” 

On the face of it, McGrath likes the concept of an operations manager but highlights potential issues with the role. 

“What happens when he or she comes in and they become a powerhouse? "Who manages them? How do you get rid of them if they have to be gotten rid of? It’s very hard for voluntary officers to manage full-time staff, especially as the role of the volunteer is curtailed by the five-year rule.” 

From querying Croke Park being considered a neutral Super 8 game venue for Dublin to the county’s commercial rights to his latest concerns about the full-time/volunteer dynamic between Croke Park and county boards, McGrath hasn’t been afraid to lock horns with GAA HQ.

“I don’t think it’s stirring the pot,” says the Aodh Ruadh man, now in the final year of his term as chairman. 

“I think all the clubs should be accountable to their county and all the counties should be accountable to Croke Park.” 

McGrath welcomed GAA director general Tom Ryan’s concern about volunteer burnout in his annual report but wonders if the appointment of officers can be changed to ensure the most qualified fill the positions.

“There is a whole need to look at officers on an ongoing basis and to review them and we shouldn’t be afraid to have people identified as having the capabilities, expertise and qualities before they put their names forward.”