Coaching value in Munster GAA estimated at €34m

That value could balloon in the coming years.

The value of coaching in Munster GAA has been put at €34.4m, up almost €5m on the previous €29.7m figure in 2019.

Commissioned by the council, Repucon Consulting found that for every €1 invested in under-age coaching, there was a return of €16.34 in 2023 — slightly down on the €16.81 figure in 2019.

However, there was a record €2.147m spent on coaching two years ago and the value of it has jumped by close to €15m since 2011 because of greater levels of participation by children and parents’ growing appreciation for GAA activities.

That value could balloon in the coming years. Last year, Munster GAA invested €3.394m in coaching and games development in 2024, a significant rise from €2.147m in 2023.

Approximately 2.1m training sessions took place in 2023, compared to 1.8m 12 years ago. In 2023, there were 57,603 under-age players registered in 430 juvenile clubs across the six counties, with 11,800 coaches and mentors overseeing them.

The study revealed parents are receiving an €8.13 return on investment for every €1 they spend on their children’s GAA membership based on the health, social, and sports benefits they receive for their children.

The report notes: “One of the most significant patterns continuing to emerge in the research is the growth in the willingness to pay valuations by parents and the growth in values parents suggest is the closest match to the value of a GAA training session.

“Since research began in 2011, the majority of valuations were associated with lower-value activities [ie less than €5]. In the 2023 analysis, this pattern has almost reversed completely with a significant increase in the values parents now place on their child’s participation in GAA activity [ie matching the values of non-sport activities in excess of €5].”

Over 4,400 weekly underage training sessions were held across the province during the 2023 playing season, generating 5,100 hours of GAA coaching time for underage players each week. Over a third (38%) of clubs experienced growth in the playing numbers while 36% of them retained the same playing numbers over the past three years. Over the same period, a quarter (26%) reported a decline in their playing numbers.

A total of 45,712 under-age players participated in Munster GAA Cúl Camps two years ago. A total of 785,000 player contact hours were generated by Munster GAA coaches through the Go Games coaching programme in primary schools, generating a value of €7.12m.

The research offers positive news in the smaller 40.6% decline in the number of U17 players (3,030) from those at U7 level (5,098), which is nearly 12% less than the decline in 2019 (52.2%) and also improvement on the 2011 (43%) and 2015 (42.1%) figures.

The report is set to be launched at Munster GAA’s Club Forum in Limerick’s Mary Immaculate College on Saturday. Over 300 people are expected at the event with the subject of the day being “best practice in coaching and club development”.

Keynote speaker is the GAA’s national demographic committee chairman Benny Hurl. Former Cork senior football managers Brian Cuthbert and Keith Ricken and the GAA’s games development chairman Micheál Martin will also give addresses.