IN ALL FAIRNESS - Tax-man can be a blessing for the GAA

Money is a dirty word when it comes to the GAA, even though it is a hugely important aspect.

Still proudly regarding itself as an amateur organisation, it is anything but in a modern context such is the turnover that goes through its accounts, both at a national and local level.

Nothing gets the ire up more among supporters than admission prices, and they only tend to go in the one direction, and this week the association has taken the decision to remove the sacred cow that was allowing juveniles (under the age of 16) into National League games free of charge. It is only a partial change where to see the Tipperary hurlers in action, a €5 charge will apply for games in divisions 1A & B, but for those attending the senior footballers games in division 4, juveniles will remain free of charge.

A €5 charge isn’t huge in the greater scheme of things, but it is the optics of it that children are now being targeted for the sins of the inter-county machine whom the powerbrokers at Croke Park have been consistently unable to rein in. When people see the Donegal footballers going to Abu Dhabi for a training camp, it all has to be paid for, even accounting for the private funding that many managers or supporters club source which aren’t officially part of GAA accounts.

However, what is does lead to is a large divide between the counties that have access to a large number of private donors to fund such camps, and those who are watching the pennies as much as they can just to ensure their teams have the very basics, from food after matches and training, to busses to attend matches.

GAA President Jarlath Burns has done a lot of good work in his first year in the role, particularly with on-field matters in Gaelic Football, and last Sunday’s provincial club football finals in Munster and Ulster only reaffirmed that the trial rules coming in for 2025 has to work or the game in its current format will become a cure for insomnia it is becoming that unwatchable.

Burns has already secured his legacy should the new rules work, but what would enhance it is if he and Croke Park can finally tackle the runaway train that is the costs surrounding inter-county teams.

There will come a time that the GAA cannot rise admission prices any further than they can. €20 is the maximum a National League game can be for an adult; once you ask someone to hand over a twenty plus a fiver, you are then running the risk of attendances starting to fall and then where are you!

Currently, the hot breath of the Revenue Commissioners is creating panic in county boards right around the country, with the likes of Galway and Mayo unable to sign off on accounts ahead of their annual Conventions for fear things are not in order. It was inevitable that at some stage that the tax authorities would come knocking at the GAA’s door, particularly with the money that flows through the organisation nowadays on an annual basis.

However, the peaked interest of the Revenue Commissioners does provide an opportunity for the GAA to finally get its house in order in terms of its costs, and finally find the table where all the cash payments are being paid under. Actually, County Boards should welcome it as they might finally have something to put in front of their inter-county managers in terms what they can and cannot afford to provide.

A lot of inter-county managers are running roughshod over county boards, more or less arranging what they want and then handing the invoice over to the county treasurer to pay, not caring how and where the money comes for to pay for it.

For counties that are enjoying a successful time, fundraising is a lot easier but then there are counties, like Tipperary, where the good times have slipped away, hopefully for the short term, but the costs are still there to prepare teams. However, when you are not winning regularly, getting supporters to buy Supporters Club memberships or buy tickets for the Win a House or GAA Clubs draws becomes an awful lot harder as the modern supporter isn’t as loyal of sticking with a team through the bad times as they were in the past.

Simple Ideas

Sometimes the simple ideas in terms of fundraising are the best, and to help fund Tipperary GAA underage development, Cumann na mBunscoil are, this week, hosting a jersey day in primary schools around the county, plus on Saturday there is the Santa Dash/Santa Experience at The Dome, Thurles.

Santa is available to meet the kids from 10.00am while the Santa Dash commences at 11.00am with registration from 9.00am. This festive fundraiser directly supports Tipperary GAA’s underage development programs.

A number of Tipperary stars will be present and taking part in the run, plus there will be a live choir, hot refreshments, and a chance to win some prizes in what is a family event as part of the Christmas season.