Why don't GAA matches sell out?

Winning teams get good attendance.

There's a lot of factors that effect attendance at intercounty matches. You cannot compare with premier League or similar for any number of reasons.

The indirect costs are one factor. I had looked at going to Killarney for the Mayo Kerry game but the price of the accomodation wasn't a doable figure, even if it were the fuel, food, drinks etc up and down aren't small money. And while some people can afford and have the time to go every weekend sometimes there's not a big support base unless the team are doing well.

The absolute dominance of Dublin GAA over the past decade and more at this stage has killed a lot of Leinster counties and these are generally the more populated counties and the dominance of Kerry in Munster has done the same there. You could say hurling has been adversely effected by Limerick also but there are a few teams close to them in Munster.

Ultimately you can't do much to change the formats of intercounty as the players aren't paid full time professionals.

At the end of the day we have a limited population, and not all are into GAA or intercounty GAA or at least aren't till the county are doing well, which is fine too.

So long as the participation rates remain high, I personally am happy. Anything that helps foster community is a good thing and many aspects of the GAA are brilliant for that.

I don't think you "get" the gaa ethos.

The players don't get paid - they are not professional.

The thing with dublin is the playing numbers are on their side and to be fair to them, they have spent whatever money was coming in wisely.

I am not saying anything negative about the dubs etc - just pointing out some of the "Issues"

I go to almost every game but it does make me think twice about going to away games when I know I have 80e in tickets and about 50e in trains coming in April for the Munster championships. That's before factoring in food and the evening out that usually follows championship games.

The local stadiums could definitely do more to attract people in. The focus should be on making it an experience rather than just investing in more capacity. I remember when I first moved to America I went to a minor league baseball game in the town I worked in. This would be a low division full of back ups to an MLB team, so not a glamour fixture. But in their small stadium they had a whole range of food options, all really good and reasonably priced, a few different bars with your basic beers in one, and more IPA stuff in another. They had a whole kid's play area with bouncy castles, slides, even a splash park (which we might not have the weather for, to be fair). They would have themed nights like fireworks night, star wars night (the kids all get glow in the dark light sabres on the way in). And they had a nice merchandise shop as well.

The place was packed with locals every time they played, because it was about 10 dollars to get in and there was stuff for kids and adults to do there. Make it a nice destination for an easy day out and don't try and gouge people for the privilege. I went numerous times and I couldn't give a fiddlers about baseball.

It just takes a bit of imagination, which is in short supply in Ireland. Thinking of Nowlan Park, behind the new stand there is a huge amount of space that's just empty gravel, which could easily be put to good use. The one really great thing they do is let kids on the field at half time to puck ball, and they're trying to stamp that out.

No thanks.

A stadium is to watch a match in. I would rather it be empty than full of drunks and posers like the rugby is now. If you are not entertained by the sport then don't go.

I'd actually forgotten it was a Saturday afternoon match rather than Sunday, so yes, that would have been a factor as well.

For what it's worth, I go to most Wexford matches myself, but I don't mind admitting that I gave that one a miss.

Up to about 2010 the football championship was usually competitive and fairly open, but that's long gone now. These days only about 3 counties a year have a chance of winning, but mostly its Dublin, and Kerry if Dublin have an off year.

Making the league the premier competition would be a radical step but certainly bring some life back and that goes for football and hurling. But the GAA don't really do radical.

Well the original point you were making was that there's so few games it's surprising the attendance isn't higher so it would suggest that more games would lead to fewer in attendance on average.

I agree with you, if you want entertainment, you definitely shouldn't attend football. So...what's your suggestion for increasing attendances?

I was in Croke Park on Saturday and had the misfortune of sitting on an aisle. Constant streams up and down. People also out the back having pints with the game on.

I have no problem with your bouncy castles which is why I didn't mention them. Fancy dress day no thanks though.

Munster's European games don't even come close to selling out these days. That bandwagon got a good lick of green paint and was carted off through Mayorstone.

Not sure what you can do about the league. When the fans, media and teams are all saying "it's only the league" what more can you do.

What facts would you have there to say the soccer and rugby are "selling tickets" ?

Dublin alone outdo Leinster and Limerick or Cork are drawing in the same or more than Munster. Together the Munster teams blow Munster out of the water.

The Irish rugby team have become like Wimbledon or the Tour de France and are in no way a reflection of the sport in Ireland. 6 Nations is just an evening out and a place to be seen. Thornley has an article in the Irish Times this week adding to the growing list of media bemoaning how crap the atmosphere of that "full house" is.

Like the Irish language I think we overestimate the interest in GAA.

I’m a fair weather supporter, I only watch my county when we get to the Quarter or Semi finals stages.

Thinking you are reading things not there but work away.

Surprised at 18k against Bayonne. I was at that game and it felt nothing close to that.