John Mullane

Anyone read the John Mullane interview in the Independent today? He basically slams the GAA for the ridiculous ticket prices into inter-county games, despite the recession. I mean, with no disrespect, would you bring the family to Clare against Waterford in the football at 20 yo-yos per person? He also has a pop at the GAA for being more concerned with money than the players and also the fixture schedule.

It's quite a good article and for a player who can rub people up the wrong way on the pitch, he certainly deserves credit and respect for coming out with the points he has made. I've always loved him as a player, the passion and desire he shows is what inter-county is about to me, not the constant whinging and supposed "super-stardom" of other players/teams. My opinion of him has gone up even further as he's using his profile to highlight some major issues. Pity the GAA are highly unlikely to take any of it on board!!

Used to hate john mullane but after an interview after being sent off in a game my opinion changed was distraught and took the full blame on his shoulder.

The man a legend on the field and now off the field too no BS with him at all..... unlike the many new GAA prima donna we'er seeing more of.

Good article but I think Mr Mullane has a bit to go for redemption, ask a young fella around Mullinvat still looking for one of his testicles (true I kid you not).
As regards your point of Clare v Waterford match, I would say loads of people from West Clare and west Waterford would bring there kids to it these are football strong holds in those counties Have won the munster club football and contested it over the last two years, Kilmurray & Stradbally.
In these areas people more inclined to follow footballers than hurlers, I live in a part of Wexford that is the same.
Its not all about AI's its about supporting and winning a game, Waterford footballers have now won a championship game two years in a row a long long time since they did that, may of done it in the 60's.
Clare won munster in 92 and since then have beaten cork and limerick in the championship.
Waterford got promoted in the league
Success is measured in different ways so get the foock of that high horse and give those people the appreciation they deserve.

Aye Jim I've heard that too he was a bit of trouble in his early days but seems he's cleaned up his act on and off the field.

hag and cheese wrote:Aye Jim I've heard that too he was a bit of trouble in his early days but seems he's cleaned up his act on and off the field.

Ya think he not the "scummer" hanging around sullys snooker hall that he once was and he seems to have grown up a lot. to be fair the article was good and the points he made were valid, regarding games like that I think if you buy tickets should do you for both days, but then family tickets aren't too bad, kids under 16 generally free, except for stands and there you get them are reduced rates.
Saying that it cost me 20 a head for us last year in Carlow against Kildare and I had 4 under 16's with me

Do any of you have a link to the article lads?

mullins wrote:

THE GAA yesterday launched a staunch defence of its admission prices for inter-county fixtures after a withering attack from Waterford’s John Mullane who labelled the cost of tickets as "shameful".
The two-time All Star, speaking at a Puma promotional event, also accused the Association of prioritising TV revenue ahead of player welfare, and criticised the cross-over between the Munster senior and U21 hurling championships.

Mullane’s main gripe, however, was the costs involved with supporting inter-county teams at a time when people are suffering the impacts of the national economic downturn.

"They need to start looking at everything," Mullane said of the GAA.

"The ticket prices are absolutely crazy. You had the scenario last week with Waterford and Clare (in the Munster football championship) and people were asked to pay €20 to go in and watch the football.

"Waterford and Clare now play again next week (in the Munster hurling championship) and it is €30 for the price of tickets. The tickets are dearer now in the middle of the recession than they were when we were in the height of the Celtic Tiger."

Croke Park stood over its ticketing policy later in the afternoon when informed of Mullane’s comments, and claimed that the latest evidence only validated their ticketing structures for major matches.

"There hasn’t been an increase in four years and this recession only kicked in about two years ago, so it wasn’t like we were hiking prices up in the better times either," said GAA spokesman Alan Milton.

"Things are tough now and they were last year too but, not only did our attendance figures hold steady in 2009, they actually increased by 4,000 on ‘08 so there are obviously a lot of people who don’t agree with John."

That last hike, announced in February of 2007, was the Association’s first since 2004 and president Christy Cooney declared earlier this year that he didn’t envisage any increases until at least 2013.

Milton, like other Association figures before him, also made the claim that the GAA offered exceptional value when stood alongside other Irish sporting codes but Mullane believes such comparisons to be invalid.

"At the end of the day, the rugby and the soccer, they are professional sports. The GAA are an amateur sport. They can’t forget that. They are using that carrot the whole time.

"Why don’t they have amateur prices? The GAA is all about being family-orientated. Let’s try and help families in the middle of a recession, instead of going out and charging these prices."

The GAA have acknowledged the impact of the recession this last 12 months with a number of initiatives that have included special offers for both the NFL and All-Ireland Club finals.

A ‘Hurling Heaven’ and ‘Football Feast’ offer was also unveiled towards the latter stages of last summer’s championship and such initiatives are now commonplace throughout the country, according to Milton.

"We believe that, as an Association, we have been very innovative in thinking outside the box. We have no control over how expensive it might be to get to a game or how much people spend once they are there.

"We understand that times are tough for a lot of people but we believe our games offer excellent value for money with things like minor games before senior games and double headers."

Mullane was also unhappy with the decision to fix Waterford’s opening Munster SHC tie against Clare for June 7, the Bank Holiday Monday, labelling the date as "absolutely ridiculous".

"I was only talking to (Kerry’s) Declan O’Sullivan there and they had the same scenario last year against Dublin and it is a crazy situation.

"The GAA are thinking of TV revenue but they are not thinking of the players. It’s unfortunate for the players that we have to hang around.

"It’s bad enough waiting around until Sunday but to wait around an extra day … you have to think of work then."

MULLANE added that some players would have to take the Tuesday off work to recover from their exertions, something Croke Park pointed out was a relatively modern phenomenon.

However, Milton said that such considerations would be taken into account if there had been any representations from either county board and that it could be looked at in future if more players shared Mullane’s views.

Waterford’s preparations for that game aren’t being helped by the fact that their U21 side are in action in that grade’s championship the previous Wednesday when they face Cork in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Tipperary had to overcome a similar situation last year when a number of U21s had to play for both panels in the space of three days on two separate occasions. "For us it is a total nightmare," Mullane said. "We have eight or nine off the U21 panel and for numbers alone we will have them one night and not the next."

All i can say is "balls"