Breheny stirring it for no reason ...

In an article in todays Indo entitled Opening a Can of Worms and regarding the use of Nemo Rangers GAA facilities by the Irish rugby squad, Martin Breheny makes some head-scratching comments.

"Sure wasn't the facility lying idle anyway? Wasn't it great to see it being used by an Irish rugby squad? And didn't Declan Kidney pass some lovely comments about the GAA and its facilities afterwards, including how rugby would be forever grateful for Croke Park?

Rugby is, in fact, so grateful that once it leaves Croke Park after the Ireland-Scotland game on March 20, it has no intention of returning if it can possibly avoid it. And as for the 32,200 people who will no longer be able to acquire tickets for the much smaller Lansdowne Road, well that's tough. Sure haven't they got TVs?"

What is this sarcasm about? Did he expect the IRFU to build a stadium with a 50,000 capacity and then not use it? Incidentally the previous capacity for Landsdowne was less than 50,000.

The GAA came to the rescue of the IRFU and FAI over the last three years through the use of Croke Park, yet both organisations now give the impression that once they spout their 'thanks for the use of the hall' platitudes, they can't wait to return across the Liffey.

The rugby crowd (as distinct from the soccer crowd) have appreciated the short term solution offered to them - and it was stressed as a short term solution when the rule was revoked. Why is he stirring it up here under the pretence of this becoming an issue at Congress?

i was wondering who would be the first journalist to pick up on this and try and make a big deal out of it.

He must have been stuck for a story.

Just wait till the next time Ireland have a home game against England to win the 6 Nations.
Then ye'l undestand what Breheny's on about.

mossbags wrote:Just wait till the next time Ireland have a home game against England to win the 6 Nations.
Then ye'l undestand what Breheny's on about.

I know what he's on about Moss. The IRFU know that they could fill Croker for every game - as they have done for 3 years. But they are just completing a 50,000 stadium and obviously are going to play there. Personally I would have moved the stadium to a green field site and built an 80,000 new one but thats not what happened.

So you have one body of people moaning that they should get out when Landsdowne is built - which was always to be the case (as agreed by the GAA) when the gates were opened - and which they are doing. And now some of these same people are moaning again because the IRFU want to use Landsdowne as planned from now on - inferring they are ungrateful so and sos. A load of crap tbh!

But surely they should keep the option of Croke Park open for the really big games? I mean theres a shortfall of 30,000 plus spectators who will miss out for the really major games, that lets face it only happen about once or twice a year, who could easily be accommodated just a couple of miles down the road, not to mention the impact on the local economy because of this.
The IRFU and the IFA entered into an agreement with Aviva that ties them to Landsdowne Rd for the next ten years. This completely rules out Croke Park as an option and in effect makes them slaves to their sponsors. But dont worry Jayo, the corporate box prawn sandwich brigade will be well looked after in the new stadium, of course. Its just the average honest Joe supporter who loves the game who stands to lose out but clearly the IRFU couldn't give a flying fook about these guys.
Is their such a thing as an 'own try'?? There is now.

No I know what you are saying Moss. I have been to every rugby international in Croker - and at 82k capacity the tickets v England were like hens teeth. The first year I blagged my way in without a ticket! And I am resigned to the fact that I have absolutely no chance of getting tickets for the Aviva.

As I said earlier the 'old' Landsdowne had a less than 50k capacity - and there is undoubtedly a novelty factor with Croker. But the likes of Aviva surely pay to ensure that the games are there and there would be a lot less in the contract I'd imagine if some games (and the big ones especially) were to be played elsewhere.

So in effect the sponsors dictate the terms, not the fans a la English premiership football. Sad to see Rugby take this route.This is what Breheny's alluding to all along and I've a funny feeling this warped philosophy is gonna come back and bite the IRFU right in the ass.

look at the genuine supporters who miss out on All ireland tickets every year - wouldn't matter what the capacity was 70% would be allocated to sponsors and corporate sector and the ordinary joe bloggs would miss out anyway

bocerty wrote:look at the genuine supporters who miss out on All ireland tickets every year - wouldn't matter what the capacity was 70% would be allocated to sponsors and corporate sector and the ordinary joe bloggs would miss out anyway

Breheny's point was that there is a staduim down the road that can accommodate an extra 30,000 supporters. I find your 70% corporate figure excessive but even so it works out at an extra 9,000+ for 'ordinary' fans, therefore an extra 9,000(and this I'd say is a very conservative figure based on your 70%) would not 'miss out'. Not a small amount.

mossbags wrote:

bocerty wrote:look at the genuine supporters who miss out on All ireland tickets every year - wouldn't matter what the capacity was 70% would be allocated to sponsors and corporate sector and the ordinary joe bloggs would miss out anyway

Breheny's point was that there is a staduim down the road that can accommodate an extra 30,000 supporters. I find your 70% corporate figure excessive but even so it works out at an extra 9,000+ for 'ordinary' fans, therefore an extra 9,000(and this I'd say is a very conservative figure based on your 70%) would not 'miss out'. Not a small amount.

Mossy i dont why i said 70% its not based on any facts - if may be lower than that i'm not sure.

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Speaking of Aviva stadium, here are the latest pics from the interior of the stadium.

It looks amazing but it more or less only has 3 sides .

Surely there must have been some other place near it in South Dublin that they could have built a 70-80000 seater stadium? The land probably wouldn't have cost them much more extra either as the lands at Lansdowne would have been worth a bomb as well at the time.

Moss - ask another question. How may fans go to AIL, Magners etc? When old Landsdowne was there in the old days it had 49k capacity - now it has 50k. And don't forget the grassroots GAA who would go mental if the 'loan' was extended even just to big games. But no sponsor is gonna put a wad of money into naming a stadium and then have the big games elsewhere - that'd be just plain idiocy.

Also "So in effect the sponsors dictate the terms, not the fans a la English premiership football." Are you serious? Sky TV and others etc have dictated the terms in the Premiership for years now - match dates, times etc - the fans have had no consideration in England for eons - extremely bad example to use.

I dont care either way if the rugger boys want Croke Park. Yes if we can make a couple of bob from them. The only thing I have in favour is that when Lonsdowne reopens I will have to face again on a few Saturdays every year my road being cluttered with strange shaped vehicles and those emerging from them asking in a strange language, I think, directions to something called the motch and or ore thore clompers guys about?

Jayo Cluxton wrote:
Also "So in effect the sponsors dictate the terms, not the fans a la English premiership football." Are you serious? Sky TV and others etc have dictated the terms in the Premiership for years now - match dates, times etc - the fans have had no consideration in England for eons - extremely bad example to use.

Why an extremly bad example to use or are you completely missing the point??The fans of premiership soccerball are not considered by those who run the game and now its clearly the same in Rugby too. The IRFU would rather have over 30,000 at home watching Ireland on the telly than cheering them on at the game.
As for the grass-roots GAA you speak of I know hundreds of them and not one objected to having rugby or soccer in Croke Park, as long as the GAA gets its cut, which of course, it most certainly did. You might have a handful of extremists throwing hissy fits here and there but they do not represent a monopoly of the GAAs 'grassroots', believe me.

yeah Moss - took you up the complete opposite way re your example - mea culpa.

I would love if it was an 80,000 stadium - with all the economic benefits that would bring but the IRFU are not the Dublin Chamber of Commerce. Also their sitting tenants wouldn't instil confidence in spending too much...