ALTHOUGH GATE receipts fell for the third successive year, the GAA’s central finances have shown a 5 per cent increase, recording record revenues for 2009. Central Council accounts for the year, released yesterday, reveal that the organisation at national level took in €67,700,229, an increase of €3,382,296.

All but €300,000 of the operating surplus of €24,736,721 (up on last year’s figure of €18,709,185) was redistributed throughout the association.

“It’s been a very solid year. That’s not to say that there are no challenges ahead of us and we’ll need the same solid controls moving forward, but we’re in a good position,” was the summary of president Christy Cooney, who was also keen to emphasise that the value of events at Croke Park to the wider economy has been calculated at “half a billion euro”.

All told, the association took in over €25 million in gate receipts, with the principal other areas of income being commercial, at nearly €20 million and other funding, primarily Croke Park rental, at €18.5 million.

The biggest achievements of the figures were the performance of the stadium, the reduction in administration costs and the strong attendance figures.

Páirc An Crócaigh Teoranta (Pact) recorded a ninth successive year of increased profitability. This was in spite of a projection 12 months ago that profitability would decline by €4 million.

In fact, for the first time revenues topped the €50 million mark with consolidated profit of €21.5 million – an increase of 7 per cent or €1,380,000.

By the end of the year, Central Council will have received €136 for every €100 invested in the Croke Park redevelopment scheme.

The GAA managed to cut its administration costs by €1 million last year. According to finance officer Tom Ryan, the main proportion of this reduction was through employment outgoings.

“Staff costs have been brought down,” he said. “There’s a freeze on recruitment and we’ve been trying to spread resources, but in general there are fewer people and less pay.”

The one area of administration that caused concern was the players’ injury scheme, which as has been widely publicised lost around €1 million and is facing, according to Cooney, “a root and branch review”.

Already the claiming of physiotherapy fees have been greatly reduced with just pre- and post-operative treatments now covered. Ryan pointed out that the scheme, in existence for over 80 years, had accumulated reserves of just €3 million.

Revenue from gate receipts continued, however, to fall, but this year’s decline of €877,387 is an improvement on the drop of €5 million 12 months ago.

Ryan said that although gate receipts had fallen, attendances had held up well with promotional ticket schemes and increased marketing “defending the attendance figures”, at the cost of revenue, but the figure was satisfactory.

“We had anticipated difficulty on the attendance side, but although there were difficulties they weren’t as great as foreseen.”

Ryan said these revenues were to an extent at the mercy of influences beyond the control of the finance team, such as the reforming of competition structures – for instance cutting the All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals from four to two.

One aspect of the figures that continues to head in the wrong direction is the proportion of revenue that comes from gate receipts. A year ago Ryan said that the ideal proportion was two to one gate income to other sources, but at present the GAA is heading in the other direction with just 38 per cent of last year’s earnings coming from attendances.

“I’m concerned about gate receipts even though commercial revenues continue to insulate us, but I’m concerned about the absolute value of gate receipts,” he said, “rather than that our commercial earnings are high.

“It’s the third year that gates have gone down, and although there is no immediate impact on commercial income, obviously if fewer people are attending the games and that reflects a falling interest then there will be a knock-on effect on revenues such as sponsorship and media.”

The proportional figure is also distorted by the revenue from rugby and soccer, which will have contributed nearly €36 million by the time the new Lansdowne Road is reopened later this year.

It was also acknowledged that State funding through the Irish Sports Council had held at a steadier level than the GAA had expected.

When it was put to Ryan that, effectively, this set of figures is as good as it will get for the GAA for the foreseeable future, he agreed, but added that this wasn’t necessarily a major concern.

“It’s not necessarily a bleak thing. We’ve always kept the rugby and soccer revenues separate, so it won’t impact on our day-to-day spending. But people have become accustomed to a certain level of grant funding that won’t be possible in the immediate future.”

Croke Park New Challenges

Stadium Director Peter McKenna has acknowledged that the environment for Croke Park would become more challenging, as rugby and soccer move back to Lansdowne Road and both the new venue as well as the National Convention Centre become established as rivals to the GAA’s headquarters.

“Competition is good,” he said. “It makes sure we respond, and even if we won’t be able to replace the rugby and soccer revenues we will be looking at ways to attract new business.”

Although conference business was down 40 per cent last year, the figures for the first quarter of 2010 are up. Hogan Stand corporate facilities come up for renewal this year.

“We don’t envisage a problem in selling the executive seats,” according to McKenna, “as we anticipate demand from holders and the current waiting list will be strong. “The corporate boxes are more of a challenge, but in the next three to six months we’ll be meeting everyone involved to see how we can maintain the attractiveness of the facilities.”

-Ninth successive year of profitability for the stadium from €20m to €21.5m.

-Turnover exceeded €50m for the first time.

-Distribution to Central Council up 13 per cent to €7m.

-Record yearly attendance at the stadium: 2.1m for all events.

-World record attendance for a club rugby match.

-Energy supplied from renewable sources.

-Forty-eight per cent of stadium waste now recycled.