GAA to focus on stadium funding

GAELIC GAMES:THE GAA will be exploring additional uses for Croke Park following confirmation that neither the IRFU nor the FAI intend using the stadium after the completion of Lansdowne Road in 2010. However, GAA president Nickey Brennan said such a move was not strictly financially motivated, nor was there was ever any assumption that Croke Park would remain an alternative venue for rugby and soccer internationals.

The playing of rugby and soccer in Croke Park, following the historic congress vote in 2005, has yielded €1.35 million per game in rent money for the GAA, which at least partly contributed to the expectation in certain GAA circles that some arrangement might be made post-2010, even if it was on a once-off basis. A motion from Clare looking to allow that is due at congress next April.

But Brennan’s response when the issue was raised yesterday was to state that the GAA had never expected the IRFU or the FAI to seek further use of Croke Park, although that didn’t mean the motion to amend Rule 42 – which governs the use of Croke Park – on a permanent basis shouldn’t be examined in its own right.

“Not for one minute were we pre-supposing any request from either the IRFU or the FAI to use Croke Park after 2010,” said Brennan. “For that reason, I wasn’t surprised in the least bit that they’re not looking to go outside Lansdowne Road once it’s completed.

“They’re building their own stadium, with their own stakeholders, and own corporate facilities, so it’s certainly not unreasonable that would be where they’ll play all their games.

“But a separate issue, and what the Clare motion is about, is that Croke Park is there if they wanted to come back to the GAA in the future for whatever reason . . .That’s the only purpose of the Clare motion, that if they did ever want to come back in the future then there would be no need for permission.

“But perhaps the impression was being given as well that there was something inherent in the Clare motion that would allow us to keep soccer and rugby in Croke Park, because we were having further discussions with the IRFU and FAI. Well I can categorically deny that. We were never, nor would we, pressuring them into anything, because it wasn’t our right.”

The opening of Croke Park to soccer and rugby in 2005 has so far earned the GAA approximately €40 million in rent, although Brennan pointed out this was association money, not stadium money – and one of the reasons the motion was passed to begin with.

“I think it’s very important to state that all the income from the use of Croke Park for soccer and rugby was ring-fenced for the grassroots of the association. In fairness to Philip Browne (IRFU chief executive), he may have perceived a situation whereby the GAA was somehow putting pressure on them to use Croke Park in some capacity past 2010.

“That was never the case, and what the IRFU and FAI do after 2010 is entirely their own business. We were never going to interfere in that, and of course they’re going to run their business as they see fit, and we wish them well. We have got on very well with both associations, and I’ve said that before. But we’ll let congress deal with the issue from here, because it’s important that we let the motion stand on its own merits.”

Yet Brennan admitted the future of Croke Park has come back into focus in light of the IRFU’s and FAI’s decision: “Losing those games is a financial loss, that goes without saying,” he said. “So there is no question we’ll be looking at additional ways to fund Croke Park.

“Croke Park is an expensive place to maintain, and the various upgrades that need to be carried out, whether that is parts of the stands, the fittings, or whatever.

“A lot of that income comes from the rental of the venue. It’s no secret that in the current economic environment attracting these corporate events is becoming far more challenging. So we will be looking towards new revenue again, through some other events.

“That’s the challenge now to the stadium management, to look beyond the normal commercial income. And I’ve no doubt they have the imagination to attract other events, sporting or otherwise, into the stadium.”