GAELIC GAMES GPA REPORT:THE GAELIC Players Association (GPA) have joined the campaign to highlight the monetary value of sport ahead of next month's Budget by claiming every intercounty GAA player generates, on average, €100,000 annually for the economy.
This is one of the main findings of
Assessment of the Economic and Social Impact of the Senior Intercounty Gaelic Players in Ireland
, commissioned by the GPA and published yesterday. The report was carried out by Indecon International Economic Consultants, as part of the GPA’s campaign to protect Government funding for intercounty players, which was cut by 70 per cent last year.
The report also claims the annual spending generated by intercounty GAA fixtures is €484.5 million – which translates into real value to the Irish economy of €193.3 million.
According to the report, this only relates to activity around attendances at intercounty games and not to income streams generated such as merchandising, television advertising and media.
“This study provides evidence of the enormous contribution our intercounty players make to this country economically as well as culturally,” said GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell. “It reaffirms for us one of the key principles behind Government funding for hurlers and footballers, funding which has already been cut by 70 per cent.
“We all understand the key role sport can play in this country during these difficult times, and it is encouraging to also note from the study the influence the intercounty GAA players continue to have in encouraging participation in sport.”
The cost of the Government funding scheme for intercounty players, as set up by the GPA, is now €1.01 million, reduced after just one year from €3.5 million. It means for the past two years individual expenses for players have ranged from €300 to €700.
The report also shows 96.5 per cent of those surveyed believed senior intercounty games are important in encouraging participation in sport, and revealed 2,598 jobs are sustained by intercounty players’ activities.
GPA chairman and Cork hurler Donal Óg Cusack said the study underlines the importance of GAA activities at a time when the country is struggling economically.
“The Indecon study is yet another vindication for the contribution our amateur hurlers and footballers make to our country. One way of protecting this extraordinary contribution by intercounty players is to support the principle of their Government funding,” he said.
“While we’re acutely aware of the ever deepening crisis in Ireland, we believe players have already endured their pain by having their scheme slashed by 70 per cent. Any further cuts would be simply unacceptable.”
According to the study’s baseline estimates, senior intercounty Gaelic players generated €276.7 million in indirect and induced spending, €100.1 million in employment incomes (from 2,598 resulting jobs) and €193.3 million in gross value added.
The direct spending related to senior intercounty Gaelic players, generated by those who attend senior fixtures, Central Council expenditures and amortised spending on advanced sales of term tickets and corporate packages for the stadium redevelopment programme was an estimated €197.6 million in 2009.
The breakdown
Estimated gross economic impact from senior intercounty Gaelic players attributable to the football and hurling fixtures 2009
Direct spending *€207.8m
Indirect and induced spending €276.7m
Total direct, indirect and induced spending €484.5m
Total employment 2,598
Total direct, indirect and induced employment incomes €100.1m
Total direct, indirect and induced
gross value added €193.3m
Source: Indecon estimates and GAA attendance and revenue data*
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