The document discusses whether the GAA (Ireland's largest sporting organization) is commercializing and "selling out". It notes that the GAA is signing lucrative sponsorship and broadcast deals, hosting non-GAA events at Croke Park, and was set to earn €5 million from proposed concerts. However, the figures show that over half of GAA's €55 million revenue in 2013 came from gate receipts, while expenses focused on organizing competitions (21%) and games development (17%). While the GAA is bringing in more money, it is spending it on improving facilities and competitions at all levels rather than "selling out" its roots as an amateur organization.

1. GAA-onomics! Is the GAA really selling out?
PJ Mc Grane September 2015
The GAA is commonly known as Ireland’s largest sporting organisation and as a volunteer led
organisation. However isthis traditional structure movingin acommercial direction?When we see
international broadcasters buying up the rights to our national games and county teams wearing
jerseysdecorated withinternational sponsorsinparticularDublin’s agreementwithAIGis thoughtto
be in the region of €750,000-€850,000 per yearif reportsare tobe believed. It’shard tosee how the
GAA is not moving in a commercialised direction.
Recent controversies over the usage of Croke Park stadium the organisation’s HQ for an American
football game and before that what would have been five Gareth Brooks concert has called into
question the ethics of the GAA’s new direction. Before the Dáil’s summer recess independentTDs
Clare Daly &Mick Wallace dubbed the historic groupthe GrabAll Association. The GAA were setfor
a €5 millionpayday with GarethBrooks concerts fromstadium rental butone must askwhere isthe
money going and are we really witnessing the commercialisation of Nations traditions.
For GAA fanatics like myself we can find some relief when the GAA’s finances are put under the
microscope. Regardlessof howmuchthe cynicscomplainorcriticsdisapprove of the GAA’sfinancial
activities the actual figures do not lie. In the most recently available annual report published in
February of this year gate receipts accounted for 54% of the GAA’s €55 million revenue while
commercial revenue hadasignificantlysmallerproportion with32%.Manycomplainthatthisyear’s
results will be very different in particular with the new Sky broadcasting deal but to put this deal
perspective 3One Directionconcertsthisyearwere worthmore thanthe entiretyof the broadcasting
contract with sky sports.
So revenues are concentrated from support from within by paying fans but the question remains,
where isthe GAA spendingitsmoney?Understandablythe leadingcostin2013wasthe moneyspent
toorganise much competitions.The spectaclesthatwe saw onthe pitchesthroughoutthe country at
clubandcountylevel, aswell asthe organisationof the stadiums more than justifieswhy€11.4million
was spent on them equating to 21% of the GAA’s utilisation of the revenue. In true GAA ethos the
secondmostexpensive outlaywasgamesdevelopmentandorganisationfocusedtowardsimproving
our games at all levels from U-6’s to Senior Intercounty and everywhere in-between and acrossall
codesbyeducatingcoaches,developingmodelstoassistinthe educationof afootballerorhurlerand
investinginthe facilitiesavailable tothe starsof tomorrow. €9.2million wasthe nextlargestexpense
thatwasentitledbythe GAA asCountyandProvincial distributions. Thisincludedthe countyboards’
shares of gate receipts sotheycandevelop the structures on amore local scale andassistclubs.17%
of expenditure was used on grants to help clubs individually overcome struggles faced with the
recessionsuchasmortgage arrearsaswell asimprovingcurrentfacilitatesaimedatstrategicareasof
the GAA such as Handball.
So when the numbers are crunched it is hard to accuse the GAA of selling out. The growing
organisation maybe spendingmore inadministration.Howeverthisexpense remains inproportion
as we witness the modernisationof the GAA andas itisgrowingatarapidpace through21st
-century,
itgrowsin competitivenessagainst comparable sportslike soccerandrugbywhile othersare quickly
catching up such as MMA.

2. Yes the GAA is takinginmore money; Yesitisspending more money,Yesit’s takingadvantage of its
assets such asCroke Park, butNo, it hasnot forgotten itsroots. The focusof the GAA’sexpenditure
hasalwaysbeen,still isandalwayswill be clear; toimprove ourgamesconstantly, andtoprovide the
facilities for our amateur sport stars to continue to put on an incomparable show and at the same
time develop the next generation of passionate volunteers and talented players.