LAST UPDATE | 8 Feb
GATE RECEIPTS IN the GAA increased by 15% in 2023, but total revenues were down 13%, as the association’s Director-General Tom Ryan has lamented the ‘relentless erosion of the volunteer ethos’ within the amateur organisation in his latest annual report.
Ryan touched on a broad range of subjects in the document, from stating that the playing calendar has been ‘largely resolved’ with the new split season to bemoaning the increasingly risk averse nature of Gaelic football to expressing a fear that protests organised by the GPA last year may have unwittingly damaged the process of attempting to integrate the GAA with its sister organisations.
The publishing of the GAA’s annual report at Croke Park today revealed that total revenue for 2023 was €112.1 million, a 13% reduction on the 2022 figure of €128.5 million. Direct costs were €29.4 million, down 8% on the previous year, while indirect costs of €22.8 million represented a rise of 7% on 2022.
The breakdown of the revenue last year was as follows:
- Gate Receipts – €38.5m - (Up 15% on 2022 – €33.5m)
- Box, Premium & Catering – €28.9m - (Down 13% on 2022 – €33.2m)
- Commercial Income – €21.9m - (Down 19% on 2022 – €27.2m)
- State Funding – €14.5m - (Down 33% on 2022 – €21.6m)
- Property Rental – €2.6m - (Up 16% on 2022 – €2.2m)
- Stadium Hire – €1.6m - (Down 75% on 2022 – €6.2m)
- Museum Income – €1.7m - (Up 33% on 2022 – €1.3m)
- Other Income – €2.4m - (Down 31% on 2022 – €3.4m)
Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the report though came in a section headed ‘Our Ethos’ in which the GAA’s leading official points to the damage being done by failing to observe traditional guidelines in various areas.
Ryan believes that a lack of respect for referees, issues with playing time for underage players, spiralling bills for preparing inter-county teams and illegal payments to coaches and managers are all live threats to the GAA’s tradition and culture.
“I talk elsewhere about financial pressures and the scale of costs facing county teams,” writes Ryan. “Much of that cost is borne out of either buying services which were previously made available to us voluntarily, or enlisting new expertise to aid preparing teams.
“Of course this represents a financial challenge but it also represents a relentless erosion of the volunteer ethos. County set-ups are increasingly professional in all but name.
“By common perception club management is now largely a paid undertaking as well. There are risks here for clubs, for the individuals concerned and for the entire Association in terms of financial resources, taxation and reputation.
“The responsibility doesn’t really lie with the manager who is being paid, or the juvenile mentor who only picks the strongest players. The failure is on the part of the Association in espousing one thing and doing the opposite.
“You might well argue that none of these are new issues, and you would be right. But a process of gradual but constant erosion has taken us quite a distance from where we would like to see ourselves, and we need to take corrective action.”
In a separate section titled ‘Gaelic Players Association’, Ryan remarked on the GPA backed United for Equality protests which occurred last summer. Those were an attempt to push through a players charter for female inter-county players which would guarantee various basic rights and allowances.
Efforts are currently underway to bring the GAA, LGFA and Camogie Association together and Ryan said he hopes ‘unwitting damage has not been done to that project’ by the GPA’s protests.
It’s understood that a specific event will take place later this month to address the progress being made regarding integration.
The GAA’s total funding activities were €60.4 million, capital and operating funding to GAA units & affiliates came in at €17.8 million. This included 25 county infrastructure projects with the larger capital grants awarded to St Conleth’s Park in Kildare, Semple Stadium in Thurles, Longford’s new training centre, and Down’s new training & participation centre.
Attendance levels at GAA matches rose by over 306,000, a 22% spike on the previous year.
*****
GAA Attendances 2023
- Sam Maguire (35 games) – 564,398 - Gate Receipts: €18.2m.
- Liam MacCarthy (7 games) – 239.352 - Gate Receipts: €10.9m.
- Allianz Football League (116 games)- 458,773 – Gate Receipts: €4.8m.
- Allianz Hurling League (103 games) 215,646 - Gate Receipts: €2.3m.
- Tailteann Cup (35 games) – 54,932 – Gate Receipts: €0.6m.
- Other Competitions (107 games) – 164,677 - Gate Receipts: €1.7m.
*****
The GAA report also revealed how match, team, county and competition costs of €30.2 million were an increase of €7.6 million on 2022. The new round-robin format delivered 40 additional match days, with increased venue rental and match day team costs.
There was an increased player mileage and nutritional supports at €3.2 million.
An 11% growth in attendance at Allianz League games ensured there was a record distributions of €4.2 million back to counties, while the annual administration grant to counties totalled €8 million.
