Newspapers and radio etc have the same amount of space for pretty much for hurling at this time of year. If the semis are on successive weeks they each get a weeks attention. If theyâre on the same weekend that weeks space is split between the two games so the coverage of each game is essentially halved.
The way TV and radio is now may also have a part in the low key nature, people watching/listening on demand so not hearing/seeing ads for games. But as you say, nothing has really changed in terms of marketing, and thats the main crux of it all. I dont know the demand or cost etc, but surely they have looked into the viability of a dedicated GAA channel. There are plenty of things to fill void spots, work it with TG4 and have the lachra gael series, replaying the 2004 Munster final etc. Tie it in then with GAAgo. The AFL has a decent 24 hour channel on Fox Sports, it has all the games on live and then either replays or other filler stuff. Its the cost is the issue, and I wouldnt trust RTE to do a good job on it.
Iirc the 2012 Leinster final had 18k in croker.
Hurling is a bit like wild swimming. You have the hardish core who were always there, and always will be, but it gets less trendy amongst the masses and drifts out of fashion, much to the relief of the people who really like it.
Good and true points, in fairness. The âproblemâ is that players want to experience Croke Park as much as possible, whatever the crowd size. This reason stands as the main one Leinster Finals will stay at Headquarters for the foreseeable future.
I mean, some media people want it every way. You had commentators saying there was a âCroke Park factorâ for Clare before their recent meeting with Kilkenny. You had commentators highlighting how few times Tony Kelly has hurled in Croke Park.
Since All Ireland Senior Finals will always be held in Croke Park. experience of playing there can always be considered some measure of advantage. Many media commentators contradict themself a million times a day.
Another example: people giving out now about the shortened intercounty âsplitâ season on the basis of ceding ground to rugby and soccer. How many of the same people, back in the early to mid 2000s, opined that the GAA is not in competition with rugby and soccer and that therefore Croke Park should be made available and Rule 42 suspended?
Talking about the rushed nature of the championship, and I know this is the hurling thread, but the 3 week gap between the semi finals and final of the Tall Chin Cup amuses me. Itâs like when the GGA used to have a 3 week gap between drawn and replayed All Ireland finals and youâd nearly play off a World Cup or European Championship in that timeframe. But at least these finals meant something unlike the Tommy Talcum Cup.
Youâd have the same fellas complaining if that was the case.
Lads obsessed with media coverage, what are the predictions of our gobshite GAA journalists. Some puff piece about Hegoâs motherâs brown bread or Walter Walshâs dairy herd. A trip down the memory lane of greats of hurling, Mick Mackey and Eddie Keher which only been done about 500 times before.
I just donât think the market is big enough for that. Surely would be a dedicated Irish sports channel first if anything and I donât think thatâs worked out too well. The light hearted magazine type show is an absolute no brainer and that one simple thing would increase interest massively. Along the lines of that second captain TV show I think ger gilroy fronted a version of it before. Park live or something. On a Wednesday night talking about games to come and the weekend just gone.
Itâs the classic gaa/Irish thing. People hate hype and no hype in equal measure. In short people donât know what they want but all they know is what they have now isnât it. You simply canât win.
2013 was a seminal year for Leinster Football. It went from a competition that Dublin dominated but usually fell over the line by 3-4 points in (semi-final and finals) to a complete non-event upon the arrival of Jim Gavin. Their demolition of a Westmeath team whoâd just won promotion from Div 2 was a warning shot for what was to come.
Was there some kind of Wexford TV on the skybox at one stage around 2014? I remember watching JJ Doyle being interviewed on it after an U21 success in Nowlan Park. It may have only been a weekly programme of some sort.
We are KK season ticket holders, we go to all the matches, I go with my Dad, there is a hardcore group of KK supporters but itâs probably fewer than 5,000. At this stage I reckon I know all of them by sight!!
At the Leinster final I was surprised at the crowd on the hill (small as it was). They were probably from the south.
I think it was the 85 semi between Cork and Galway. Iirc it was like a monsoon for the morning of the game. Watched it on the gaelteacht in Ring as a young lad.cc @Fagan_ODowd