Irish grounds for optimisim

from http://www.uefa.com/magazine/news/Ki...Id=388862.html

The Republic of Ireland have a new young manager in Steve Staunton, but that is not the only innovation afoot in Irish football. On 12 January, Football Association of Ireland (FAI) officials, together with their Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) counterparts, submitted a planning application for the proposed redevelopment of the aging Lansdowne Road, the Dublin home of both organisations' representative teams.

Croke Park move
That application was not only a step in the transformation of the existing facility into a 50,000 all-seater stadium, but it also helped to pave the way for both organisations temporarily to use Croke Park, the home of the body for traditional Irish sports, the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). An agreement was finally brokered in the subsequent days allowing the Republic of Ireland to play UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers at the 82,000-seater venue during 2007 while Lansdowne Road is redeveloped. The all-Ireland rugby team will also cross the river Liffey to Dublin's north side to play their 2007 Six Nations matches at Croke Park.

Traditional sports
This type of deal could not have been envisaged even a decade ago. The GAA's famous Rule 42 did not envisage a situation that they would become landlords for other sports. The regulation, intended to help protect the GAA's own gaelic football and hurling sports from soccer and rugby, was a remnant of a the days of British rule before 1921 (the GAA was formed in November 1884). But that does not make sound business sense in today's Ireland, especially as the GAA are also facing new and different challenges, a future where their own players may move from unpaid amateur to professional status and where facilities countrywide need to be modernised.

Money talks
As in other sports, finance helps determine policy. If holding Bon Jovi and Robbie Williams concerts in 2006 is an acceptable way of making money, then opening doors for football and rugby internationals at Croke Park in 2007 provides an obvious cash boost.

Government pressure
But the government have also acted as key brokers in this arrangement. Having already received financial support from the government in the past, the GAA were eager to keep this revenue stream intact and show that it is a modern organisation not weighed down by old-fashioned parochial intransigence.

Staunton background
The move will be made palatable for GAA-diehards with Staunton leading the Irish team. From County Louth, bordering Northern Ireland, Staunton actually captained their Under-14 gaelic football side in a provincial final in the early 1980s. With his brother David having played at senior level for Louth, and father Thomas having played minor football for Mayo, the family is steeped in GAA traditions.

'Fantastic arena'
"It is a fantastic arena," Staunton states. "The prospect of a full house of passionate Irish soccer fans cheering on our lads really whets the appetite. I know the players will appreciate the special nature of Croke Park and we are all looking forward to the experience."

Government grants
But much as the temporary move to Croke Park makes sense for all parties, the upgraded Lansdowne Road, it is hoped, will open a new chapter in the development of Irish football. "It is a partnership arrangement between the government, the FAI and the IRFU for the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road as a 50,000 all-seater stadium with world-class corporate facilities," says FAI chief executive John Delaney. "The total cost is €365m of which the government are giving us a very generous grant of €191m."

Economic needs
Lansdowne Road has served Ireland well, as they have suffered only two defeats (against UEFA EURO 2008™ co-hosts, Austria and Switzerland) in 21 competitive UEFA European Championship outings since October 1986. But economic needs drive the need for better facilities.

Expansion
"I think from our perspective and from the financial model, [it is something] we badly needed," admits Delaney. "We have only capacity for 36,000. Our recent games against France and Switzerland, we could have sold many times over. [With the redevelopment] we have 14,000 additional potential customers. We have 1,400 extra corporate facilities which is going to be huge to us. I suppose really the nub of it is we have the ability to sell forward sales of 10,000 premium seats and 1,400 individual corporate seats on a ten-year basis. That gives us the ability to raise up to €100m every ten years. That, for the development of our game, is vital."

Cross-sport partnership
Not only that, but under the new arrangement, the FAI will move from being tenants of the IRFU to becoming co-owners. With government encouragement in a booming economy, the FAI, IRFU and the GAA forging new partnerships together and in so doing strengthening their own financial foundations, Irish sport seems set to be the major beneficiary in the coming five years.