Foreign Sports in Croke Park

THE GAA have held discussions about the prospect of bringing the Pittsburgh Steelers and American Football back to Croke Park.


The Steelers were last in Croke Park during the Nineties for an American Bowl game against the Chicago Bears, but new talks have been held to see if the Steelers can return to play an NFL game in Dublin.

NFL franchise owners recently approved a plan to play annual games in Europe, Canada and Mexico to cater for American Football's huge international audience and there is a strong possibility that the GAA HQ could host a fixture in the next few years. If so it's likely to feature the Pittsburgh side -- Steelers' owner Dan Rooney has an excellent relationship with the GAA.

"Tentative discussions have been held and nothing is definite," said Croke Park stadium director Peter McKenna. "But the GAA have an excellent personal relationship with Dan Rooney and as far as I know some talks about bringing his team here for an NFL game were held. Whether anything comes of those talks remains to be seen, but there have been some friendly conversations between the GAA and the Rooney family.

"As we know, American Football has already been held in the stadium over the years and the NFL are keen to hold more games outside of America. With the approval of the GAA's Management Committee, a game could be held here again but the use of Croke Park for other sports is ultimately a matter for Central Council."

Last year, Wembley was packed to capacity for the clash of the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants and a similar event in Croke Park would easily bring in 82,000 people.

"As American Football is a non-competitor of the GAA I would not foresee any major impediment," the Croke Park stadium director added. "I would feel the staging of American Football would be a reasonable request if Central Council were asked to consider it. With the holding of boxing bouts and the Special Olympics -- and indeed American Football in the past -- we have seen that Croke Park has held other non-competitive sporting events with great success."

The Steelers have thrived under Rooney's reign since he took charge of the team in the mid-Seventies. In fact, since 1972, they have been AFC Central Division champions 14 times, AFC champions six times, and Super Bowl champions five times. Back in 1996 Notre Dame beat Navy 54-27 at Croke Park in front of 38,651 spectators. This time, with the interest in NFL and the obvious novelty factor, the ground would be packed to the rafters.

Meanwhile it's expected that the Navy will return to the GAA HQ on September 1, 2012 to play Notre Dame in another chapter of the longest running college football rivalry in history.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gael...s-1269662.html

Well at least they're being honest as to the reasons behind the ban

Bit of a snub to the American Football League of Ireland.

Don't think the interest would be there for an exhibition game. Bit different if regular season game like Wembley this year.

There was me thinking the GAA had an ideological reason for banning "foreign sports". Strange they have a rule that says foreign sports banned as opposed to competitor sports.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pete

Don't think the interest would be there for an exhibition game. Bit different if regular season game like Wembley this year.

There was me thinking the GAA had an ideological reason for banning "foreign sports". Strange they have a rule that says foreign sports banned as opposed to competitor sports.

---

I'll lay my cards on the table and tell you from the word go that I am a GAA fan and not an eircom league supporter (although I bear absolutely zero ill will towards soccer in this country) but i think you might find the actual text of Rule 42 (now known as rule 44 in the 2007 official guide) interesting in light of your above statement. There is actually no mention whatsoever of foreign games. Here is the rule in full:

Uses of Property
(a) All property including grounds, Club Houses, Halls,
Dressing Rooms and Handball Alleys owned or
controlled by units of the Association shall be used
only for the purpose of or in connection with the
playing of the Games controlled by the Association,
and for such other purposes not in conflict with the
Aims and Objects of the Association, that may be
sanctioned from time to time by the Central Council.
(b) Grounds controlled by Association units shall not be
used or permitted to be used, for Horse Racing,
Greyhound Racing, or for Field Games other than
those sanctioned by Central Council.

The reason I posted this is not to start a GAA v Soccer bunfight, merely to point out that (going by the rulebook at least) there is nothing hypocritical about the GAA allowing American Football into Croke Park as it is not perceived to be "in conflict with the aims and objects of the Association," i.e. it is not a competing sport.

Myself and a young lady of similarly debauched morality used one of their handball alleys for a sporting fixture not controlled by the association once upon a yesteryear. :eek:

:cool:

I thought one of their aims and objectives was to screw people over.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jinxy

[B][I]Uses of Property
(a) All property including grounds, Club Houses, Halls,
Dressing Rooms and Handball Alleys owned or
controlled by units of the Association shall be used
only for the purpose of or in connection with the
playing of the Games controlled by the Association,
and for such other purposes not in conflict with the
Aims and Objects of the Association, that may be
sanctioned from time to time by the Central Council.
(b) Grounds controlled by Association units shall not be
used or permitted to be used, for Horse Racing,
Greyhound Racing, or for Field Games other than
those sanctioned by Central Council.

---

Interesting. What are the aims & objectives (officially) of the association? If getting FF elected was in line with association objectives could they hold political rallies in GAA facilities?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by pete

Interesting. What are the aims & objectives (officially) of the association? If getting FF elected was in line with association objectives could they hold political rallies in GAA facilities?

---

Officially? To have comely maidens pucking a ball around at every crossroads in this fair isle ag labhairt as gaeilge.
Unofficially? World domination.

That is the correct wording for the rule albeit ther eis an amendment now to allow the use of Croke Park for football and rugby while Lansdowne road is being redeveloped.

This rule does not explain why American Football is allowed (it has been played in Croke Park since at least 1953) and sports other than horse racing are not.

It does. The use of Croke Park for american football games was sanctioned by Central Council and the sport itself is deemed not to be in conflict with the aims and objectives of the association. It's not played to any great extent in this country and they are purely exhibition games anyway so it is not a competitor. It's quite simple.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bazza1

I agree with Jinxy - people have now reverted to sarcasm simply becasue it has been pointed out that they have been wrong all along.
None of ye bothered to read rule 42 before lads and everybody assumed it was "something to do with the GAA feckers not allowing foreign sports in Croke Park".
Now that it has been pointed out that the word "foreign" wasn't even in the wording all ye can come up with is poor attempts at sarcasm and humour - pathetic really.

---

I think you will find that it has been GAA people that have used the "foreign sports" tag line in the past. I think we all knew that they did want soccer played there as a competitor & the wording of the rule does mention that.

The organisation of most sports organisations is to get as many people as possible playing their sports. The IRFU have never felt that playing a few soccer games in Lansdowne Road stop people from playing rugby.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Jinxy

It does. The use of Croke Park for american football games was sanctioned by Central Council and the sport itself is deemed not to be in conflict with the aims and objectives of the association. It's not played to any great extent in this country and they are purely exhibition games anyway so it is not a competitor. It's quite simple.

---

What aims and objectives of the associaition are football and rugby in conflict with?

Why is American football not in conflict with these aims and objectives of the association?

God the GAA just seem more pathetic with each passing year don't they?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gspain

What aims and objectives of the associaition are football and rugby in conflict with?

Why is American football not in conflict with these aims and objectives of the association?

---

To the first question, the aim of the GAA to promote itself as efficiently as possible? Football and rugby compete for the same pool of players, and providing exposure to football and rugby through the use of Croke Park would mean that the number of players who choose GAA over the other sports might be decreased.

To the second question, American football is not a serious competitor regarding the pool of players. The number of players who will choose NFL over GAA would be minimal.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by osarusan

To the first question, the aim of the GAA to promote itself as efficiently as possible? Football and rugby compete for the same pool of players, and providing exposure to football and rugby through the use of Croke Park would mean that the number of players who choose GAA over the other sports might be decreased.

To the second question, American football is not a serious competitor regarding the pool of players. The number of players who will choose NFL over GAA would be minimal.

---

Can you quote those aims and objectives?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gspain

Can you quote those aims and objectives?

---

No, it is just my idea, but I think that it is an aim of any organisation to promote itself as efficiently as possible.

Here you go so.

Basic Aim
The Association is a National Organisation which has as its
basic aim the strengthening of the National Identity in a
32 County Ireland through the preservation and
promotion of Gaelic Games and pastimes.

National Games
The Association shall promote and control the National
games of Hurling, Gaelic Football, Handball and
Rounders, and such other games, as may be sanctioned
and approved by Annual Congress.

Additional Aims
(a) The Association shall actively support the Irish
language, traditional Irish dancing, music, song, and
other aspects of Irish culture. It shall foster an
awareness and love of the national ideals in the people
of Ireland, and assist in promoting a community spirit
through its clubs.
(b) The Association shall support the promotion of
Camogie and Ladies Gaelic Football.
(c) The Association shall support Irish Industry. All
trophies and playing equipment shall be of Irish
manufacture. Penalty for non-observance €200.
Irish paper shall be used for all official documents and
correspondence. Documents not complying shall be
ruled out of order.

Dedication
The Association and its resources shall be used for and
dedicated solely to the above aims.

Just out of curiosity ...when DID the GAA cut rounders and handball adrift?

I have never, ever seen any team kitted out playing rounders anywhere. I remember seeing handball on telly back in the 1970's and we used play something called rounders with a tennis racket out on the green as a kid and it appeared to be a makey-uppy version of a couple of pre-existing higher profile codes (not at all unlike so-called Gaelic Football in that regard actually) ;).

Handball is alive and well (we do very well at international level too). Rounders was very popular when I was in primary school but beyond kids of that age I don't know if it really exists at any meaningful level. I've certainly never seen adults playing it. One for the chisellers.

Sure there is indoor football and basketball played in these great bogball halls that are funded by the great big shots of the bogball organisation. Football is a gentlemans game played by ruffians. Rugby is a ruffians game played by ruffians and bogball is a boghoppers game played by boghoppers!!!;):D;)