Barstool facepalm

**Macy** · 17/01/2013, 11:47 AM

I blame the GAA for creating the event junkie culture. I'm not (this time at least) trying to have a go at them over the attendances, just pointing out they are in the same boat of not getting crowds in all season long - they are as much victims of the event junkie culture as any sport in the country. I'm obviously not explaining it well, given the way posters are leaping to their defence (or maybe this is the problem, how dare I put football on a par with GAA?).

I am also aware of the problems at club level in Rugby in the past and present - however, at the top tier of the sport domestically they are the only code pulling in decent and consistent crowds all season long. I am not convinced this will last.

**BonnieShels** · 17/01/2013, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

I blame the GAA for creating the event junkie culture. I'm not (this time at least) trying to have a go at them over the attendances, just pointing out they are in the same boat of not getting crowds in all season long - they are as much victims of the event junkie culture as any sport in the country. I'm obviously not explaining it well, given the way posters are leaping to their defence (or maybe this is the problem, how dare I put football on a par with GAA?).

I am also aware of the problems at club level in Rugby in the past and present - however, at the top tier of the sport domestically they are the only code pulling in decent crowds season long. I am not convinced this will last.

People are "leaping" to their defence in the sense that maybe the criticism is slightly unjustified.

Even now I'm not sure what you are trying to say there. This is not a normal trait for a Macy post.

How can we blame the GAA for creating the event-junkie culture? That's preposterous. They have organised their season in such a fashion as it suits them (generally) to have it that way. That the All-Ireland is the biggest gig in the Irish sporting calendar and that the O'Byrne Cup, FBD League, McKenna Cup etc. are small fry isn't pertinent to Irish bandwagonism for soccer and events in general.

Essentially it all boils down to having something to strive for. If people believe in something more than something else then that's where the crowds will go, ie. Heineken Cup > Pro12 > Ulster Bank League/AIL. Same way EPL > LOI.

WE need to accept this reality and start using it to our advantage rather than complaining about it and have OUR league withering.

**Straightstory** · 17/01/2013, 3:12 PM

I think the 'Event Junkies' phenomenon is particularly Irish. A large proportion of the punters who go to All Ireland Finals, and major Ireland internationals at the Aviva in foorball and rugby are the same people: they just like a big day out. The weekly 'bread and butter' of supporting teams through thick and thin is not for them. In England it's not the same. Rugby and football fans are largely different breeds.
Also - Scotland, with roughly the same population should be the best comparison for us. They're streets ahead, attendance-wise and when it comes to facilities/stadia.
Interestingly, football teams in Dublin, a major European capital city (population 1,273,000) attract on average about the same attendances as a team like Accrington Stanley in England (population 35,000). Even if all the Dublin teams' average attendance figures are added together it's still pathetic. This is the worst place in Western Europe to be a football fan. (With the possible exception of Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands).

**BonnieShels** · 17/01/2013, 3:23 PM

Originally Posted by Straightstory

I think the 'Event Junkies' phenomenon is particularly Irish. A large proportion of the punters who go to All Ireland Finals, and major Ireland internationals at the Aviva in foorball and rugby are the same people: they just like a big day out. The weekly 'bread and butter' of supporting teams through thick and thin is not for them. In England it's not the same. Rugby and football fans are largely different breeds.
Also - Scotland, with roughly the same population should be the best comparison for us. They're streets ahead, attendance-wise and when it comes to facilities/stadia.
Interestingly, football teams in Dublin, a major European capital city (population 1,273,000) attract on average about the same attendances as a team like Accrington Stanley in England (population 35,000). Even if all the Dublin teams' average attendance figures are added together it's still pathetic. This is the worst place in Western Europe to be a football fan. (With the possible exception of Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands).

Our event junkie nature is not in doubt, I am an LOI & GAA supporter; It's obvious. But my point to Macy is that it's not the creation of the GAA.

There's still a hardcore support out there for everything. The only thing is that in LOI terms in this country it's pi$$-poor. But it's there.

But like I said, we know what we are as a nation, so let's use it to our advantage rather than cribbing about the facts.
We might actually get somewhere then.

**gspain01** · 17/01/2013, 7:03 PM

Not sure re blaming the GAA for the event junkie culture but they are certainly best at capitalising on it.

**redarmyfaction** · 18/01/2013, 12:23 PM

Out of interest, how many people attend GAA league games, I have only been at one GAA match when I was brought as a child. I did live across the road from the Sligo GAA pitch in the 90s and crowds seemed to be in the very low hundreds.

**BonnieShels** · 18/01/2013, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by redarmyfaction

Out of interest, how many people attend GAA league games, I have only been at one GAA match when I was brought as a child. I did live across the road from the Sligo GAA pitch in the 90s and crowds seemed to be in the very low hundreds.

I go to all of them that I can. I have a season ticket so it is in my interests to do so.

**Lim till i die** · 18/01/2013, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by redarmyfaction

Out of interest, how many people attend GAA league games.

I'll probably go to three or four in each code, some of it is terrible to the point of bizarre mind.

Two years ago Limerick v Kilkenny in Division Four of the National Football League was probably the most surreal sporting event I ever attended.

One Hundred and Twenty Four people in the Gaelic Grounds under lights on a Saturday evening watched Limerick race into a 6 - 08 to 0 - 01 lead at half time.

During the half time break the Kilkenny team went into the dressing room as their manager hopped the wall and walked up into the stand to have a cup of tea and a chat with two of his buddies who'd made the trip.

Early in the second half Kilkenny got a twenty metre free. The half forward took the ball in his hands, took three steps forward, kicked it................. and failed to reach the goals.

**bullit** · 18/01/2013, 12:45 PM

I attend a lot of club and County GAA matches in Armagh and Louth.Cross Rangers are my parish team although not many have heard of them !

**nigel-harps1954** · 18/01/2013, 2:25 PM

Grew up attending almost every Donegal match, as well as a whole host of club matches. Lost interest in GAA in the past 4 or 5 years though. Last Donegal match I was at was the Cork All Ireland quarter final 4 years ago..I think.

**peadar1987** · 18/01/2013, 3:32 PM

I might have attended Wickla games if they didn't play in Aughrim, it's almost an hour's drive at the best of times, and public transport out that way is pretty non-existent. At the end of the day, I was too busy to fit in following Bray, playing two sports (one at a pretty high level, the other one really not!), trying to pass my course, and maintaining some semblance of a social life with a circle of friends who had zero interest in leaving the Pale.

**redarmyfaction** · 18/01/2013, 5:35 PM

^^^^^ buffs the lot of ye.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 18/01/2013, 9:03 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

One Hundred and Twenty Four people in the Gaelic Grounds under lights on a Saturday evening watched Limerick race into a 6 - 08 to 0 - 01 lead at half time.

Kilkenny football is a pretty special case though, insofar as it gets to no support from its county board on the inter-county level. They're dire and will remain so for eternity.

I'm a very casual GAA fan, I'll generally attend as many Limerick county games, hurling and football but erring on the side of hurling, as I can in a year, but I don't go to any special trouble. The club set-up in my area is fairly poor in terms of quality, entertainment and infrastructure and never attracted me.

**Sean South** · 18/01/2013, 11:00 PM

Originally Posted by peadar1987

I might have attended Wickla games if they didn't play in Aughrim, it's almost an hour's drive at the best of times, and public transport out that way is pretty non-existent. At the end of the day, I was too busy to fit in following Bray, playing two sports (one at a pretty high level, the other one really not!), trying to pass my course, and maintaining some semblance of a social life with a circle of friends who had zero interest in leaving the Pale.

Why do you feel the need to share such pointless information.

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/01/2013, 1:29 AM

Originally Posted by Sean South

Why do you feel the need to share such pointless information.

Why do you feel the need to comment on him sharing such pointless information? Isn't that what the internet is for?

**bullit** · 19/01/2013, 1:40 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Why do you feel the need to comment on him sharing such pointless information? Isn't that what the internet is for?

He must have got justice for paulie at last or dual accounts?

**peadar1987** · 19/01/2013, 2:32 PM

Originally Posted by Sean South

Why do you feel the need to share such pointless information.

Sorry for wasting 8 seconds of your internet time that could otherwise have been used to cure cancer and broker peace in the Middle East.

**SkStu** · 19/01/2013, 2:52 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Why do you feel the need to comment on him sharing such pointless information? Isn't that what the internet is for?

For all our sakes, we need to keep him the hell away from the "say anything whatever's on your mind" thread, whatever we do!!

**nigel-harps1954** · 19/01/2013, 4:05 PM

Deh turk arr thread..

**BonnieShels** · 21/01/2013, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by Lim till i die

I'll probably go to three or four in each code, some of it is terrible to the point of bizarre mind.

Two years ago Limerick v Kilkenny in Division Four of the National Football League was probably the most surreal sporting event I ever attended.

One Hundred and Twenty Four people in the Gaelic Grounds under lights on a Saturday evening watched Limerick race into a 6 - 08 to 0 - 01 lead at half time.

During the half time break the Kilkenny team went into the dressing room as their manager hopped the wall and walked up into the stand to have a cup of tea and a chat with two of his buddies who'd made the trip.

Early in the second half Kilkenny got a twenty metre free. The half forward took the ball in his hands, took three steps forward, kicked it................. and failed to reach the goals.

Don't forget the famous result:

Leitrim 3-19 Kilkenny 0-00
National Football League, Division 4, February 2011