The GAA increased revenues by €2 million in 2013 to a figure of just over €55 million, a feat achieved mainly through an increase in gate receipts which hit a record high of €29 million. It was the first time since 2009 that an increase in revenues has been posted for a second successive year
Attendances at matches were up by 11 per cent with the All Ireland Hurling Championship delivering the steepest increase and actually overtaking the revenues earned from the All Ireland Football Championship.
This can partly be explained by the All Ireland Final going to a replay but it did the same the previous year and still came in slightly behind football in terms of gate revenue.
This year the respective gate receipts were €11.92 million for hurling and €11.87 million for football.
The majority of the GAA’s revenues each year are earned from two principle sources: gate receipts and commercial revenues such as sponsorships and media rights, and 2013 was no exception.
“The single most important barometer of our financial well-being in any given year is attendance revenues,” the report states. “This is a tangible measure of the value of our games to our supporters, and by extension informs the value of our commercial programme in subsequent years.”
Gate receipts were worth 54 per cent of total revenue last year though that figure may be lessened in a positive way by a number of factors for 2014.
Garth Brooks is to add a fourth concert at the stadium in July, adding to the three earlier gigs by One Direction, all of which are sold out. Together with the Croke Park Classic taking place at the end of August between Penn State and the University of Central Florida, this is likely to give a €5.5 million boost to revenues next year that did not exist over the past 12 months.
In addition a new broadcast media rights deal is currently being negotiated and while the headline investment by RTE Sport and other terrestrial broadcasters may not see a huge increase along the lines of international events like the Champions’ League there will be some growth in other areas and channels.
In terms of spending, match day costs are clearly the main area of expenditure but is is notable the the second highest spend goes on games development both at home and abroad.
Investing in the coaching and development of juvenile and adult teams, and concentrating on delivering the sports of gaelic games through schools and in communities has been a central core of why the GAA has excelled as a community based organisation in the face of overwhelming media coverage of sports like soccer and rugby.
“Last year we again invested almost €10 million in coaching and development, throughout Ireland and internationally, to the benefit of adult and underage players, coaches and match officials in every county,” said Financial Director Tom Ryan.
“This programme is part funded by the Irish Sports Council. Historically we have aimed each year to augment our Sport Council funding by a factor of two from our own funds when it comes to investment in games.
“In recent years however our internally funded proportion has stretched, to the extent that in 2013 our games development expenditure was equivalent to 385 per cent of our Sports Council funding. Games are our core purpose and we cannot afford to diminish our investment even when state support has been curtailed incrementally in recent years.”
Ryan did strike a note of caution when it comes to revenues in 2014 however.
“We are not immune to the prevailing financial circumstances, and many of our units are struggling. I fully expect that Central Council revenues will drop next year.”
“The likelihood of pairings and games to match the appeal and return of 2013 may not be too much to hope for, but it is certainly too much to budget for. And of course we will not factor another All Ireland final replay into our projections. Thus we have to enforce vigilant cost control and ensure value for our members’ and our patrons’ money. This should be a common objective in every club and county for the year ahead.”
