Leinster CEO points to cost of moving Dublin games from Croke Park

Any successful proposal to stage Dublin's championship matches outside of Croke Park will come at a price – and not just monetary. According to Michael Reynolds, CEO of the Leinster Council, "that's a balancing act counties have to make" when voting on the matter next month.

Last week’s 2016 championship draw placed Dublin against the winners of Wicklow-Laois in a Leinster quarter-final: by then, it will be 10 years since Dublin last played a provincial championship match outside of Croke Park, when they travelled to Longford, in 2006.

Reynolds confirmed that the Leinster Council will consider a proposal to stage that quarter-final outside of Croke Park, most likely at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny, when they next meet to agree dates and venues, on November 11th. However, Reynolds also warned that the appetite to take Dublin outside of Croke Park mightn’t necessarily be there, as indeed the last vote proved, two years ago, when only two of the 12 Leinster counties backed the proposal to bring Dublin to a provincial venue.

Big deal

“It would be wrong to say that nobody says it’s unfair,” said Reynolds, “but being realistic about it, most people want Croke Park. I know that we make a big deal, or the media do, of Longford in 2006. But counties don’t come thumping on the table, saying ‘why is this? Croke Park is Mecca’.

“You ask any player, in any county, where they want to play, and Croke Park is number one. You ask any county as well that’s where they want to go.

“And yes, counties do get serious grants. Everybody is realistic that a full house, or a decent crowd in Croke Park, brings in money. And 82 per cent, in general, of funds generated at national and provincial level finds its way back in club and county. So ultimately it would create a shortfall. Now, not in a once-off game, as such. But it comes down to grants. That’s the nature of the business. If counties want grants, there will be less money to go around. That’s a balancing act counties have to make.”

It may well be that Laois will also present a proposal whereby should they beat Wicklow, they would host Dublin, at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise. Yet Reynolds, speaking at the launch of the AIB Leinster Club championship at Barretstown Castle, wasn't so sure Portlaoise would be suitable – in this case the price being comfort.

“There’s 17,000 seating in Nowlan Park. Portlaoise has 6,000. Tullamore has 7,000. And people want comfort, and that’s proven. Even in Croke Park, the most popular stand is the Hogan Stand. where there are no concessions. People are prepared to pay full price to have their kids in the Hogan Stand. . . So at the moment Nowlan Park is the best option.”

The notion the reigning All-Ireland champions will somehow be less difficult to beat outside of Croke Park was something Reynolds also questioned: “There were only two votes to take Dublin out, the last time. As Dublin say, ‘we’ll go where and when told’. And I think it’s a novelty for some people getting out of Dublin. But it’s like Congress, or county convention. Some years things can fly through. Other years, it’s hard to know. It depends on the mood on any given occasion.”

Reynolds was much more certain about the prospects of any major championship restructuring post-2016, such as that proposed earlier this month by the Gaelic Players Association, where the provincial competitions would be condensed into a five-week window, in April and May, before a new All-Ireland series, with eight groups of four teams

“The straight answer to that is no, it’s not. And hurling has to be considered, for the dual counties, as well. So where do you fit that in? April, May, June? No. To be frank about it, I don’t see that as being practical.

“I also think it’s a myth that the provincial councils are as powerful as they think they are.”

Central Council will consider a number of championship proposals, including the GPA’s, on November 14th, although Reynolds says the provincial championships won’t be diluted in any way. “I don’t think any of us will be around to see that happen.”