GAA: GAA May Look to Expand Markets

Thierry Henry taking on the Dub's

The GAA while a much loved organisation in Ireland is often seen as having a very limited potential beyond these shores. With over a million members worldwide and a stadium as modern as Croke Park available they are already doing many things excellently.

Sure hurling or gaelic football may never be played in large numbers or by natives in countries like Thailand but could it become available on digital television there. The world is full of people who enjoy watching competitive sport, you are probably one of them if you've found yourself reading this piece. Consider the number of people in Ireland alone who might tune in to minority sports like Olympic handball or AFL on Setanta and multiply that effect around the world and you can see how it isn't inconceivable for the GAA to have their best championship games broadcasted in other regions. Recently Setanta Africa have begun training commentators for broadcasting games in French and should this venture be successful we may see further projects by the company.

Several sports primarily indigenous to one country like the GAA have made inroads in gaining worldwide coverage of their sport. The AFL for example now has a television audience spread over more than fifty countries while exhibition games have been played in front of large crowds in China in recent years. The main effect of this has been increasing the value of their general sponsorship significantly while also offering added TV revenue. The other less direct effects include added merchandise and ticket sales. The NFL has also vigourously pursued international markets with the last superbowl broadcast in 232 countries. The competition has also had several regular season games played around the world to increase and maintain interest.

The GAA does have challenges in matching the achievements of these two organisations however significant extra financial resources could be the reward. One challenge is the ambiguity of the rules of the sports and the inconsistency of refereeing decisions. I'm thinking particularly of what constitutes foul play and what can be defined as tough play. They aren't the only sports with these issues but it certainly isn't an advantage. The other challenge in my view revolves around the amateur ethos of the games and how this impacts their ability to market the games abroad. In my opinion the advantages the association have right now outweigh these. Firstly the structure of the championship ensures that every match has a high degree of importance while attendances are boosted by a relative lack of fixtures for teams. Secondly the number of Irish people currently abroad and heading further a field means that small GAA clubs in foreign locations are ever increasing in size and now form important pillars in the expanding expat community. Finally the level of drama produced in a Munster hurling final or a Dublin - Kerry football tussle cannot be underestimated. For the adrenalin junkie or frequent gambler in far away places our games guarantee two teams who won't give an inch to the other in the pursuit of victory. The GAA to its credit has already hosted games abroad. Rowing the boat out further and addressing the challenge of gaining international media coverage could be the next step.