GAA:LEINSTER Council chief executive Michael Delaney has defended the sluggish sale of tickets for Sunday's football double-header at Croke Park.
Only 28,000, not including corporate and premium seats, had been sold by the close of business yesterday for the provincial semi-finals despite the presence of Dublin against Kildare and Carlow versus Wexford in the curtain-raiser.
“It is on a par with where we were ahead of these fixtures last year,” said Delaney.
Fifty three thousand attended the equivalent double-header in 2010 when Meath beat Dublin and Louth overcame Westmeath, so another 25,000 tickets are expected to be purchased in the coming days or on match day.
Delaney was adamant a paranoia exists in the media with regards to the drop in attendance figures in comparison to a few years ago, despite the GAA admitting as much by reducing their All-Ireland championship ticket prices last week by €5 (a stand ticket for the All-Ireland finals was increased to €80), while just 16,700 were present at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick last Sunday for the Munster hurling semi-final between Clare and All-Ireland champions Tipperary despite a 49,500 capacity.
“People are more selective in what they do and what they see now in these recessionary times,” Delaney explained. “And we must factor in these matches are being shown live on TV, as well as the cost of the day out, so this is not just a ticket price issue.”
Delaney was referring to travel expenses and food. This is nothing new, Delaney explained, for those who remember the dip in attendances during the 1980s when Ireland was also suffering the full burden of a severe recession.
“I remember a Dublin and Kildare match back then that went to a replay. Dublin were going strong, Kildare were not, in fairness, but Dublin could command a huge following yet only 20,000 showed up at both games.”
Approximately 4,000 of the tickets for Sunday have been sold in Carlow and Wexford but Delaney expects an increase in interest from Wexford before Sunday.
“Carlow, we have no way of telling, but Wexford are going well at the moment and nobody can question their performances to date.”
There is also that floating Dublin crowd but how interested they are may depend on Sunday’s result.
