A GAA ticket pricing initiative that would surely fly

Diarmuid O'Flynn

THERE was a suggestion in the Irish Examiner on Monday from columnist Tony Considine that to add a few thousand more bodies to the attendance and thus a bit more atmosphere to the games, the GAA should consider reducing prices for the remaining two rounds of the league. I would go further – I think that for the remainder of this season, league and championship and at every level, the GAA and the various county boards should consider reducing its prices across the board.

If there’s any single model for business success remaining in this country it’s Ryanair, and their sales philosophy is well known by now – low prices, no frills. Whatever about the ‘no frills’ as applied to the GAA – all we ever want to see when we go to a game is good hurling or good football and everything else bedamned – there is a definite argument to be made for the low cost. Look at where the remaining two rounds of the league are being played, look at the likely number of empty seats – surely it’s worthwhile for the GAA to lower its prices to get people in to fill those seats?

The infrastructure is already there, and using the same logic as Ryanair – they’re going to be flying anyway so why not fill the seats – why not fill the stands? Look ahead to the various provincial championships, are the stadia going to be full? Are they heck. Well, why not be proactive and do what it takes to get people back to watching live matches? The GAA could take another leaf out of Ryanair’s book, and use the internet to its advantage for this purpose. The way Ryanair works is that the sooner you book, the cheaper it is; why not do the same in the GAA? If the GAA were to offer pre-booking at reduced prices, those prices steadily climbing as match-day approached, to the point where they would be at their highest for the walk-ups, what do they stand to lose? Start offering Tipp/Cork in the championship on May 29th now, for example, at a tenner a head, then gradually increase that to €25 by the day of the game, and see what happens. Do the same for the other early-round games, in all the provinces, then take it from there; for the finals, you increase across the board, ground capacity and likely attendance being a major factor in the setting of prices.

For the qualifier games, do the same thing – offer people a bargain, a real bargain, and they will take advantage. I know, I know, we’re going to hear the complaints – what of those who don’t have a computer, who can’t use a computer. Well, this is 2011, this is how things are done nowadays. One way or another, whether by ourselves, through relations or friends, we can all access the internet now, if needs be. If there’s an isolated person out there for whom no-one will offer to assist in this service, there oughtn’t to be. Pardon the final aviation comparison, but given the opportunity, I'm convinced this would fly.

 

Source: http://feeds.examiner.ie/~r/iesportsblog/~3/eISu1VAJbto/post.aspx

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