John Arnold on why streaming service GAAGO has to go

IT'S a shame there’s been more talk and criticism of the GAA recently about the whole GAAGO fiasco than the quality of the hurling we’ve not been able to see.

This is a self-inflicted barrage of negativity. We are the GAA, we are in charge of our own destiny and we should be in charge of our own promotion, publicity and marketing of Gaelic games.

Sadly the Association that’s 140 years old has brought this controversy on itself and should admit as much. For two weekends in a row, there were some marvellous hurling championship games played but they were not 'free to air' on any TV channel. That this should be allowed to happen slap-bang in the middle of this split/condensed season is nothing short of disgraceful.

Cork and Limerick produced a great match. Where do these hurlers come from? Bought from abroad by agents, manufactured by well-paid coaches and experts in sports science?

No. Each one of these hurlers started at six or seven years of age in their local club. Maybe their parents were involved in the club, maybe not, but one way or another ordinary, dedicated, passionate GAA men and women took those lads. The same with camogie and ladies football.

PASSIONATE

They went from U6 right up along the different age groups with different mentors and people who imbued a love of the games in them. In every GAA club right across the country and indeed nowadays, all over the globe, people devote hours, weeks, months, years, even decades, to training youngsters.

Why? Is it so they’ll all play with Cork or Limerick? Not really, it’s because we all have a club where we belong and we get to see youngsters after a decade or more at underage go on to play at adult level. That’s why so many dedicated volunteers literally give a lifetime to the GAA.

About 4% of all players get to play with any county team from minor to senior and when they do the pride and satisfaction they bestow on their family, parish and club is immeasurable.

For the club volunteers, what is their reward? They are not paid but passing on that love of the games to the next generation is ample reward.

Truly these people in every parish in this country are the real grassroots, the bedrock, the foundations on which the GAA is built. They give so much and demand nothing. Now the GAA itself is telling these same selfless people that if they can’t go to inter-county games they must pay to watch them.

This attitude completely changes the whole ethos and the concept of what the GAA is supposed to be, a community-based movement based on volunteerism. It’s not whether it costs €1.90, €19 or €79.

I know full well the GAA is absolutely wonderful at dispensing and dispersing funds to clubs, county and provincial boards: over 85% of GAA revenue comes back down the line.

My point is the GAA at inter-county level would not be there were it not for the people I have just written about. Were it not for the ordinary unpaid volunteers there would be no 'GAA Product' to be selling to any broadcaster. 

The GAA had better realise that a point can come where volunteers might say 'enough is enough'.