Christy O'Connor: Own goal for the GAA if player grants not increased in line with cost of living rise

Before Dessie Farrell stepped away as head of the GPA in 2016, Farrell’s final act was landing a three-year deal ensuring an increase in government funding for the player grants’ scheme, extra money from the GAA’s central funds and a 15 per cent slice of any future media-rights agreement.

The deal, worth at least €20 million to the GPA over three years, was a significant boost to the players’ body. 

And yet, when the time rolled around again for the GAA to settle on another deal in 2021 over GPA funding for the following three years, the GPA were drawn to the report of GAA director general Tom Ryan who worried about the spiralling cost of running inter-county teams.

“It is disappointing for our members that the inter-county game to which they dedicate 31 hours of their time each week . . . is once again being presented as the GAA’s problem child,” read a GPA statement the following day. 

Far from being a problem child, inter-county games, and the players, make them the spectacle that they are.” 

Despite the GPA being part of the GAA family, the tension which defined the early relationship between both parties has always remained part of the marriage. 

The GPA’s attitude has always remained the same – whatever the GAA say about the costs of the inter-county game, the GPA’s consistent counter-argument is that there wouldn’t be a product without the players.

That viewpoint extends beyond the GPA when elite GAA games continue to generate such a huge financial return for the economy.

Earlier this year, the GPA issued details of a report which claims intercounty players generate a total economic impact of €591 million annually, while individually incurring an average expense loss of €4,602 to participate at the elite level of Gaelic games.

The report conducted by Indecon over a six-month period in 2024 also stated that players are €1,499 worse off now than in 2018 because of the cost-of-living crisis, while it projected players are losing out on €3,500 annually in potential overtime earnings.

In the aftermath of that report, the GPA called for an increase in Government grants as it is concerned that its members' contribution to the economy comes at a significant personal expense.

Tom Parsons, GPA CEO, fired another loud shot again recently around an increase in government grants for players ahead of next week’s upcoming budget. 

First introduced in 2008 with an initial disbursement of €3.5 million (€1,944 per player), the subsequent economic downturn led to that overall investment dropping to €900,000 in 2015 before the grants were increased again to €3 million in 2018.

In 2021 the Government announced funding of €2.6 million for female inter-county players but the GPA are looking for the Government to increase the player grants from an average of €1,400 per player to €2,500.

The proposed increase for approximatively 4,000 inter-county players – male and female – would see the total grant rise from €5.6 million to €10 million annually. 

The GPA hope their cause is recognised when the announcement is made in Tuesday’s budget.

MORE DEMANDING

Nobody denies the huge sacrifices made by the players but those sacrifices are becoming more demanding again when the cost of living is so high compared to when the grant was first handed out in 2008. 

The GPA say that grants to intercounty players are currently worth 24% less than they were in 2008.

It's easy to see why. Rents have gone through the roof. So have travel costs. Food is getting more expensive. 

The demographics of players committing to inter-county squads is further compounded when so many players have to travel to, or live in the big cities for education and work.

Parsons said he is aware of players who have had to step away from the intercounty scene for financial or professional reasons, pointing to the example of how Leitrim were forced to hand Fermanagh a walkover in Division 3 of the National Football League in March because they couldn’t field a team.

What happened that afternoon is a symptom of a wider problem in Leitrim and the predicament so many of their players found themselves in because of their personal situations. 

ENTICING

Twenty out of 32 of last year’s Leitrim squad dropped out this year, the majority of which were students. With a lot of those players studying in Dublin, playing inter-county football was too much of a cost for them to bear. 

“If we surveyed all those students,” stated Parsons, “and said, 'Look, there is a grant that is more substantial that means you don’t need part-time jobs', I would be flabbergasted if they didn’t say that would entice them to play with their county a bit more.” 

The proposed increase in grants that the GPA are seeking is almost a 50% increase, but the economic activity created by the inter-county game supports 4,200 jobs. 

And yet, many players are distressed in terms of the financial support they need to operate at that elite level.

The Government need to try and cater for everybody across society in the budget but failure to substantially increase the grants will be an even bigger slap in the face to GAA players given the State’s €10 million investment to stage the recent NFL Croke Park game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings.

That game was a huge financial boon for the economy, especially in Dublin, but GAA players consistently create that kind of economic activity throughout the inter-county season, especially during the championship.

In that context alone, inter-county players are more than entitled to an increase in grants. 

It’s the least they deserve.