Johnnyb
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,444
|
Post by Johnnyb on Aug 8, 2007 11:07:00 GMT
We all know the general impression of the Kerry fan is the one who travels to Croker in September. Only. Its a cross we bare. As im exiled in the pale its not only a cross we bare but a stick we get beaten with. The Dubs love to imply we're not deserving in our success. To which I invariably reply that success shouldnt be measured by crowd attendances but medals. Still, it rankles. Being from Kerry I know the attitude myself. "Sure, a 5 hour car journey up to watch the boys hammer some crowd from God knows where, and then a 5 hour journey home". Its strange though to think for a county obsessed, we're just as easily not bothered. For all our success, it seems for the majority the road to Croker is the road less travelled.
|
|
|
Post by Mickmack on Aug 8, 2007 11:18:41 GMT
Just remind tham that the Dublin County Board couldnt give away tickest for the league game against Kerry in Parnell Park on Easter Sunday.
When Dublin needed all the support it could get ....a relegation playoff ....... the fans buried their heads................in easter eggs.
|
|
Jo90
Fanatical Member
Posts: 2,687
|
Post by Jo90 on Aug 8, 2007 14:02:41 GMT
Over 100,000 people attended Dublin's league games this year so we can't complain the Dubs there either. Maybe the GAA should give the ticket allocation for the final based on the attendances for the 1/4 final and semi-final which would mean Kerry only getting 5000 tickets for the final. Maybe that would wake up the "wait for the final" brigade into going to other games. I really despise the "wait for the final" crowd (except for those deserving of it like referees, officials, underage coaches, etc.), especially those flying in from abroad. Of course it's the final they come home for, you never see them flying home for the the semi-final and 1/4 final. It was sweet when the 2000 final went to a replay 2 weeks later, which meant nearly all those who travelled home for the final weren't able to make it for the replay.
|
|
Johnnyb
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,444
|
Post by Johnnyb on Aug 8, 2007 14:35:03 GMT
In England I believe for the FA cup final if you can produce ticket stubs from the 1/4 and 1/2 finals you receive a preference entitlement to final tickets (from the club). I dont know if a similar system would work here but it would be something to think of, to reward the avid.
|
|
Johnnyb
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,444
|
Post by Johnnyb on Aug 8, 2007 15:47:03 GMT
I wonder how busy the Royal Dublin will be come Sunday? The litmus test on how many Kerry people travelled.
|
|
|
Post by kerrygold on Aug 8, 2007 15:51:19 GMT
i've a stubb and program from letterkenny, castlebar and breffni park v fermanagh but they wont be worth a sh1te to me come a game v dublin if we come through next weekend when i go looking for a ticket.
|
|
Pablo
Full Member
The older I get, the better the footballer I was.
Posts: 117
|
Post by Pablo on Aug 8, 2007 16:35:28 GMT
A bit unfair there Joe on the people from abroad, not eveyone who lives abroad waits for the final, some years I catch a rake of matches including replays, others years like this year I will not be able to go to any, but that is very rare (2003 the only time since 97 and in 97 I only went to the semi)
Also if we are through the back door, some of the fares are massive as you get too short notice to book the cheap ones, and if a match is say in thurles, which is where I was in 2001 ( didn't make the replay ha ha) it brings a whole load of other problems.
The ticket scramble is equally as bad over here, you get loads of fellas from home ringing up cousins / uncles etc. for tickets allocated to the local club, and then some snake from another county goes and takes the wife home to give her a look at Croke park and see an all Ireland.
|
|
|
Post by Attacking Wing Back on Aug 8, 2007 19:17:10 GMT
I travel to most kerry games including the minors in tullamore on sunday. However i can understand ppl not driving up to dublin to see ky v mon. !0 hour tripp. Pay for petrol, food, tickets and match programme. Watch a game for the first ten mins and then kerry are prob ot of sight, Get stuck in sunday traffic, maybe pick up a speeding ticket on the way down. Home for round half 11 or 12 depending where your from. Wrecked tired, back sore from the drive, get up for work at 7 in the morning. Whereas if your from dublin, hop on the luas and be home ten mins later. Can you imageine what it like to be a player from kerry, all the hassle of being a supporter and abuse with it
|
|
|
Post by Mickmack on Aug 8, 2007 19:50:29 GMT
I live in Dublin. I will hop on a dart and 20 minutes later be in the environs of Croke Park. Will be at home 60 minutes after the final whistle if i so choose.
I think Jo90 is unfair in his comments.
|
|
|
Post by kerrygold on Aug 8, 2007 20:03:19 GMT
i was sitting between two cork lads high in the upper david stand 2 or 3 years backs at a cats v rebel hurling all-ireland final.
one of them had flown in from new york that very morning and was leaving again to fly back to new york that night.The other fellow had flown in from australia the evening before for the game and was flying out the next morning back down under.Cork won and they both strangers spoke for about 10 minutes before going their own seperate ways,they were trilled that cork won and their joy was emense,personally i had the highest of regard for the both of them for the effort they put in to supporting their team.For me it brought it home to me what a wonderfull thing the gaa is.
|
|
|
Post by Tadhgeen on Aug 8, 2007 20:05:11 GMT
Joe , I am one of those abroad and take exception to your comments regarding those of us away - well intentioned though thay might be. Surely you should despise the 'wait for the final' brigade in equal measures whether they fly in from abroad or from more local airfields? I won't justify my own position to you suffice to say that I go to as many games as I possibly can and thankfully have managed more games than just the final each year.
I trust that the comments were not meant as a criticism of those of us living abroad but was targeted to those who have a very tenous relationship with the GAA at both club or county level but who do like to see the final.
In any case I think this thread should be scrapped as there is a certain presumption that we will be in the final - hence the premature discussion on ticket allocations etc
I do not like the current over- confidence.
|
|
|
Post by kingdomkerry on Aug 8, 2007 22:38:12 GMT
I think joe has a point with his comments about people living abroad coming home for the final. Emigrants should be bottom of the list for tickets!
|
|
|
Post by austinstacksabu on Aug 9, 2007 1:35:02 GMT
Jo, I thought you'd have more sense.
Jo and Kingdom.....I'd suggest you remove those posts immediately. How dare you question the dedication, devotion and love of those of us from Kerry who live abroad. I'm currently living in Haiti, and in the hope that Kerry qualify for the final, I've booked the flights home. I have to give approximately four to five weeks notice with work to go home and so I don't have the luxury of spending $1100 on tickets on a whim to go home for any of Kerrys championship matches.
Before I moved out here, I had missed one championship game in the previous four years (I missed the other one because of work), and took in as many league games as I could - again work permitting.
I suspect you have absolutely no idea what it takes to live abroad, away from your family and friends, away from Kerry football.
If you have lived abroad for more than the J1, or the summer / autumn down under, then I'm surprised at your comments.
If you haven't lived abroad, I suggest you pack the bags and understand how we live for Kerry football in the middle of nowhere.
|
|
Johnnyb
Fanatical Member
Posts: 1,444
|
Post by Johnnyb on Aug 9, 2007 8:42:14 GMT
I suppose its fair to say that everyone should have an equal entitlement to tickets for the big games as well as the small ones. The obvious qualm people have is when after following the team around country for the league and the various stages of the c'ship many people will have their devotion rewarded by finding it next to impossible to get tickets for the big one. (Thats not overconfidence or in anyway presumptious Tadhgeen, simply a fact based on previous years experiences). For Kerry there are certain factors that contribute to this. Firstly, as already pointed out, Geographics. Many of us are from the arse end of the south where staying at home and watching the game on tv makes more sound economic sense.
Secondly, we are vitims of our own success. It breeds complacency amongst us. We never fear a q'final is going to be our last chance to see the boys in Green & Gold until the next year. We should start.
Finally, the old whipping boy that is the GAA. Its allocation system for the big day is frankly shocking. There are tiers of preference. The everyday joe is on the bottom tier preceded by Corporate/Sponsors/Dignitaries/Past All Ireland Winners/30 other counties etc etc....
Those living abroad should be commended for their loyal support. To suggest that they should be second fiddle to the rest of us is lunacy and regretful.
|
|
Pablo
Full Member
The older I get, the better the footballer I was.
Posts: 117
|
Post by Pablo on Aug 9, 2007 8:49:17 GMT
Yeah, great post there kingdom, "immigrants should be bottom of the list" well done.
Do you not think we spend every day, reading about and trying to get to see matches on telly or trying to get to matches with Kerry playing aswell as the local club scene? Why should we be less entitled to tickets than you? It costs me money just go to the pub and see matches on telly overhere, you have it for free.
When I get back over here and face a bar full Cork Tyrone and Dublin lads after Kerry get a beating, I get dogs abuse until Christmas and beyond, and I just have to take it, whereas you return home and carry on as normal.
I agree with Stacks, take a trip outside the village and see what really goes on, your like your man off the Truman show.
|
|
dart
Senior Member
Posts: 277
|
Post by dart on Aug 9, 2007 9:46:11 GMT
The fact is the ticketing system is grossly unfair to the supporters of the Countys involved. I hate to see people flying in to the final for their first match at the expense of someone who has been there all year.
|
|
|
Post by scoobydo on Aug 9, 2007 10:12:40 GMT
The amount of people that get corporate tickets and all the other places that tickets go before they get distributed to the competing counties are the least entitled to the tickets, someone that flies home for the final is more likely to have seen more matches than probably 40% of those that are in Croke Park on Final day. Thats where the problem is. If tickets weren't so few by the time they get to counties then there would be no problem who within the county gets them.
|
|
|
Post by lessbull on Aug 9, 2007 10:16:39 GMT
What about the crowd that go to every Kerry game no matter where it's on but wouldn't cross the road to see their local club playing? And believe me, there's plenty of them out there! They're as bad as the crowd that support British soccer clubs as if they grew up playing for them and know what their players eat for breakfast but wouldn't even know how their local eircom league team was getting on. The club scene is the heart and soul of the GAA. The people who are most dedicated at club level often can't go to Kerry's league games because of club commitments. Maybe if those people who have trouble every year getting All-Ireland final tickets despite going to all Kerry's matches gave more time to their local club they would be rewarded by their club with a ticket.
|
|
|
Post by Owenabue on Aug 9, 2007 11:01:40 GMT
The issue isn’t about a few people coming back from abroad. How many at a guess would do that, 1,000? There is the debate as to weather a person who goes to league games and every championship game is more or less entitled to a person who has spent the year working there butts off for their club. The last day when I was getting the ticket from our local club for the quarter final, only six people had asked for tickets. Out of those 6, three were working in Dublin. It is the same way as there were loads down in Killarney and maybe a 1,000 Cork people at the Louth game. In Cork I know the issue is that we have loads of teams to support so I really can’t blame people for not going to the football as well. But if Cork do get to the final, I know full well when it comes to giving out club tickets I’ll be down the pecking order; for the simple reason being that I don’t play or line the pitch or I’m not the P.R.O. In which case I’ll be doing like a lot of people have to do, which is to ask people from other counties and hope someone somewhere is will to give me a ticket.
|
|
|
Post by hatchetman on Aug 9, 2007 11:06:42 GMT
What about the crowd that go to every Kerry game no matter where it's on but wouldn't cross the road to see their local club playing? And believe me, there's plenty of them out there! They're as bad as the crowd that support British soccer clubs as if they grew up playing for them and know what their players eat for breakfast but wouldn't even know how their local eircom league team was getting on. The club scene is the heart and soul of the GAA. The people who are most dedicated at club level often can't go to Kerry's league games because of club commitments. Maybe if those people who have trouble every year getting All-Ireland final tickets despite going to all Kerry's matches gave more time to their local club they would be rewarded by their club with a ticket. Well said. It is also the case that in most clubs a few of the principal officers automatically get a ticket for the final but the remainder are allocated to club members drawn at random. This encourages a few who can afford it to take up club membership purely to increase their chances of getting an all-ireland ticket!
|
|
|
Post by FootballFan on Aug 9, 2007 12:21:30 GMT
I agree with you Lessbull. Go to any co league game, any wkend of the year and check the attendances there. Not a sinner there 95% of the time. Yet when the big games come around for the Kerry team the whole town wants a ticket from the club.
|
|
|
Post by kerrygold on Aug 9, 2007 13:08:11 GMT
the small allocation of tickets to the clubs for all-ireland final day puts a lot of pressure on the clubs to help everyone out.Surely the allocation for the competing counties should be raised to 20 thousand tickets per county,that still leaves 43000 tickets to be distributed amounst the nuetrals.
or alternatively the county board would only need to put about 2500 tickets aside to reward loyal followers of the county team,these 2500 names could then be removed from the their clubs lists when the clubs go to give out their allocation.Its not rocket science.
or thirdly,kerry have on average over a 100 year period contested 3 to 4 all-ireland finals every decade,say if the county board formed a club kerry,the same as club tyrone.With this if they sold a supporters package containing an all-ireland final ticket, for the years kerry contested a final only, to a 1000 members at 500 euro a package yearly. This would generate 500,000 euro yearly to help train the senior team or run an underage accadamy,I'd imagine there a 1000 kerrymen around the world somewhere that would risk paying 500 euro yearly if there was a chance they would get a final ticket if kerry were contesting the final.
its simple maths,1000 members @ 500 euro a pop = 500k euro yearly.
it cost kerry 800k last year to run the teams.
all it would take is an allocation of 1000 tickets to be put aside any year kerry contest an all-ireland final.
what could ye do lads in the county board with an added influx of half a million per year,thats a lot of dosh generated by a very simple idea.
|
|
|
Post by Owenabue on Aug 9, 2007 13:38:09 GMT
That's a good idea Kerrygold. Any idea what they could do about families?
|
|
Jo90
Fanatical Member
Posts: 2,687
|
Post by Jo90 on Aug 9, 2007 13:52:43 GMT
Some people have misinterpreted parts of my original post. I don't see anything wrong with the emmigrants getting tickets if they've a good history of going to games or had or still have an involvement at local level, it's the crowd (and I know dozens) who only come back for the final and never any stage earlier and even when living here never went to any games as well except the odd Munster final. Seeing how easy most of them get their tickets is especially infuriating - the tickets are practically waiting for them at the airport. To correct my earlier post I despise all of the "wait for the final" brigade equally, residents and non-residents alike. I feel sorry for them in some ways. They blindly go to the final even in years like last year when the 1/4 final was a much greater occasion. Perhaps the "wait for the final" brigade are tainted in my view because of the 2005 All-Ireland final when 2 of them were sitting behind me and I heard them shout out "take that useless f*cker Crowley off" which I didn't like because (a) They shouldn't be shouting abuse at a Kerry player (b) John Crowley had retire 12 months earlier.
KerryNorth, yes I was there in Dungarvan as well. I was hoping to get a programme that I could use as proof if need be in Septemeber but they must have all been sold out.
As for using the distance as an excuse, how come nobody finds the return journey to the All-Ireland too tough? Also for games like the Armagh 1/4 final last year I doubt any Kerryman found that a tough return journey. I bet the Armagh fans' 2 hour trip back to Armagh was much tougher.
The worst I ever saw was the 2002 1/4 final against Galway. Kerry demolished the reigning All-Ireland champions in the first half and yet when they came back onto the field for the 2nd half I could count on one hand the number of supporters applauding them, the rest were too busy doing a Mexican wave, although when the Galway team came out the Mexican wave stopped while the Galway supporters gave them a rousing reception despite having been thrashed.
|
|
|
Post by Owenabue on Aug 9, 2007 14:43:59 GMT
It would be on average €220 or there abouts for all championship tickets, add is it €12-15 for each league game, under 21 and minor on top of that and you're not far off €500 anyway. It would definately be more than than in Cork if you added the hurling.
|
|
Pablo
Full Member
The older I get, the better the footballer I was.
Posts: 117
|
Post by Pablo on Aug 9, 2007 14:49:07 GMT
Agree with all that joe, thats fair.
I do feel a bit for the likes of Joan and others in the US as they are hardly to make the 1/4's etc. My father often struggled for tickets to the final after travelling around in the wetter months following Kerry, I always felt you should get a card stamped at the gate of league and championship matches, and if you make up enough points go in and pick up your tickets for the final, I know this system has been mentioned here before, but it does seem fair to reward loyalty.
|
|
seamus
Fanatical Member
Posts: 2,741
|
Post by seamus on Aug 9, 2007 15:08:18 GMT
The only other way of administering this is via the kerry supporters club. The county board don't want the hassle of dealing with every tom, dick and harry landing into them with ticket stubs. The supporters club should be joined by all true fans and their attendance at games notes. They could then be given say 5-600 tickets to allocate to the die hards who attend all games. The only flaw with this is that some of these people will be tied in with clubs and will get a ticket from each source. I have changed my mind mid post and i am beginning to think the current set up is the best. Plough it back into the clubs who are the grassroots and the future of the GAA in the county.
|
|
|
Post by Mickmack on Aug 9, 2007 17:57:39 GMT
I know a lad in Kerry who never goes to see Kerry play until the final and he usually gets his hands on a ticket. He never bothers with league matches or Munster finals etc.
He spends most evenings in the local sportsfield training the minors or under 16s and most sundays are spent going to local matches. He also sells tickets for the lotto for the club. He repairs hurleys in his spare time.
Is he entitled to a ticket for the final?
|
|
|
Post by Owenabue on Aug 9, 2007 18:09:25 GMT
Mickmack, of course he does. That's the point it takes all sorts to keep the G.A.A. going, even those people up in the corporate who mightn't know the first thing about what's going on. You could go around in circles saying one person deserves a ticket more than others. Problem being that Croke Park can only fit a limited number of people, so someone is always going to be disappointed. Option 2 is to make sure you've loads of contacts!
|
|
|
Post by Attacking Wing Back on Aug 9, 2007 18:24:38 GMT
Look lads we have the same argument every year bout tickets. I must say that every year ive always managed to get my hands on tickets from all over the country, last year i got mine an hour b4 throw in. If u persevere u will always get a look in.
|
|