Pitch invasions, are they worth it?

[st333ve]

The GAA is not immune to the recession that even Formula One teams have been hit by.

BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Hidden cost of pitch invasions

Croke Park is due to revert to GAA only sports in 2010

For those who hold the association's finance, the length of the downturn is particularly important.

Premium 10-year tickets cost 12,000 euro and, along with corporate boxes, are due for renewal in 2010.

It is every bit as much of the tradition of Croke Park finals as over-long speeches, but celebratory pitch invasions are costing the GAA a fortune.

The hazards to players and fans are obvious and the insurance bill for claims has rocketed to 200,000 euro a year.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, stadium director Peter McKenna, said he wished the practice could be banned.

"We saw it in the recent International Rules games where people were arrested and fined for coming onto the pitch in Perth and Melbourne," he said.

"It may be part of the GAA tradition to dash on to Croke Park to celebrate a victory but it's not only dangerous, it's also very costly.''

The GAA mounts a vigorous defence against compensation claims made by injured pitch invaders but it is a measure of the sheer number of these claims that, despite the association's success in many cases, it still loses enough to have such a huge annual bill.

Having thousands of fans on the pitch is not just costly in terms of insurance, it's also wrecking the playing surface which will now have to be replaced ahead of schedule in 2010 at a cost of 1m euro.

[peadarmc]

In the right context, a "pitch invasion" i believe to be an endearing aspect of Gaelic Games - it distinguishes it from soccer and other field sports! obviously i accept the safety issue and insurance malarky but GAA is Tribal and therefore immensely passionate.

so when i refer to context, if its a flow of passion behind it (eg Armagh winning the All-Ireland in 2002) then i think its a wonderful sight to behold and a wonderful tradition! I'd say the same about the fact the Hill is still a terrace despite all the laws etc!

All in all - a good and positive thing if its in the right context! the wrong context would be the Dubs pitch invasion BEFORE the final whistle in Leinster Final this year (and i say that as a Dub!)

[jpc]

Surely if the public are told not to go onto the pitch, and subsequently hurt themselves.
That would be trespass and at their own risk.

[alonso]

i think the fact that it is seen as normal in GAA and fully acceptable makes it far safer than an illicit rush sometimes seen in other sports. However it still strikes me as ludcrous that any organisation would allow their expensive facilities be mullered by tens of thousands of people as a matter of course. I guess the captain's speeches (another odd GAAism) would be fairly brutal if the audience were way across the other side of the ground

[Roger2]

i think the fact that it is seen as normal in GAA and fully acceptable makes it far safer than an illicit rush sometimes seen in other sports. However it still strikes me as ludcrous that any organisation would allow their expensive facilities be mullered by tens of thousands of people as a matter of course. I guess the captain's speeches (another odd GAAism) would be fairly brutal if the audience were way across the other side of the ground

We could do without the captain's speeches. And those crowds spilling on to the pitch after a match are a safety hazaard - for players and spectators and the GAA's bank balance.