The Changing Face of Sport
By Timmy Sheehan
In the last ten years, sport has experienced many changes, and not all have been of benefit to its overall improvement. Money has become a major issue and, in some instances, it has outweighed all of the other necessary ingredients which are central to sports well-being. Certainly, professionals are entitled to negotiate the best deal possible in what is a short career, but when the paying punter is continually asked to supplement exorbitant salaries, then sport, in its real sense, takes a back seat.
The arrival of the G.P.A. in G.A.A. circles, has heralded a whole new outlook for players,but,even if it manages to improve the lot of its elite players, will the reward filter down to the unsung heroes at the bottom of the ladder? Herein lies the crux of sport, at the present time. There is an ever-increasing emphasis on the promotion and presentation of the top-class fare. However, it seems to fail to recognise the fact that every solid structure is built on strong foundations.
The glitz of the Premiership depends on the diehards, whether through the turnstiles or in the pay-per-view armchair. Will spectators wages continue to keep pace with spiralling seat prices - I certainly doubt it - and sooner or later empty seats will appear, at a lot of major venues. However, the powers that be seem to fail to recognise the value of the hard-core supporter and his benefit to the general health of the game.
Equally, in Gaelic games, the club structure, which is the associations most important component, is being afforded secondary status. The Revised Formats in both the Football and Hurling Championships are extremely confusing and , indeed, contradictory to what a championship should really be. The changes will generate extra revenue, or so it is presumed, and everything else, it seems, is of lesser importance. There is real fear that a failure to recognise the true worth and opinions of the ordinary rank and file member will lead to disillusionment and, eventually, to disintegration at ground level. In the not too distant future we may see less and less of these vital cogs whose input and energies are so vital to the well being of one's club an,indeed, parish. Without these people sport would fail to function, at any level. These are the real heroes, who continue to give unselfishly of their time and energies so that many others can reap the benefits, higher up along the line.
Castleisland Tournament Director, Donal O'Connor, has plenty of experience of working in the trenches, and he is obviously aware and fully appreciative of the Trojan efforts of the many willing and tireless workers who perform basic, if extremely important,tasks.
Sponsorship is important as indeed is the quality of players and the teams who play in the tournament. However,they are, in some respects, seconday to the role of the unsung hero. Sometimes, one has to be involved, at this level, to appreciate these people qualities and their true worth.
So, wouldn't it be nice if some of the Real people of sport were recognised and their views sought, and considered, whenever the policy-makers are initiating change. If the present trend continues then sport will pay a heavy price, in the not too distant future.