This season's attendances for hurling and football are currently above expectations
The matches between Kerry and Down and Tyrone and Dublin will push GAA Championship attendance numbers past the one million mark for this season, defying bleak predictions made in the wake of the recession.
So far, 959,367 fans have attended the seventy-nine games at inter-county level for hurling and football. Attendances for the qualifiers are up thirteen percent on last year, which was influenced by the involvement of Dublin.
Overall, attendances are down on last year, as a few matches from the Munster Championship failed to bring in the usual numbers. Dublin’s absence from a Leinster final is also a factor.
The GAA budgeted for a drop in attendances of roughly eight percent, but this year’s figures are currently healthy. 959,367 spectators have already attended this season, and the action is yet to reach a climax.
Plans are in place to maintain figures for the next few years. The GAA are hoping that a general drop in ticket prices teamed with the screening of fewer championship games will help the sports to beat the recession.