Sports Funding

warmhands.coldheart

Just read somewhere that since 2004 (In Northern Ireland) the Ulster Council of the GAA and GAA clubs have received £19,911,475 and the Irish Football Association and soccer clubs have received £17,150,044.
Obviously with politicans being the pickey idiots they are, A UUP MLA is querying why the difference of £3Million. However it actually got me thinking of something else. What about Rugby, Netball, Bowls, Badminton, Athletics, Gymnastics... and all the other sports... I wonder how much money they get and is it roughly equivalent/person for every person who participates in those sports.... Do you think these "less popular" sports are underfunded?? I think from personal experience that grass roots rugby in local small towns and villages is seriously lacking in money/investment... yes it is a lot to do with the governing bodies but the authorites could do more!! Your thoughts??

wifeforlife

If you don't apply for it you can't get it. The reason the GAA got so much was because they applied for it , it's a very simple system for funding especially lottery based funds.

Alot of clubs/associations don't have good backround management who can efficiently fill out a form and or go find out what's available to them. Also the biggest stand alone reason for the difference in funding between associations is simply down to time, there is a high number of applications rejected because they have applied late and past the required dates.

As for the UUP MLA he's just stoking the fire and trying to get a reaction which he will get. I wish our MLA's would go query something much more important, and leave political point scoring out.

I personally think in regards to rugby, the local clubs have plenty of money available but they're not managing it in the right way, the children are the future of these sports and in my opinion the money should be invested there.

If you've good, decent community based people in the clubs, you'd be surprised how much is available and how it can change the fortunes of local clubs, my own local swimming club is a great example of this

Cate