The County Board announced earlier on this evening via Twitter that the 2015 Cairde Mhaigh Eo ticket will be formally launched tomorrow night, as will the new Mayo jersey. I’ve no further information on this launch, I’m afraid, as the County Board haven’t, as far as I can see, yet shared this information with the wider world.
They have, though, provided information on how to renew your Cairde Mhaigh Eo ticket, full details here. For the first time, it’ll now be possible to do this online (or “on-line” as they touchingly call it – who says the 20th century is over, eh?) but more old-fashioned options are still available too.
The cost of membership for 2015 is still set at €200 and in the brochure that’s been issued (“on-line” – here it is) the perks of membership are set out, including a new jacket, beanie hat and umbrella, as well as the usual match entry benefits. I don’t know about the rest of you but I’ll definitely be renewing my membership for next year.
The main drawback, from what I can see, from the new arrangements is that the 60% attendance rule to qualify for the right to buy an All-Ireland final ticket (should we ever pass that way again, sigh) will now apply to Cairde members in the way that it has always done for Croke Park season ticket holders. I guess, though, this just means that hard core supporters will have to make sure they walk the walk and not just talk the talk for as many games as possible next year.
One significant quibble I’d have with this announcement is that there’s been no direct communication (not so far at any rate, certainly not to this Cairde Mhaigh Eo member) about it with existing members. The Board has in its possession details of all current members, including their postal addresses, email addresses and mobile numbers and so it shouldn’t have proved beyond their capabilities to contact members directly to let them know of this development. As I pointed out the other week, however, the County Board have much to learn about effective communication with their support base.
And while they’re at it, they may as well let everyone know where and at what time this launch is taking place tomorrow night.
UPDATE: The launch is set to take place at the Sportlann this evening (Saturday) starting at 7pm – details on the agenda for the event are here. It appears to be an invite-only job and it would appear that the invite has not been extended to existing Cairde Mhaigh Eo members. Thanks to Mayo Mick for the heads-up on this.
No problem with 60% attendance but no entry to club league games with the tickets makes me think il pass and go back to getting my tickets from the club.
You just love how the CB try to put themselves out as competent but then mess up in a big way. Thanks WJ for updating me as a 3 year Cairde Mayo member.
I’m not renewing. Rang GAA season ticket office and will pay 85 euros for the same thing. We all know how hard it was to get our plain jacket. And with no club games not worth it
reading two above comments , has the cairde maigheo ticket be modified this year to exclude all club games? the club games were a major part of decision to take the ticket in the first place as i would attend nearly all club championship and league games.
Rober – Club championship games only and not league club games.
Ger – are there still the GAA season tickets available? I know Mayo have reached our quota but maybe some did not renew. I don’t see the option to purchase online.
Why not league club games?Thats ridiculous,who the hell comes up with something like that?
I just do not get Mayo GAA. I really don’t. Yet again, a pig’s ear has been made out of what could be a good news story at a time when the administration really, REALLY needs good news stories. Like, the Cáirde ticket isn’t exactly an unattractive package. Compared to the Croke Park ticket, even without club league games included, it’s decent value once you factor in club and county championship games, the merchandise, the discounts and the club final tickets (alone they are worth €25 a head). So why on earth are they not shouting about it from the rooftops? And why are they not making the good people who contribute to Cáirde Mhaigh Eo feel a little more special?
t beggars belief that existing Cáirde members were not directly informed of the renewal process or of the changes to the existing system, let alone invited along to the launch. These are genuine, committed supporters we’re talking about here – the people the county board should surely be trying to keep onside and reward for their loyalty and more importantly, build a long-term relationship with. Why not open the launch to all existing season ticket holders, lay on a few teas, coffees and sambos, get a couple of guest speakers in and make this a must attend event? Have a couple of players in to sign jerseys for Christmas gifts? Even sell a bit of merchandise on the night and make a few quid? Why not set up a mailing list and invite along everyone who has an interest in Mayo GAA with the aim of starting a relationship that could yield sustainable income stream in the future? Seriously, lads, it’s not exactly rocket science, and it’s not going to cost anything you won’t make back in either ticket sales or merchandise sales, but even the most basic PR and financial planning skills seem to be lacking here.
Sorry lads, but all the discounts or beanie hats in the world won’t work unless you start treating your loyal supporters with a little bit of respect and recognition. The Cáirde ticket probably makes more sense to me, but I’ll be sticking with Croke Park until Mayo HQ decide to start treating their supporters with a little more appreciation, I’m afraid.
Thank God I have a Croke Park season ticket how the Mayo county board are so incompetent is beyond me seriously it’s not funny anymore
As an existing Cairde Mhaigh Eo member, I got a comprehensive account of the position re benefits and conditions of Cairde Mhaigh Eo membership yesterday by email. It also issued an invitation to information evenings at various venues in the county.
Why not have a option of a club match only ticket?Cant see any incentive for me to renew it.And on the price comparsion list i dont know who,s paying 15e for a beanie i bought on lately for a fiver
I’ve just renewed my Cáirde Mhaigheo season ticket “On-Line”. I use the word renewed very loosely as at no point in the process was I asked for details of last year’s membership. It’s safe to assume there are only a limited number of these tickets available and as it is also open to new members, that can only mean that even if you have been a Cáirde member since the scheme started, there is no guarantee that you will get one this year if you do not apply in time. So much for looking after your most loyal supporters.
The Mayo County Board are making a total mess of everything they do at the moment. In fact, it would not surprise me in the least, if the new jersey being launched tonight isn’t even one of the options that they had previously made public!
I totally agree with Anne-Marie about the launch night, it could have so easily been made into a must attend event for supporters, not only creating a lot of buzz and excitement about the new jersey but also about the new management team as well. Sadly once again the board have cocked it up and shown little or no thought for us genuine supporters.
I’ve been informed that all Cairde Mhaigh Eo members were contacted last night, either by email or text, letting them know that the 2015 membership was about to be launched. I didn’t get any such notification myself but was told that, for reasons which I have to say don’t make much sense to me, they don’t have correct mobile or email address details on their system for me, even though I suppled these when I first joined three years ago. Not to worry – this isn’t the first database error to occur in the world and it’s only fair to clarify that Cairde Mhaigh Eo members were in fact contacted last night. The reason given, by the way, as to why Cairde Mhaigh Eo members weren’t invited to tonight’s event is because of the sheer numbers involved, which is fair enough but maybe an invitation could have been extended to, say, the first hundred who replied or something. And maybe giving people a bit more notice about the launch wouldn’t have hurt either.
Out of interest, how many Croke Park season ticket holders were there in 2014 and how many Cáirde Mhaigheo?
I wouldn’t trust that modern technology either! I do believe it was the cause of the manager appointment f**k up according to one of the delegates!
On a positive note, with the Cairde ticket now the same benefits as Croke park season ticket, you will be able to print out your own tickets, or e-mail them to someone else.
I got a text yesterday – don’t know what time – about the launch.
Regards club matches I rarely get to any club games apart from county final and sometimes semi finals but I would have thought that gates from league matches went to the clubs. That was the system in all four counties I have been involved in over the past almost 50 years.
Most local media was not even informed of the launch, as well as supporters. what could have been a good news story has again been completely f***ed up by the county board as the media could have spread the word and finally been able to report on something positive
The amount of PR disasters involving the current set up, particularly the PRO, is beyond ridiculous.
Any update on the new jersey? If so, could it be posted on the blog? Thanks
Line Ball – done, post on this just up on the site now.
Response to Ming in Europe league games should never have been included in first place on the Cairde ticket. League game receipts belong to home club not county board.
Glad I m croaker season ticket holder, county board a disgrace in everything they do, incompetent shower….
@Border Boy:Maybe senior league games pull a crowd but intermediate and junior dont.i have been at games this year that there was hardly 20 at and most of these would be Cairde holders who might not bother if they had to pay in.
Senior championship teams playing each i mean as opposed to others
Club league game gates go directly to the home club and have nothing to do with the county board.
Thanks for clarifying this WJ and it’s good to know that Cairde members were contacted, even if it was a bit late in the day. It’s a pity they saw the large numbers involved as an obstacle rather than an opportunity, if you ask me.
Mayo Mick raises some good questions about the number of season tickets issued. I’d personally like to know how many of last year’s Croke Park tickets were renewed this year, and why Mayo supporters didn’t get the opportunity to buy those that weren’t renewed, as opposed to being forced to buy Cairde tickets which are over double the price.
Now that the Cairde season ticket is no longer controled by the CB can anyone answer these:
1.Is their a cap on total sales for CP and Cairde season tickets?
2.If/when we get to an AI final that the CB would now have a bigger amount of tickets to distribute to clubs?
Hi
On Nov.6th received “test.no reply required” from administrator.mayo@gaa.ie and image of Mayo Crest! As yet have not received an e-mail re_cairde mhaigh eo 2015 renewal? Only for friends & family members I would not have been informed re-changes in tickets, attendence, online renewal etc. Hope all members e-mails are on data base etc. I will be renewing membership but would like to receive appropriate e-mail!!
It doesn’t matter if you are an existing Cáirde Mhaigheo season ticket holder, You will need to apply and set up a new online account the same as Croke Park season ticket holders for the first time. It is tickets.ie that will be operating the Cáirde tickets from now on. The advantage to this is you won’t have to pick up your tickets in castlebar, your tickets will be in your online account for printing (or you can e-mail them to anyone) you’ll be able to set up seating groups.
When the croke Park season ticket first came out in 2009, they were limited to 250 per county. In 2010 it was 500 and 750 in 2011. Tickets.ie took over the season ticket in 2012 but I don’t know how many were allocated per county. The Cáirde ticket was also introduced in 2012, again I don’t know the exact number, the numbers reported differ.
In 2013 Season tickets sold out for Dublin. In 2014 there were extra season tickets allocated to Dublin, upper Cusack and then Hill 16. ( They also always had their Parnell Pass as well all along) Dubs were giving out f**k because they were charging the same price for hill 16 as stand season tickets. Dublin sold almost 14,000 season tickets for 2014.
For 2015 Mayo and Dublin season tickets are open for renewals only as they are capped, 14,000 for Dublin, how many for Mayo?? (I can’t find out) Tickets renewed before October 31st cost €85 (up from €75 for the previous 6 years) It cost €95 to renew after that.
There are numerous people not renewing their Croke park tickets this year. I wanted to add a ticket to my account, one of the ones not renewed. I’m still waiting for a reply after nearly 2 weeks ( I used always get a reply that day or first thing next morning)
I’ve had the season ticket since first introduced in 2009, and have been badgering people to buy it every year since (some thought I’m on commission 🙂 ) But the value of it has really diminished over the last 2 years, especially with you being able to purchase league tickets for €10 the week of a match in supervalu.
Apologies for the long rant.