A novel way to fundraise for sports clubs

Two GAA players have developed an innovative website that fundraises for local sports clubs. By Joseph Galvin.

In the midst of the economic recession last summer, Diarmuid Duggan and Noel Furlong realised that local sports clubs were finding it more difficult than ever to stay afloat. 

"Every club finds it hard to raise finance [these days]," said Duggan, a member of Ilen Rovers GAA club near Skibbereen in Cork. However,the damaging effects of the recession are not purely economic. 

Unemployment has driven many young people abroad, leaving clubs with smaller and smaller talent pools to choose from, while in GAA, Australia has lured many of the best footballers down-under with promises of full time employment and professionalism.

In an effort to help out, Duggan and Furlong conceived sportsprophet.ie, a novel website that helps local clubs fundraise. Those who donate through the site predict the outcome in number of sporting events throughout 2010, such as the Six Nations, the World Cup, the Ryder Cup and Masters, and the All Ireland championships. On signing up, people align themselves to a local club to which the €20 entry fee is donated. An automated email is then emailed to the registrant with details of the club administrator. Prizes range from €500 for first place to €200 for third.

Any club that wishes to take part can sign up online and sell prediction sheets to local club members and supporters. It's simple to sign up and once a member does so, Sportsprophet takes care of the rest. A listing on the website costs €200 per club.

Duggan and Furlong, members of Carrigtwohill GAA club, were inspired when they saw a similar system operating locally and informally in their home county of Cork. "We  decided to bring it online," said Duggan. Since it went live in December, it has attracted over 40 clubs throughout Ireland as well as celebrity participants such as Graham Canty, Peter Canavan and Ronan O'Gara".

Smaller clubs, however, may find it more difficult to hit their targets. Each club requires 50 members to break even on the entrance fee and prize money. It is the club's  responsibility to reach that figure. "Some clubs are more organised than others," conceded Duggan. "Overall, though, the feedback has been very good."

Indeed, the majority of clubs on the site have exceeded their quota. For a venture still in it's infancy, it is running relatively smoothly and Duggan and Furlong hope that it will grow from strength to strength. Membership is closed for this year, but they both plan to be back next year to give a new batch of clubs an opportunity to raise some money. It is a simple grassroots initiative, but one which seems to work.