When I was at University, myself and a number of friends used to regularly apply for audience tickets for TV chat, music and comedy shows being filmed in Belfast.
We were broke, the tickets were free and relatively easy to acquire and, more often than not, the programmes were entertaining.
Among the personalities we saw in action were Meatloaf, Paddy Kielty, Kerry Katona, Trevor Woodward, Bob Geldof, Shania Twain, Michelle McManus, Alanis Morissette, Lorraine Kelly and Lulu.
So, all in all, a mixed bag.
On one occasion, a 14-year-old golfer called Rory McIlroy was a guest on a popular talk show. At the time I must admit I wasn’t impressed. They really seemed to be scraping the barrel. A child who could knock a few balls around didn’t seem to be of much importance. Today with McIlroy, still just 19, rapidly establishing himself as one of the most exciting talents in the game, I stand well and truly corrected.
Following that appearance, McIlroy’s exploits as a rising amateur were well publicised in the newspapers – long before he was eying up a Ryder Cup place.
In a nutshell, he was given a platform at an early stage, the media latched on and he built upon this with his talent.
In sport, name recognition counts for so much. Getting it is a very different matter and in truth boxing (amateur and professional) is very slow at putting the word out to the masses when a special talent is in our midst.
Until the Beijing Olympics Kenny Egan, Paddy Barnes and Darren Sutherland were deprived of the sort of recognition their abilities deserved. They could have won the National Championships every year from now until the end of time but the mainstream media couldn’t have cared less.
Thankfully, times appear to be changing. Egan, Barnes and Sutherland made their own luck in Beijing, but they have also cleared the path for the next generation of elite Irish amateur boxers.
This week’s agreement between the BUI (Ireland’s professional governing body) and the IABA (amateur) and promoter Brian Peters to allow amateur stars to appear on professional cards can revolutionise the sport here. Promoters can slash their wage bill and boost the quality of their cards.
The amateur board get to publicise their wares, blood their best talents and pick up new funding.
And the fans get a steady stream of action, and more than likely cheaper tickets.
Although Barnes, Egan and World female champion Katie Taylor will feature on the Bernard Dunne v Ricardo Cordoba WBA title card in March, the real winner is Ray Moylette. The young Mayo boxer, who won gold at the World Youth Championships in 2008, remains relatively unknown, but he has been given an opportunity to make a name for himself. Perhaps not overnight, but like McIlroy on that chat show it is a fine starting point.
Should the experiment prove successful for all involved, more and more young, but undoubtedly gifted boxers can benefit.