LETTERS: Explosive action in the GAA
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Sir, In reply to the letter from Ryan Kelly in your issue of January 6. 2010.
I do not agree with Mr Kelly in his statement that the GAA is ready to turn professional. He has outlined a number of scenarios where fixtures can be made attractive to supporters and as a result of increased gate receipts this income stream could be used to pay the players.
Any increased gate receipts should and must be used by Croke Park to help fund the hundreds of GAA clubs throughout the country who are struggling on a weekly basis to pay their way.
I have had an idea for the last number of years for a new structure to the All Ireland Football Championship which I think many GAA supporters will agree has gone a little stale. As I am a Kerry native and die hard supporter it would put an end to those envious jibes by supporters of other counties who say that Kerry have an easy run in Munster.
My idea is to abolish the National League and the existing provincial championships and proceed as follows:
Use the McGrath Cup etc. or the old provincial championships as warm up games.
There are 32 counties in Ireland so therefore put them into four groups of eight with seeding based on their previous year's performance.
Each team therefore will have 14 games, based on a home and away fixture schedule. Matches to take place every two weeks and extra time to be played in the event of a draw. If a replay is then needed it can be played the following weekend.
At the end of these 14 games, that each team in a group will have to play, the top two teams in each group will qualify for the All Ireland quarter finals with the top team in a group playing a team that finished second in their group. The winners of these games qualify for the All Ireland semi finals and the winners to the All Ireland final.
The advantage of this system is that the first game is as important as the very last one and the potential is that the extra money earned from television rights over an extended season and gate receipts will be far greater that what is available at the moment and this extra revenue can be ploughed back into GAA clubs, many of which are struggling to exist in these recessionary times.
Imagine Kerry against Dublin in Killarney on a normally quiet March weekend with a capacity attendance in Fitzgerald Stadium. What a boost to GAA coffers and the economy of Kerry.
Why not try it as this has the potential to transform the All Ireland Championship which at the moment only comes to life at the quarter final stage in August. Why not have explosive action from March to September.
Sincerely,
Ted Lynch,
Donaghmede,
Dublin 13.
