Championship structures - the never ending saga?

[tonto1888]

Has this been posted yet
http://www.gaa.ie/football/news/proposal-the-format-the-all-ireland-sfc/

[Zulu]

Interesting to say the least and at first glance it seems to tick a lot of boxes. Unless I'm missing something I don't see any real weakness to it within the constraint of retaining the provincial championships. Still think linking the league to the championship is the key to a real solution but I'd certainly be willing to give this format a go.

[EastTyrone]

Interesting to say the least and at first glance it seems to tick a lot of boxes. Unless I'm missing something I don't see any real weakness to it within the constraint of retaining the provincial championships. Still think linking the league to the championship is the key to a real solution but I'd certainly be willing to give this format a go.

On a first glance, I see issues for club teams in Counties that reach the QF. Even worse for the counties that win a provincial title. June, July, August could be wiped out for clubs completely.
I can see the benefits of more appealing games in the summer, but it seems to just be another money maker for the GAA with more games getting on TV etc.

I think the clubs will come off worse again 

[StGallsGAA]

This format will simply ensure Dublin won't get caught cold coming out of Leinster and also endure that their semiprofessional set up sees them appear in the most semis & finals.

[south Laois]

This will surely lead to the strong counties getting stronger and the weak counties getting weaker.

[The Aristocrat]

This format will simply ensure Dublin won't get caught cold coming out of Leinster and also endure that their semiprofessional set up sees them appear in the most semis & finals.

As it does already, Dublin always been there or there abouts bar some barren years, check your history.

[OgraAnDun]

How will a county that reaches the quarter finals having to play two extra games help clubs and 'condense' the calendar in any way?

[Thy Kingdom Come]

Interesting to say the least and at first glance it seems to tick a lot of boxes. Unless I'm missing something I don't see any real weakness to it within the constraint of retaining the provincial championships. Still think linking the league to the championship is the key to a real solution but I'd certainly be willing to give this format a go.

This is all about making the big boys bigger. Group stages at the Quater final stage? The penny has finally dropped that there will be nobody going to Leinster games. This is going down the semi-professional route! The All Ireland proper will no longer be knockout.

[Zulu]

How will a county that reaches the quarter finals having to play two extra games help clubs and 'condense' the calendar in any way?

Do counties that get to QF's now play many club championship games?

[Zulu]

Interesting to say the least and at first glance it seems to tick a lot of boxes. Unless I'm missing something I don't see any real weakness to it within the constraint of retaining the provincial championships. Still think linking the league to the championship is the key to a real solution but I'd certainly be willing to give this format a go.

This is all about making the big boys bigger. Group stages at the Quater final stage? The penny has finally dropped that there will be nobody going to Leinster games. This is going down the semi-professional route! The All Ireland proper will no longer be knockout.

It's definitely not about that anyway.

[seafoid]

This format will simply ensure Dublin won't get caught cold coming out of Leinster and also endure that their semiprofessional set up sees them appear in the most semis & finals.

As it does already, Dublin always been there or there abouts bar some barren years, check your history.

83 95 11....
They haven't been there or there abouts for large chunks of the last 30 years. If Meath got their arses in gear they could slip back into mediocrity again.

[ballinaman]

Has this been posted yet
http://www.gaa.ie/football/news/proposal-the-format-the-all-ireland-sfc/

Ulster champions will have it tough....5 big games after winning an Ulster title..

[tippabu]

This will surely lead to the strong counties getting stronger and the weak counties getting weaker.

Agree with this but that being said for the like of ourselves and most counties they would welcome more games and certainly it would bring developing counties on playing top teams more in the championship. Will ensure tge kerrys and dublins will become even stronger though and less worry about them getting caught on one bad day. Club scene could be affected badly though. A gpa type organisation for club players is badly needed

[AZOffaly]

At initial reading I like this from a Senior Inter County competition perspective. I'm one of the dinosaurs that like the provincial championships, and I'm really hoping to see Tipp win one soon. I also acknowledge the vagaries that provincial championships with uneven numbers of participants can throw up, therefore this sort of structure provides an avenue to a quarter final for teams like Tipp, and it also gives you some serious games if you can reach there. It would be invaluable for Tipp to play a Galway, Tyrone and Dublin say, in a 3 game round robin.

A couple of concerns I would have and maybe they're addressed in the detail. What does this do to the calendar? Where do club games fit in? And secondly, I would hope the venues for those round robins are not just 'Croke Park for every Dubs game'.

Edit, I see the 1/4 finals are Croke Park/Hope advantage for provincial winner/Home advantage for Qualifer. Not bad in fairness.

[OgraAnDun]

The argument that some people make that the back door helps the bigger teams as they need to have two off days to be put out is valid, and this new structure will only exacerbate the problem. Tipp's victory against Galway would mean nothing unless they beat another team in the group. Theoretically, you get three chances now to win an AI - first one in the provincial championship, second in the back door and if you lose again in the QF, a third chance to redeem yourself and go through as a runner up.

This is just a way of squeezing a few extra high profile games out of the calendar to bring in some extra money for the GAA.