Would you be in favour of a second tier?

[trailer]

People moan about coverage. The game still takes place. You can still go to it. It's not like it's behind closed doors. If you can't be arsed to go to the game, don't complain about coverage.

[Rossfan]

The current proposals being discussed provide for retaining the Provincials.

[Esmarelda]

People moan about coverage. The game still takes place. You can still go to it. It's not like it's behind closed doors. If you can't be arsed to go to the game, don't complain about coverage.

To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind to head down to Kildare v Longford but seeing as it appears to have been a good game I'd like to see some of it.

Yeah I was at all the games today, even the ones that were on at the same time. Would yis quit complaining.

[trailer]

People moan about coverage. The game still takes place. You can still go to it. It's not like it's behind closed doors. If you can't be arsed to go to the game, don't complain about coverage.

To be honest, the thought never crossed my mind to head down to Kildare v Longford but seeing as it appears to have been a good game I'd like to see some of it.

Yeah I was at all the games today, even the ones that were on at the same time. Would yis quit complaining.

Poor games between poor teams that no one has an interest in shouldn't be given TV coverage.

[Dinny Breen]

Ok fellas. Was going to post this on the Kildare v Longford thread. Unfortunately Longford would be in tier 2, Kildare in tier 1 according to league placings would be with them, cos ya know like they're in Leinster and all 11 teams are shit comparing to the Dubs.* Seems a cracker of a match. Yet would we get to see 3 minutes of highlights from it as Dinny said on The Sunday Game?? Or would we see the score and Des Cahill saying in a rather patronising tone, "must have been a great game lads" with a chuckle from whoever is with him in the studio? I can't see RTÉ bothering their holes giving extra time to tiered competitions. And definitely no 'extra highlight' package for it.

*Not my thoughts lads, just the 'general consensus' among most of the GAA fraternity. I hope you Kildare men understand this.

The GAA live in the moment it's all reactionary and not visionary. There are so many fundamental issues that are wrong with the County game. Provincial structures, - Kildare face the possibility of playing Carlow and losing in 2 weeks, they will have played 4 championship games and are out. Sligo have played 1 and lost and will still be in the championship longer than Kildare. It's Gombeen shit.  Financial and home advantage disparities - the elephant in the room that will not be address by tiered systems. Mayo are going bankrupt trying to keep up, it's not sustainable in Kerry either. Ploughing money into senior set-ups in short-term, gives a quick bounce, Kildare tried it and did relatively well, we focused on under-age and have done well but we can't transition across to senior because we don't have the finances to support the senior set-up and we don't even have high milage clams.

Tiered structures will only drive the wedge further and further, how long before Dublin GAA look for a bigger share of the TV money, I mean they are on TV the most, it's probably a fair call....

Oh and Kildare got 2mins 30 secs last night, in the one of the games of the weekend, Westmeath/Kerry was the other, they didn't even give that result....

[Rossfan]

https://www.gaa.ie/news/fixtures-review-committee-to-be-established/

[Dinny Breen]

https://www.gaa.ie/news/fixtures-review-committee-to-be-established/

Will the Provincial Council's give up their power? This is Ireland and politics, social sacrifice does not exist and people still vote on the parish pump.

[BennyCake]

Ok fellas. Was going to post this on the Kildare v Longford thread. Unfortunately Longford would be in tier 2, Kildare in tier 1 according to league placings would be with them, cos ya know like they're in Leinster and all 11 teams are shit comparing to the Dubs.* Seems a cracker of a match. Yet would we get to see 3 minutes of highlights from it as Dinny said on The Sunday Game?? Or would we see the score and Des Cahill saying in a rather patronising tone, "must have been a great game lads" with a chuckle from whoever is with him in the studio? I can't see RTÉ bothering their holes giving extra time to tiered competitions. And definitely no 'extra highlight' package for it.

*Not my thoughts lads, just the 'general consensus' among most of the GAA fraternity. I hope you Kildare men understand this.

The GAA live in the moment it's all reactionary and not visionary. There are so many fundamental issues that are wrong with the County game. Provincial structures, - Kildare face the possibility of playing Carlow and losing in 2 weeks, they will have played 4 championship games and are out. Sligo have played 1 and lost and will still be in the championship longer than Kildare. It's Gombeen shit.  Financial and home advantage disparities - the elephant in the room that will not be address by tiered systems. Mayo are going bankrupt trying to keep up, it's not sustainable in Kerry either. Ploughing money into senior set-ups in short-term, gives a quick bounce, Kildare tried it and did relatively well, we focused on under-age and have done well but we can't transition across to senior because we don't have the finances to support the senior set-up and we don't even have high milage clams.

Tiered structures will only drive the wedge further and further, how long before Dublin GAA look for a bigger share of the TV money, I mean they are on TV the most, it's probably a fair call....

Oh and Kildare got 2mins 30 secs last night, in the one of the games of the weekend, Westmeath/Kerry was the other, they didn't even give that result....

Not only that, but how long before DublinTV rolls into town, like MUTV?

[Blowitupref]

https://www.gaa.ie/news/fixtures-review-committee-to-be-established/

Will the Provincial Council's give up their power? This is Ireland and politics, social sacrifice does not exist and people still vote on the parish pump.

Everyone has a price.

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/gaa-ready-to-bite-the-bullet-on-possible-championship-reform-1.3906175

Something is about to give. After another weekend where one set of results stood in stark contrast to the other, the GAA has established a new fixtures review committee in an effort to establish something a little more balanced.
This will begin with the introduction of a Tier 2 football championship, probably as early as next summer, with three different proposals for outright changed also set to be at Congress 2020.
The weekend's Leinster quarter-finals provided fresh evidence of the issue: while just two points separated Laois and Westmeath, and Longford and Kildare went to a replay, Dublin and Meath beat Louth and Carlow by a combined 7-39 to 0-19.
"When you look at the championships in the last few weeks you see great local derbies and great matches," said GAA president John Horan.
"Then you see some games a little bit with too big a gap in the result. So our hope would be that at the next Central Council meeting in June to bring forward a proposal to look at the introduction of a Tier 2 championship for those teams in Division Three and Four.
"There is an appetite out there within the organisation for us to go ahead with a Tier 2 championship. Now is the time to grab that when the appetite is out there. I think we will possibly get it through at Central Council and if we do we will call a Special Congress in September or October time to have a look at putting this forward."
Speaking after the round one qualifier draw of the All-Ireland football championship, Horan also confirmed Eddie Sullivan will chair the fixtures review committee. A former secretary general within the public service, Sullivan is also is former chairman of his club, St Sylvesters, in Malahide.

This committee are going to be given the opportunity to come in with whatever proposals, the ultimate decision will be made by the democratic process we have which is Congress.
"The Club Players Association and the GPA will each have a representative, the other members of the committee will be from other sectors, second level will have a representative, third level and then from within the organisation itself.
"Somebody said it on the radio at the weekend, there is no silver bullet for this. If it was easily solved it would have been a solved a long time ago. I would be hoping that this group will come back with proposals that will be beneficial to the clubs on the ground.
"The indication I will be giving to them when they do come together is to come in with three proposals, because there is a debate out there whether provincial championships should survive or not survive."

[Sportacus]

I'd be worried my own County Antrim and others would disappear off the map altogether in a low profile lower tier.  However if the players are in favour, then why not go the whole hog and scrap the National League and have 3 (or 4) tiers in the Championship with meaningful promotion relegation at stake. This would leave more time for clubs and less risk of burnout for County players.

[imtommygunn]

We are getting to that point with appetite anyway Sportacus. I don't know if I've seen less appetite for the county football team and that is saying something. It allows people to talk crap about casement but we gave it away and we didn't have to close it when we didn't have an alternative yet.

Not sure where this would leave us mind you but then with the backdoor at least we have a potential winnable game. (though louth still favourites).

[seafoid]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/kevin-mcstay-time-for-gaa-to-be-bold-and-opt-for-a-new-championship-format-1.3906025

"The qualifiers have been wonderful but as a concept, their race is run. Overall, the weaker counties did not benefit from the format. The main beneficiaries were the strong counties availing of their second chance to storm to All-Irelands, as Galway and Kerry and Tyrone all did.

The other counties were, in the horrible line, living just to die another day. A good draw was getting a team slightly worse off than you. Sooner or later, they would come up against a big force and then out they would go, often with a drubbing as their closing experience.

I was listening to Colm O' Rourke, one of the architects of the format on RTÉ radio on Saturday, and he conceded that their day is done. Remember, there was a time when there was a real fear that the qualifiers would ruin everything. They didn't. But the level of interest and novelty has died away too."

[imtommygunn]

The gap between top and bottom is too much. The commitment levels required vs the reward for about 20 odd counties is not worth it and that is being reflected by player apathy and in turn crowd apathy.

The question is will a second tier just kill football in the so called weaker counties. A lot of thought needs put into this or it will cripple the game at county level in half the country. If Brexit has taught us anything it is that a plan is required!

[Rossfan]

The current proposal(s) are just Tommy Murphy mark 2 leaving "Tier 2" as just a Summer tournament with no tangible reward for winning it other than a nice shiny cup.
However let's see what comes from the June CC meeting.