Paying players to play is simply ‘not on the agenda’
Ever since the Sky deal last April much attention has been focused on where the increased revenue from the deal might eventually end up.
Some had hoped that the players whose images were being beamed across the world would see some of the money, while others felt putting the cash back into clubs and the ‘grassroots’ would be of more benefit.
In today’s Examiner the Director General of the GAA, Paraic Duffy, has once again ruled out the idea that players could be paid in some sort of semi-professionalism.
He feels that the issue is a non-runner ‘As far as we’re concerned, it’s simply not on the agenda. I mean, we have debated all of this before, these issues. The GPA are committed to an amateur organisation, we’re committed to an amateur organisation.
Players have previously been very split in their opinion on whether they would like to see pay-for-play but for Duffy he feels that the majority don’t want a wage from their sport, ‘I just don’t see any demand (for it) or from our players by and large. We’re an amateur organisation and we’re going to stay an amateur organisation.’
The comments come before what is sure to be a massive year for the GAA as the Sky deal enters its second season and the UK broadcaster will now take a bigger interest in the Springtime activity of counties and not just the Championship.
Players do seem evenly split on whether they would like to see professionalism become part of our national games and the debate over whether mileage and food expenses is a proper reward for GAA players
The debate over whether players are being properly rewarded for their efforts by the GAA seems it will rumble on into the New Year.
H/T to The Examiner
