It will never get through Congress.
That’s the first thing to say about the GPA proposals from players about what changes the various members would like to see made to the current system of league, provincial and All-Ireland championships
The leak of a document on Thursday online would never ever get the two-thirds majority required for any changes.
But in a summer that has seen various proposals from pundits and amateurs, it is finally good to see what players would actually be in favour of.
The timing of the leak is also especially important considering that the GAA’s Central Council are meeting next week to discuss proposals from countries in relation to what they may like to see changed in the championship.
The key points from the document would see a radical shift in the GAA’s focus on various competitions
- Abolish all January competitions (McGrath Cup, O’Byrne Cup etc) and instead use that time for intensive training.
- National League to be run off in 8 successive weeks and to finish by March with final placing determining championship seeding.
- No league semi finals – table topper declared league winner.
- Provincial championships to be played from April until May with no impact on All-Ireland series.
- Champions League format for All-Ireland championship with eight groups of four counties, and matches divided into two separate pools with games being televised on alternate weekends.
- Round-robin format within each group, with the lower seeded team enjoying home advantage against all Division One seeds
- The winners of each group move into the last 16 of the championship while the qualifiers begin between the remaining sides and the bottom placed team are eliminated.
The rest of the Championship continues as it is currently, with only slight changes in dates and timings for matches as the All-Ireland would be fixed much earlier in September.
The proposal is unlikely to get enough support from any county who would be hesitant to back plan to reduce the prestige of the provincial championships, while the issue of club games as well as the problem of running a championship at a different time to that of it’s hurling equivalent may be an issue.
More games will mean more money for the GAA which may be attractive, but the round-robin series in the Leinster hurling championship draws poor crowds generally and there is a fear of ‘dead rubber’ games if the system is introduced.
H/t to the42.ie
