The playing field needs to be levelled (no pun) financially for all teams. For obvious reasons a sponsor should pay more to have their name on the Dublin shirt than Leitrim or Waterford. The distribution of GAA funds is a different subject. 1. All minimum sponsorship for county teams logos set by the GAA county by county. 2. All sponsorship goes to the GAA for equal distribution to all teams. 3. The GAA set player compensation, like travelling expenses, meal allowances, medical care etc. for all counties. 4. The same compensation rules apply to managers and back room staff as players. 5. The GAA stipulate the types and number of team support staff. The alternative is continue down the road to professionalism where the county teams with the most money and resources will be at the top. We have already gone in that direction but are in denial if our team is on top. Any body who believes there is no correlation between money and success lives in cuckoo land. Looking at the professional game across channel is proof. Time to make up the minds do we want to restore the amateur ethos or not.
Replying To Canuck: "The playing field needs to be levelled (no pun) financially for all teams. For obvious reasons a sponsor should pay more to have their name on the Dublin shirt than Leitrim or Waterford. The distribution of GAA funds is a different subject. 1. All minimum sponsorship for county teams logos set by the GAA county by county. 2. All sponsorship goes to the GAA for equal distribution to all teams. 3. The GAA set player compensation, like travelling expenses, meal allowances, medical care etc. for all counties. 4. The same compensation rules apply to managers and back room staff as players. 5. The GAA stipulate the types and number of team support staff. The alternative is continue down the road to professionalism where the county teams with the most money and resources will be at the top. We have already gone in that direction but are in denial if our team is on top. Any body who believes there is no correlation between money and success lives in cuckoo land. Looking at the professional game across channel is proof. Time to make up the minds do we want to restore the amateur ethos or not."
Stronger counties won't be happy if their sponsorship money is shared with so-called weaker counties. They have a higher media profile and get better sponsorship deals because of that. Rather than split the sponsorship money the GAA need to work with weaker counties helping them to get more media coverage and better sponsorship deals. Each county senior team should have a basic amount, plus extra based on genuine expenses like players travelling home for training, medical bill's etc. But weaker counties, who get their act together should get more development money than stronger counties, they're more in need to bring up their football standards.
Replying To MayoDan: "The Leinster championship is a farce Yew Tree. Kildare and Meath don't get any home games while a certain other team play at home all the time. Monaghan and Roscommon players can realistically aim for a provincial championship when they start training every winter. That is not a possibility in Leinster."
Replying To GreenandRed: "Stronger counties won't be happy if their sponsorship money is shared with so-called weaker counties. They have a higher media profile and get better sponsorship deals because of that. Rather than split the sponsorship money the GAA need to work with weaker counties helping them to get more media coverage and better sponsorship deals. Each county senior team should have a basic amount, plus extra based on genuine expenses like players travelling home for training, medical bill's etc. But weaker counties, who get their act together should get more development money than stronger counties, they're more in need to bring up their football standards."
Exactly they do have a higher media profile and can get more MONEY and will be more successful that their poorer opponents. Is that what we want? If so say so and let's get on with the march towards professionalism. Time will see the weaker get weaker and players opting out. I have heard of one county manager getting 250K. Another on 80K, a free car and a house where he is going. Love of the game my backside. We are already there so time to establish some professional franchises. Personally I prefer the amateur ethos that our games were built on. However there is big money for some in the game that is going unchecked. I wonder why? Would it be that there are many high paid jobs at the top and don't want to bring attention to themselves.