Void league suits most but for a few the price is high

Colm Keys

The difference between Division 1 and the rest is stark, competitively and financially

Meath were on course for relegation from the top tier. Photo: Sportsfile

May 15 2020 02:30 AM

The Latin phrase cui bono - who benefits - has more association with the motive for a crime than the probable shelving of a sports competition.

But in the midst of GAA president John Horan's 'Sunday Game' interview last weekend, the spiking of this year's league campaigns became more of a reality.

For two months the GAA had held out the hope that the remaining two rounds of the football league, with promotion and relegation at stake, could be completed, or at least those games relevant to such movement.

But with an October at the earliest advisory for a resumption of a championship in place, the window of opportunity to play those remaining games has diminished.

In that sense then, who benefits? Who are the big winners? Competitively, for any county that avoids an almost certain drop to a lower division, Horan's words on the league will have sounded like music to their collective ears. But for a much smaller number so close to promotion, the consequences are significant on the field and in the pocket.

Relegation to Division 2 was already guaranteed for Meath, but now, if a conventional league does run again next spring, they might be better equipped to survive. Mayo were slipping inexorably towards the trapdoor too with games against Galway and Tyrone remaining, but they too can now draw breath and look forward to preserving their status as the longest-serving Division 1 county.

The top tier matters, not just for the barometer of such a competitive environment - the inability of promoted Division 2 teams to retain their status reflects that - but the financial injection it can give a county too. That also applies in hurling.

When Limerick were challenging the change to the format of the hurling league after the 2011 competition, which had them in the new six-team Division 1B instead of an eight-team Division 1, the county's secretary Mike O'Riordan estimated that between gate receipts and advertising opportunities the loss would be in the region of €100,000.

The GAA recently allocated money from the first five rounds of the leagues to counties and the difference between Division 1 and the rest is stark. Overall, the Allianz football league took in just over €2m and from that, three-quarters was, not surprisingly, generated in the top flight.

From that figure, over half is deducted for ground rent, expenses, venue deductions (retained by the county), insurance and players injury fund leaving €979,277, when travel and pool contributions are included.

Kerry received the most, their €93,883 eclipsing even Dublin who have come away with €84,201.

Crowds are the obvious factor favouring both with the 42,502 turning up on the opening night to see them an obvious lift. The following week 11,117 showed up in Tralee to watch the Kingdom edge out Galway by a point in a thrilling encounter.

Mayo's solid support generates a steady stream of revenue for the county through each spring campaign and on top of their maximum season ticket return there was €76,682 in league distribution, significantly down on the €178,169 they got for their eight-match campaign in 2019 that ended in Croke Park triumph over Kerry in the final.

Tyrone, with €38,860, reported the lowest figure, but they can't have been helped by two of their plum fixtures, both of which they won, against Kerry and Dublin being played in deplorable conditions with the Kerry game moved to Edendork where the terraces are not covered.

In Division 2, Armagh were best placed before the pause in March to make the jump and that would have franked the progression they have been making, but the difference in being a division higher would also be felt in their bank account.

For their five games, the overall return was €23,331. Kildare had most recycled to them out of all the Division 2 teams with €29,847.

Winning

It gets lower as the divisions, and the prices drop. Cork received just €16,220 for their efforts in winning all five games. As losers from a void league go in all four football divisions, they will be the biggest.

In hurling, Limerick's popularity is reflected in the €79,177 allocated to them with Tipperary next on €63,070. Their opening-night match in Thurles drew a crowd of 11,867.

The difference between being in 1A and 1B has also been felt. Wexford topped the Division 1B takings but even with their significant support they were behind Limerick, Tipperary and Cork (€59,424) with €53,816.

Overall league revenues after the first five rounds were on a par with 2019 in football and running below in hurling with €1,161,423 taken at the gate for Division 1A and 1B games, compared to €1,300,242 in 2019, though weather may have been a factor as much as the format change.