i dunno if its just me or something but is the major issue with the system not the early rounds of the championship ie, provincials and qualifiers?...once we get to the quarters it improves noticeably so seems a bit laughable to be changing things at the quarter final stage?..the issues are largely before the all ireland series

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 04/08/2016 13:54:50    1895475

alano12 (Dublin) - Posts: 2208 - 04/08/2016 13:56:07    1895479

Since most views and responses are on this thread maybe it should be re-titled "Proposed new SFC Championship format" ...just a thought!

Back to the main proposal is read how it may benefit clubs but is it deliverable??

Supporting clubs
1. The fixtures schedule (see Appendix 1) demonstrates how, with minimal changes, the
new proposed structure could have been played in 2016. This is not necessarily the
best available schedule. It is simply based on eliminating the semi-finals in the Allianz
Football League (which has already been agreed), bringing forward the finals of the
Allianz Leagues (the football final by two weeks and the hurling final by one week),
and, in the Ulster football championship, playing the preliminary game and one first
round game on the same weekend. The schedule shows how the All-Ireland hurling
final could have been played on 21 August. This is two weeks earlier than at present.
2. It will be noted that the final round of games in the group stage, which eliminates four
teams, would be played one week later than the last of the quarter-finals in the
current structure. However, twenty-four teams would have been eliminated from the
football championship by the third week in July. This is two weeks earlier than at
present. This is a critical point, as it is much more beneficial for clubs to have their
county players available to them in July and August. In the period between the end of
the Allianz League and the beginning of the championship, county players are rarely
available to their clubs; the only period when clubs can be guaranteed access to their
county players is when the county team is eliminated from the championship.
3. This proposed modification of the structure of the championship highlights once again
the critical need to introduce comprehensive reform of our inter-county fixtures
scheduling, but also the opportunities that exist to do so - there is clearly scope to
further condense the fixtures schedule at both provincial and All-Ireland level by
playing more games over a single weekend and by shortening the gaps between
games. This would, in turn, redress the current imbalance between the amount of
training and number of games. No re-structuring of the championship will be
acceptable that does not contribute to a re-balancing of the inter-county fixtures
schedule in favour of clubs.
4. Extra time should be played in the event of a draw in all provincial and All-Ireland
championship games. Only when teams are level after extra time should a replay take
place. This change alone would have a very positive impact on the scheduling of both
inter-county and club fixtures and would reduce the instances where counties are
adversely affected by 'the six-day turnaround'.

cillnaile. (Fermanagh) - Posts: 997 - 04/08/2016 13:56:22    1895480

Lets say you have a group as follows
Dublin
Kerry
Galway
Tipp

Rd1.
Kerry bt. Dublin
Tipp bt. Galway

Rd2.
Kerry bt. Galway
Dublin draw Tipp

Rd3.
Kerry vs. Tipp
If Kerry win, they go through, Tipp can get caught by Dublin.
If Kerry draw, they go through, Tipp go through, Dublin are out
If Kerry lose, they go through, Tipp go through, Dublin are out
It's a compact schedule, so Kerry rest a few players for this game

BlastCalyle (Mayo) - Posts: 206 - 04/08/2016 13:57:07    1895481

Yeah is there really much more to it than what we currently have?

Basically it will be the same as now with the championship really only getting going at quarter final stage and the only real change is more games at quarter final stage.

Thats it really in a nutshell in regards to change. Its a change but half ars£d is how i would describe it.

The elephant in the room that is the outdated provincial championships still exist with advantages based on what province you happen to be situated in.

Its practically the same only more games at quarter final stage and how it helps the ordinary club player is beyond me to be honest.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1349 - 04/08/2016 13:58:19    1895482

Midleton (Cork) - Posts: 643 - 04/08/2016 14:02:35    1895495

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4236 - 04/08/2016 14:14:03    1895518

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7360 - 04/08/2016 14:15:27    1895524

As long as provincial councils are taking in money for the running of the provincial championships, they will not be scrapped anytime soon.
Although I'm happy that they're showing a willingness to change, they're really just changing for the sake of changing with this proposal. It's not tackling the tougher questions such as the pro's and con's of the provincial championships having on the outcome of the teams that make the final 8.
Although an overhaul of their scheduling of provincial matches was well over due, by adding more games on this way they've made this a lot tougher on the clubs.
If they still want to run the provincial championships, go ahead and do that in place of the league in the spring. Run the league in the summer with the league winners given byes to the next round of the championship which could be just done as open draw.

No harm in giving this new format a try at least and see what kind of product we get out of it at least

keithlemon (Australia) - Posts: 920 - 04/08/2016 14:25:00    1895537

Pros
- Would lead to great games at right time of year
- Games going to provincial venues in group stage
- Div 3 & 4 teams getting home advantage
- possibility of making quarter final group stage gives incentive to all players to stick around for qualifiers rather than heading to states. It should be an achievable goal (I think 24 counties have made the quarters in last 16years)

Cons
- Don't see how it helps clubs, unless the provinces condense their championships and finish them earlier
- Little advantage in winning province. Real goal for most teams now will be making the quarters, who cares if you win province or not
- In some cases might be as well going through qualifiers instead of province (thinking of some of the stinker draws we've had in Ulster recently)

I think its worth a trial. Its probably a stepping stone to further change. Wonder if it goes well after a couple of years would counties want a new group stage for a 'plate' competition or something like that. Or just flat out champions league format

himachechy (Donegal) - Posts: 293 - 04/08/2016 14:44:00    1895556

Up4it. (Tyrone) - Posts: 198 - 04/08/2016 14:47:16    1895564

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 04/08/2016 14:48:45    1895567

On a quick read I would have a number of concerns about it. Club competitions in the 'top 8' could suffer very badly, impacting on the ordinary club players and causing havoc for clubs in these counties hoping to have success in the All-Ireland club competition.
At county level, it might be seen as a step towards creating the conditions for the much discussed 'A' and 'B' championships. It will in all probability lead to an elite group of counties protected from intrusions from other 'upstart' counties. It is not beyond belief that this group of counties could, in the long term, actually hold an unhealthy influence over the GAA and it's future development.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 04/08/2016 14:53:34    1895575

Would anyone be in agreement that the teams that get knocked out early go into there own little knock out tournament give the weaker teams a longer summer

Tarismelting22 (Roscommon) - Posts: 760 - 04/08/2016 14:55:39    1895577

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 04/08/2016 14:57:19    1895579

More signs of how out of touch the top of GAA is with everyone else. This is aimed solely at one thing lining the pockets of Croke Park. How will this improve football in Carlow, Wexford Wicklow. It means more games for the top teams and the bottom teams will continue to be forgotten.
The league should be turned into provincial leagues with this determining the seeding for a 32 team champions league style championship.
Do away with the provincial championships pointless exercises at this stage.

hurlorhurley (Wexford) - Posts: 1660 - 04/08/2016 15:00:39    1895584

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4236 - 04/08/2016 15:14:16    1895598

Terrible proposal. Does nothing to deal with the issues which are all down to the uneven provincial format. Will only make club fixtures unplayable in July and August.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 04/08/2016 15:17:19    1895603

I think it's a good idea to implement the group stage with the final 8. Provincial winners are guaranteed a game in Croke Park. Provincial grounds gain additional games.

There could be an argument in the future for expanding to 16 teams in 4 groups. From a GAA point of view they prefer to make changes step by step within the current setup.

I say go with it. The B Championship motion should come back in a few years if there's appetite for it.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7868 - 04/08/2016 15:27:46    1895612

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7868 - 04/08/2016 15:39:07    1895628