With the league almost over for another year my question is has the league over taken the championship for entertainment value, we've had a few entertaining league games over the last few months & with championship only a few weeks away do we really have anything to look forward to until maybe quarter finals or semis in mid August!!

billythekid69 (USA) - Posts: 35 - 31/03/2016 21:32:22    1839915

League is more balanced hence more competitive.....but championship matches send a tingle down the spine

witnof (Dublin) - Posts: 1604 - 01/04/2016 08:06:07    1839928

The league definitely has a bigger feel about it than it previously did but its still nothing compared to championship.

I suppose some depends on what province your in. Like take 2 examples Donegal and Dublin.
For Donegal winning Ulster is still bigger than winning the league IMO
But for Dublin winning Leinster is a formality so another League win is great (if they win many more league that will become a formality also ha)

Winning SAM is the biggest thing in the game and what every player dreams of.

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 01/04/2016 08:42:21    1839934

The problem with the championship is the stop start nature and so few games. One team starts in May, another the end of june....6-7 weeks for some between games. Only in Ireland would our teams play the least football during the summer....it beggers belief when you think about it.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 01/04/2016 08:50:37    1839936

What about extending the leagues - perhaps making them two rounds, home and away? I know it would lengthen things out, impact on club games and player commitment but maybe these issues could be resolved? We could have more weeks were football and hurling matches could be doubled up, possibly mid week games under floodlights, etc to shorten it. We could end the pre season McKenna Cup etc and replace them with league games. An enhanced league would raise the profile and help market the games more

Aoife1234 (Antrim) - Posts: 17 - 01/04/2016 09:02:22    1839939

League is where most counties play all their football. Top divisions were pretty even this year but lowers divisions petered out.

Pity is that most counties have 70-90% of their football played before its warm enough to go out without a jacket.

Said it before will say it again.
1. Get rid of prelim competitions, change to six/seven team divisions. Finals on paddy so weekend.
2. Take two months off for club football
3. Seeded provincial championships start in May 4. Provincial semis and finals in June
5. All Ireland B and c championships played in June and July - league basis - league winner progresses
6. All Ireland Qfinals in August - 2 prov winners, all Ireland C winner, 1x Ireland B winner and 2xwinners of provincial finalist loser + lowest ranked provincial winner play offs

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 03/04/2016 17:14:26    1840917

if this is true? which do people watch more? its the champonship?
so no

kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 03/04/2016 19:45:06    1841086

Agree with OP. For 26 counties the year is effectively over.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 03/04/2016 19:59:46    1841098

The big crowds come out for the big days of the championship. It's the way it is and it's what is bringing money to the game. Some counties are better off focusing on progression in the league. It's good for Clare in football to be up to Division 2. They'll be in the same division as Cork next year.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7846 - 03/04/2016 20:07:20    1841109

Has the league overtaken the championship?

NO

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 03/04/2016 20:12:33    1841120

Champs league format is the only way to go. Home and away games leading into two championships that seed the teams the following year.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 03/04/2016 20:15:55    1841126

Does today not show the major flaw in leagues with examples like Fermanagh getting a vital draw against a Tyrone team with nothing to play for? No disrespect to Fermanagh but had Tyrone desperately needed a win i expect they would have got it. There were other unlikely results where teams with something to play for beat teams who had their eyes on other things. That to me is why championship will always be the true test.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 03/04/2016 20:18:36    1841129

The league is far more interesting than the Championship until August kicks in.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13707 - 03/04/2016 20:26:36    1841139

The league as it is will never overtake the championship, no one remembers or cares who won the league, championship is all that matters.

Counties are not at full strength, not fully fit and all use it to find new players.

The leagues only purpose for the top teams is to get them ready for the championship. It means a bit more to lower ranked teams but still it is all about getting ready for the championship.

county man (Limerick) - Posts: 1102 - 03/04/2016 21:13:19    1841222

The League is a more balanced system with most teams in each division at the same level unlike the championship but a lot of teams use the League to blood new players and aren't at full tilt either with training or on the pitch, for example Donegal, Cork, Mayo, Monaghan, Kerry, etc aren't at full pace but Dublin are flying and you can see they have more intensive training done and are well ahead of the rest at the moment but that will balance out when champ starts

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 03/04/2016 21:30:25    1841246

The league has overtaken the qualifier games anyway for sure. Teams like Dublin, Mayo, Donegal and now Roscommon are drawing huge crowds bigger than most qualifier games.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11231 - 03/04/2016 21:43:25    1841259