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For me the simple answer is yes. As a club dual player, the fixture planner at the start of the year showed that we were going to have a game every weekend from the end of January to then end of September(not including midweek games & knockout games if we progressed in competitions). It is difficult to stay interested with such a huge amount of games. i would much prefer a 4/5 month season where all the games mattered instead of turning up in the February to play games on waterlogged pitches. I'll be honest, the break from playing has been most welcomed. fjones (Dublin) - Posts: 12 - 27/05/2020 09:06:20 2279307 Link 1 |
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meaningless matches are a by product of any league structure. perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3929 - 27/05/2020 09:47:36 2279308 Link 1 |
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Ok but can they be minimized somewhat or is this the absolute best way? Just remember whether a stadium is full or empty the player had to train their rearends off so minimizing meaningless matches would help them a lot.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2124 - 27/05/2020 11:43:51 2279314 Link 0 |
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I think the problem is that the league is at a bad time in the calendar before teams are peaking. It does now at least matter with regards qualifying for the All Ireland series. A 2 groups of 8 teams tier 1 championship wouldn't necessarily have many meaningless matches though. 3 teams to from each group to AI playoffs. 3 teams relegated in total. It leaves a lot to play for. That sort of competition, played off quickly over say 14 weekends would be a really exciting competition. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 27/05/2020 11:55:41 2279315 Link 6 |
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Agreed. The big distinction for GAA and say soccer/rugby/NFL is the amateur v professional distinction. Pros are paid to finish out the season and will have their professional careers decided based on how they conduct themselves over a season. Once the big prize is gone in the amateur game the incentive to stick around is less, queue USA for the summer. In the uber-hyped premier league, maybe 80% of its matches are technically meaningless. Brighton v Villa in November, Watford v Newcastle in February, West Ham v Burnley in March, Man U v Southampton in January etc. etc. etc. Who really cares? Everton play 38 a year, about 36 are meaningless. The NFL conference format does keep things interesting for longer all the same Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1058 - 27/05/2020 12:29:17 2279318 Link 1 |
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Totally agree. Most leagues have em and still operate fine and ide much rather a straight league with some meaningless games that some of those in my view childish USA sports where almost everyone ends up in the playoffs
Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 27/05/2020 12:52:52 2279319 Link 1 |
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Yeah. The NBA and NHL are ridiculous on how many teams make the playoffs. It renders the regular season almost useless except for maybe seedings.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2124 - 27/05/2020 13:16:25 2279321 Link 0 |
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Yes those leinster and Munster football championships are a complete waste of time lilypad (Kildare) - Posts: 1363 - 27/05/2020 13:22:26 2279322 Link 0 |
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Id amalgamate both provinces, run a split championship A/B. A: Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Clare Meath, Kildare, Laois and WestMeath. B. Offaly, Tipp, Louth, Limerrick, Wexford, Carlow, Waterford, Wicklow. Both having back door privileges, take split between Leinster and Munster councils, home and away open draw. Promotion and relegation from A and B, based on merit of league position and championship showing. Probably not perfect, but both Leinster and Munster aren't fit for purpose and creates a massive advantage for Dublin and Kerry thats not fair on Ulster and Connacht teams in many ways. Id be all for it, the more competition and challenges the better. TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4445 - 27/05/2020 14:36:23 2279325 Link 2 |
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And the yanks never stop going on about their team making the playoffs as if it's something special. Half the time it looks like an underage feile the way everyone gets through to the next round
Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1236 - 27/05/2020 14:46:28 2279327 Link 2 |
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It's mainly basketball and ice hockey. Baseball and American football is different. American football of all of them gets it most right in my mind. 32 teams, play 16 matches each. 12 teams progress to the playoffs. It's a decent standard being set. Basketball and ice hockey's regular season's are pure fluff. In basketball some teams tank aggressively for a year to get better draft picks when they need to rebuild. GAA needs a merged league and Championship but it needs to be played off tightly and they need the right numbers qualifying to the playoffs to get the intensity of the league phase correct. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 27/05/2020 17:56:21 2279336 Link 5 |
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It doesnt render regular season meaningless though other than seeding. The NBA they play all teams in league and also play local rivals a lot. Far from makes regular season useless. Makes so many games meaningful as seedings are so important for playoffs and how home/away games are structured etc KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 27/05/2020 18:07:38 2279337 Link 1 |
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Bar the top teams in Divisions 3 and 4 qualifying rather than 2 from each it's similar to the old League format. Tiered championship has allowances for any Division 3 or 4 team reaching a provincial final to qualify for Tier one championship. The top teams have the safety of a back door. For me that makes for lesser provincial battles, bar Ulster. If they're not good enough to beat a division 3 or 4 team after playing at a Division 1 or 2 standard for that year they deserve to be out.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7346 - 27/05/2020 18:09:02 2279338 Link 6 |
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That format was ditched because it was unpopular. It penalized good teams for being good.
Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 739 - 27/05/2020 18:31:27 2279340 Link 1 |
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That's not the problem and I agree with you on that. It's more: say Donegal are in division 1 and they lose their first 3 games, why would they want to actually win going forward. They won't reach the All Ireland, they'd have a better shot the following season by getting relegated. I think 2 groups of 8 or a 3 tiered championship with 12 teams in division 1 would be better than having lower division teams qualifying. Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4226 - 27/05/2020 18:34:40 2279341 Link 5 |
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They couldn't have been that good so! We lost a league semi final to the winners Derry in 1996 and the All Ireland to Meath. From Division 3. Good but we still lost.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7346 - 27/05/2020 19:00:31 2279342 Link 4 |
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That's a Mayo tradition. The format is still unfair though. Division 3 and 4 sides should get promoted if they want to compete at the top.
Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 739 - 27/05/2020 19:18:11 2279348 Link 1 |
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Then by your logic why not play 200 games rather than 82....but hey I say the same thing about baseball but it's different as in their regular season is too long in my opinion. 162 games. How many times must you play other teams to get a seeding or playoff spot? Deep down it's all to do with money.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2124 - 27/05/2020 19:21:08 2279349 Link 0 |
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Yeah....it's too watered down just to make more money of course.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 2124 - 27/05/2020 19:25:08 2279351 Link 0 |
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A tradition that we don't seem to learn from and try to stop it re-occurring.
GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7346 - 27/05/2020 21:04:59 2279357 Link 5 |