The League Is A Joke

Hola_Bola

Why is the emphasis of the Championship throughout summer not brought over the lift the reputation of the league? I know contingents of people who would rather go to bed early than watch a Dublin Vs. Kerry match in Parnell Park but those very same people get worked up for the summers activities.

Personally, I have watched Dublin in both venues and I can't understand why RTE don't march down to the GAA and demand the rights for League games. For it to be lifted up to summer status, it needs a home on TV and I'm not talking and TG4 here.

SKY has done wonders for the British Premiership. It has lifted it's reputation to the top of European soccer. The variety and interactive options it also brings to you is for discussion another time but until the GAA leagues are taken seriously, I can't see RTE ever purchasing those very rights that are needed for it's reputation enhancement.

Most teams treat the league as an experimental time and for preparation for the Championship...why is this? I think the big games, i.e - Dublin/Kerry, Mayo/Galway, Dublin/Tyrone games need to be held in front of a sell-out crowd in Croke Park.

thomond2006

Geez, don't state the obvious mate. :rolleyes:

PhosphoricAcid

i would nearly prefer if the league was one day deemed as important as chapionship...if u notice theres a pattern though usually team that wins league is finalists or winners

Flukey

It is up to the teams themselves to make the league important. Those that do have usually got a good run in the championship. Kerry are league champions this year and they were last year and have done well subsequently. Some teams do use it for experimentation, but they should be doing that while trying to win their matches too. Experience on the pitch is important, but so is experience of winning. One of the problems for Dublin is that they haven't been taking the league seriously enough. Their now well documented August problems have their roots much earlier in the year. People have been saying it would be good for them to be in the qualifiers and get to play in other grounds around the country. The league is where they do that and where they should be making the most of it. Only their two Tyrone matches of 2007 and 2009 were played in Croke Park, both of which they lost.

As to TV coverage, well don't get me started on what Sky have done to destroy English soccer. I don't follow any particular club, but I do watch games and Sky have done far more damage than they have good, both in terms of the game itself and in taking it away from fans. Some people are foolish enough to think it has improved the game, but that is far from the case. At its heart it was much better in the days pre-Sky when you could see matches on TV regularly, not pay per view. Seeing some fancy players from fancy angles isn't what improving the game is about at all. The true English soccer is in a far worse state now than it was years ago, whatever you might think, but enough about that. We'll leave soccer and its current state and pay per view channels to other forums.

In terms of league coverage for the GAA, I see no problem with RTE not covering the league and TV3 getting some championship matches. The majority of people have access to TV3 and TG4 and can get off their asses and go to league matches if they want to. Many of us do. There are a lot of league games that are better than some championship ones, so people should go and it doesn't matter which of the 3 channels they are on. Attendance and gate receipts is not a measure of the quality of matches. Those that want to see them will watch or go. Unfortunately a lot of people aren't bothered with league matches no matter what, and nothing RTE can do can change that. If those people want to stay at home for the league, then let them, but the rest of us can go.

Whatever about the league, even many championship matches are far from sell-outs. Come next month there'll be people screaming for tickets that didn't even know their county was through to the semi-final, and whose passion for their county only began after the semi-final was over. Still, they'll be out telling everyone that they are from such and such a county, so they deserve a ticket for the final. But getting back to the central point, the prime responsibility for improving the quality of the league isn't down to TV or supporters, but to the management and players alone.

DC_Roscommon

They should have the league and championship side-by-side so if a team like Roscommon gets knocked out early they have a game the following week

Imposter

There are a few things which does not make the League as possible as it could be. Yes TV coverage is one thing but there are far more important things that need considering first.

From a player and tema perspective the demands placed on players now is at breaking point. Players are expected to play and train not just for the county teams but also for their club teams. 7 league games and 2+ championships matches at county level (also possibly the O'Byrne Cup etc competitions!) and training and probably something similar for club is a lot to expect of amateur players. Some also have college and maybe U21 games! Now try fitting all those things over a year! At some stage players need a break to have holidays and/or take things easier. This is why the league does not always get the same high priority as championship games.

From a fans point of view 2 main points exist. Going to all the league matches (or even just the home ones) costs money! Bringing a family to such games costs even more.

From a fans perspective there is also the lower quality of games due to the players possibly taking that games less seriously, as well as the winter weather and conditions not exactly being optimal for the games.

Hardly a wonder that the league isn't taken as seriously then!

homerjay2005

kerry -

league winners 04 - all ireland champions 04
league winners 06 - all ireland champions 06
league runners up 08 - all ireland runners up 08
league winner 09 - ???????


the league matters, end of.

Flukey

It's not just Kerry. A lot of teams that have done well in the championship have done it on the back of good league campaigns - in all divisions. Antrim is a good example from this year. It doesn't always happen, but good league campaigners normally go well in the championship. Whatever about the earlier stages, as you get to the final rounds and then into the knockout stages, you get some more testing games, which are ideal preparation for the championship. Any aspiring championship team should aim to be around at the business end of the league, and that means taking it seriously from round one.

eagle eye

I started a thread the other day and I didn't get one reply. I'm interested to see what people think of a new system. I personally believe that the six months from October to March should be left to club football and the other six should be all county games. I think we should have a system that allows lots of matches for every team. I think it would improve the game and allow players to be paid for their efforts also. Here is the thread.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055645010

Warper

The winners of the League this year were Kilkenny and Kerry. They are also the favourites for both All-Ireland's so can't be all bad. People forget that teams cannot be at their peak for 3/4's of the year. It is an amateur sport ffs.

tommyfitz

For the last 20 years Dublin have treated the League with distain, so Dublin have won NOTHING. See any clues?

aDeener

eagle eye wrote: »

I started a thread the other day and I didn't get one reply. I'm interested to see what people think of a new system. I personally believe that the six months from October to March should be left to club football and the other six should be all county games. I think we should have a system that allows lots of matches for every team. I think it would improve the game and allow players to be paid for their efforts also. Here is the thread.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055645010

oh so you fancy ruining the gaa, good man

Gingy

tommyfitz wrote: »

For the last 20 years Dublin have treated the League with distain, so Dublin have won NOTHING. See any clues?

For the last 14 years Dublin have treated the Championship with distain....