In attendance at the GAA Annual Report launch is Ard Stiúrthóir of the GAA Tom Ryan, at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
By John Harrington
GAA Ard Stiúrthóir, Tom Ryan, has hailed the positives that have come from the GAA’s revamped playing calendar and inter-county competition structures.
He believes the surety it gives to players in terms of their playing schedule, and the greater room to breathe now enjoyed by the club championships, have been two of the main plusses.
“By and large the response to the new season and new inter-county competition structures has been positive,” wrote Ryan in his Annual Report which was published today.
“It delivers fixture certainty for players so that they can plan their lives beyond GAA commitments and it creates a defined period for devoting attention and playing time to club championships. I think the momentum and sentiment is such that we will not be reverting to the old arrangements any time soon.
“With any change, and in particular something as radical as this, there will inevitably be areas that still raise concern. We need to protect the notion of a closed season at inter-county, and we must be careful to allow gaps, where possible, between the various stages of the inter-county season.
“We have to be mindful of the inter-county player who transitions straight into club fixtures when his county season concludes. Finish on the day is well established and is embraced, but the use of penalty kicks (or penalties) as the decider still seems to attract criticism.
“There are off-field ramifications as well. There is increased pressure on volunteers, officers and stewards, and indeed staff at all levels who are now running rapid fire fixtures at short intervals. Gross attendance figures have held up very well, but the financial and indeed time pressures that make supporting the county team look a bit different than in previous years.
“All of these factors are real. We can’t take for granted the impact on players, patrons and officials. Nevertheless I believe the shape and duration of the respective county and club seasons is approaching the right balance.
“Thus our task is to mitigate and manage these factors, and to keep an open mind regarding improvements, in order to assure that the progress we have made is not jeopardised.”
GAA Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan’s Annual Report and the GAA’s Consolidated Financial Statements for 2023 can be read here - 14742 GAA Annual Report digital (fliphtml5.com)