Finance the key in proposal's hard sell

The financial gains from the proposed "super championship" could well sway the four provincial councils and the 33 county boards when the issue comes up for decision at next April's annual congress.

Rather than lose money, the various councils and the county boards will actually gain a considerable amount of extra revenue.

Robbie Kelleher, the former Dublin footballer who is director of economic research with Davy Stockbrokers, carried out a full financial assessment for the Football Development Committee (FDC) - the brainpower behind the new proposals. He estimates that the 165 games in the roundrobin phase of the restructured championship/league would bring in excess of £5 million. This is based on an average entry fee to each game of £5.

The present National League brings in around £600,000, which is divided up between the competing counties on the basis of performance. Gate receipts from the current championship format go to the provincial councils and, from the All-Ireland series, to Central Council.

Under the new proposal, the revenue would be divided and shared by the various GAA bodies with the FDC suggesting that the following categories would be included in such a divvy up: 1, Provincial Councils (to compensate for loss of early-round championship games); 2, Home Team; 3, Away Team; 4, Public Liability; 5, Players' Injury Scheme; 6, Venue Expenses; and, 7, a pool for Section Three teams (with a recommendation for a minimum 10 per cent).

Although the projected impact on each county will vary, the figures make extremely interesting reading. For example, Dublin's revenue from the National League for the past two seasons (1996/'97 and 1997/'98) was £16,796 and £19,110 respectively.

Under the new structure, Dublin's income would jump dramatically and, it is estimated, they would get circa £168,500, an increase of £151,704 on their `96/'97 take and £149,390 up on their `97/'98 income.

The figures prepared by Kelleher also show that the "weak" counties would benefit significantly from the increase in revenue. For example, Carlow, whose income from the NFL in 1997/'98 amounted to £13,256, would see revenue increase more than five-fold to £70,519.

Kelleher projects that the vast majority of counties would see their average income increase by between £50,000 and £70,000 per year under the new structures.

While the county boards - whose officials will have the task of persuading club delegates at county conventions over the next six weeks to go with the new proposals - may be pacified by the huge increases in revenue, the provincial councils will also have to be assuaged.

However, the FDC has recognised that the four provincial bodies will be "losing substantial revenue through not having early-round championship matches" and believes that they should be compensated fully for such losses from the new revenue.

Apart from an increase in gate-receipt revenue, the FDC also believes that the new proposals would lead to an increase in overall sponsorship income, too, because of the "greater number of games, particularly high-profile games". The hard sell by the GAA planners and, indeed, those county board officials in favour of the new proposals will start almost immediately.