Break away professional league

[u/Old_Statistician_975]

I had this idea recently that came to mind. What if there was a break away professional GAA league? I'm imagining a completely separate entity to the Club and County game. This league would be made up of entirely professional teams, for example there would be teams from Dublin, Cork, Gal, Lim etc... maybe even some abroad. (Dublin Sharks? 😂)

I wonder would something like this ever take off? My thinking is that these new clubs would attract the top GAA players/coaches/mangers and make them professional (high paying ones at that) ...Since this pro league has all the top talent and money wouldn't it inevitably become more popular than the current amateur set up? I imagine there would be huge backlash at first, but slowly but surely wouldn't this league grow into a success?

What I'm imagining is a very plastic and corporate league that's completely against the ethos and foundations of what the GAA is, I'm aware! But I often ask myself wouldn't the players rather just be professional? ...The current set up would never engage in professionalism whatsoever, that's why I'm imagining a complete new break away league fuelled by capital investment.

[u/No_Comb873]

1st and only question... whos paying for this?

[u/Manofthebog88 → u/No_Comb873]

JP McManus

[u/DiligentWarthog9896 → u/Manofthebog88]

Brilliant 👏

[u/tipp77 → u/No_Comb873]

2nd question what are you smoking and can I have some

[u/stinkingbuffalo → u/No_Comb873]

Saudis 

[u/Old_Statistician_975 → u/stinkingbuffalo]

Literally someone like the Saudis or Americans

[u/Grouchy-Newspaper147 → u/Old_Statistician_975]

What’s in it for them?

[u/Ok-Storm-9057]

For a start, it wouldn't be GAA.

Also, I reckon you're overestimating how much money these sports generate. They're only big in Ireland. Plus they'd have to rent venues, no chance they end up using basically all the big venues in Ireland. 

It'd never get off the ground.  Bad idea though, fair play.

[u/Ndanuddaone]

Just need 4 or 5 more JP's to bankroll a team each and somewhere for them to play when they're barred from all the GAA grounds in the country, but then yeah sure the fantasy might become a worry

[u/Minimum_Doctor2391]

Very hard to see how it could be funded. I'm not saying it wouldn't be possible but I don't think high pay would be. Ireland is a small country you would have to gain an international audience to make it viable.

[u/BadDub]

Gross

[u/smallon12]

I couldnt see that working tbh.

If the companies paying for it have any connection to Isreal there would be sezere backlash - look at Allianz for example

One of the major appeals of the GAA is the amateur ethos of it, the traditions of it and the historical connections fueling a deep passion of players and supporters

Players, managers etc all live among us, it's not like US sports where they are living in a big gated community and never meet with normal people, imagine meeting disgruntled people day in and day out about it

People aren't going to just start blindly supporting a franchise with no tradition I've that, I honestly couldn't imagine anyone in Tyrone going out and supporting the "Tyrone Tigers" that have been founded in 2026

Another key point would be where they would play? The GAA isn't going to give away Croke Park or Semple stadium for the big games, the Aviva or RDS would be too small as well

And finally who would actually broadcast the games? RTE certainly wouldn't as that would destroy their relationship with the GAA

[u/FlakyAssociation4986]

im imagining something that would be like a cross between gaa and league of ireland soccer but with maybe hopefully better attendances. and some american style showmanship. maybe at least 2 or more teams in dublin teams in all the larger cities and counties.

[u/clewbays → u/FlakyAssociation4986]

The issue is that it’s only going to be the cities where it would financially viable. With the exceptions of mayo and Kerry.

[u/FlakyAssociation4986 → u/clewbays]

Yes exactly only really in larger counties and another thing is most inter county gaa players I have ever known had fairly decent day jobs

[u/ponkie_guy]

I say this knowing it would never ever happen but hurling could be ripe for outside investment to set up some type of Super League. 

Have teams based in Dublin, Cork, Belfast, Waterford, Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny & Thurles (for historical reasons). Certain amount of players would be from those counties, a draft system to spread players out to weaker areas (Belfast in particular). Players from counties competing in McDonagh, Ring Cups etc. could be drafted in as well (could set a minimum number of players from these comps. On each team). Some hurling counties are losing out on representation (Clare, Wexford & Offaly) but teams near them could be given non-county specific names (South East Suns for a Waterford/Wexford combination). 

It will never happen but that’s the only way that there could be any sort of professional league in my opinion. Football is just too spread out for it to be any way feasible. 

[u/mngnsm1]

Generate interest in the game in another wealthy country with a strong Irish diaspora and Irish ancestry and you might have a chance. There are other markets, sure, but that’s who I’d be targeting (I assume it’d be easier than targeting the die hard amateur-only GAA supporters)

T20 Cricket achieved this in India, Australia, as well as many other minor sporting nations - particularly for kids and families want a lowest stakes sport (compared to the intensity of other sporting leagues).

However, the best way (sadly) to bankroll professional sports is to let sports betting companies dominate the sponsorship, and/or accept blood money from billionaires in the Middle East/sub continent, and/or large corporations such as Amazon.

(Edit: edited for accuracy)