Connacht secretary John Prenty has questioned whether intercounty activity has a financial future. In his annual report to this week’s provincial convention, Prenty endorses the proposals of GAA director general Páraic Duffy on the re-balancing of the club and county fixtures calendar, saying: “If we don’t shout stop the players will stop playing.”
He goes on to warn that the county game is becoming unsustainable.
“Let us rebrand our club activity as the cornerstone of our Association. The county game is quickly becoming financially unsustainable with county team administration costs in Connacht being almost five times the gate receipts for the Connacht championship. Can this continue? Will there be a time when we can only afford club activity?”
He also addresses the player discontent in the province that saw managements forced out in Mayo football and Galway hurling.
“Senior inter-county football and hurling is a serious time-consuming business with players, managers and county boards expending huge time and effort in striving to achieve ultimate All-Ireland success.
“It demands mutual respect for the efforts of all sides and there is a need to have consideration for the efforts of our volunteers who have lives and jobs and families outside the games. One of the most laudable initiatives by our Association has been the ‘Give Respect, Get Respect Initiative’ - we should keep it in mind. Otherwise we are in danger of creating a monster.”
