Dubs the cash cow that delegates want milked
GAA Congress came and went last weekend without so much as a whimper.
Well, with the exception of Donegal’s motion to address the sporting advantage handed to Dublin thanks to their extra ‘home’ game at Croke Park.
I still can’t get my head around the result. The reality is the vast majority of club members – players and volunteers – don’t give a damn about Congress. They never have and they never will.
So what happened this week to the 64% of delegates who voted against the Donegal motion?
Were they hauled over the coals by their own clubs to answer why they voted as they did? Not a chance. Why?
Because thanks to the anonymous voting system no one will know any different.
The delegates in question essentially voted for finance over fairness. Money is the altar at which they now worship – and Dublin is the cash cow they want to continue milking.
Delegates simply did their maths and decided their club or county had a better chance of receiving more money if the status quo remained.
Just imagine, two thirds of delegates actually voted against the sporting interest of their own counties. Madness!
It’s wrong Dublin have two home games. It gives them a huge advantage.
But the bottom line for Croke Park and many influencers is that the biggest county raises far more money for the association with that extra home fixture.
I spoke to two club chairmen this week and they explained to me that if they held a club meeting to discuss upcoming issues or motions at Congress, nobody would actually turn up – purely because they don’t care. It doesn’t interest them.
And when there’s no accountability regarding the designated delegates who push a button on a pad to make the decisions, why would they?
When Croke Park wants a certain motion to go through, you may be sure it will. Likewise, when they deem a motion goes against their thinking, it won’t see the light of day.
The disconnect with Congress and the ordinary grassroots member has always been there. The only difference now is the grassroots people care even less now about what happens at Congress than they ever did.