The Sunday Paper Review discussed the publication of Dublin GAA's finances, and how their commercial model means it is very difficult for anything but Dublin dominance to be countenanced.
Colm Keys and Ciarán Ó Raghallaigh turned their attention to what increasing focus on finances, particularly in the wake of Mayo's difficulties with a millionaire benefactor Tim O'Leary.
"The increased element of professionalism [in GAA], there needs to be some sort of a reckoning of what they are asking the players to do constantly," said Ó Raghallaigh.
"I don't know when we are going to get to this full-time professional situation."
Dublin GAA finances
Colm Keys was a little more circumspect on the situation but has identified what, to his mind, was the difference between Dublin and counties like Cork and Kerry.
"Perhaps, in time, there could be a semi-professional model, but how sustainable is that, in the context of how much is being put into teams and how hard it is to sustain the pace?" said Keys.
"Look at the Dublin figures for commercial revenues. As Philip Lanigan pointed out, it was revealed in the accounts that it is €2.3m.
"Compared to Kerry or Cork - Cork is the biggest county in terms of clubs, Kerry are Dublin's biggest football rivals - Kerry would generate around €760,000. Cork's figure is around €640,000 for commercial revenue.
"Dublin are so far ahead in terms of their engagement with corporates and their engagement with sponsors - way ahead.
"They don't have to depend on the other revenue-generating models as other counties. If you look at Dublin's gate receipts for club matches, it is one of the smallest in the country; around €125,000 this year.
"If you look at Galway, it is €900,000. If you look at Mayo, it is €800,000. That is from people paying in, and that is what these counties largely depend on.
"Dublin don't have to rely on that. They don't have to depend on the tills turning at the games or shaking buckets outside churches. If you look at their fundraising, it is very low.
"Why? Because they have big sponsors who are only queueing up and waiting to get in. They only have to identify them, engage with them and get them in. It is a great position to be in."
Subscribe to Off The Ball's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
