Any potential revival of the International Rules series is still some way off as the GAA have yet to confirm a date for the resumption of discussions with Australian officials. Australia is due to host the series in 2008 should it be revived, although at this stage there is little to suggest that will happen.
The associations last met on October 18th in Paris. At that time it was agreed a further meeting would take place in the new year, although with nothing decided at this stage, it could be next month, at the earliest, before discussions are resumed.
"What was decided at the time was that further discussions were necessary before any resumption of the International Rules series could be considered," said GAA press officer Feargal McGill. "Both sides also emphasised their commitment to maintaining the long-standing relationship, and that a further meeting take place early in the new year."
The October meeting was described as "frank and cordial" in which both sides reviewed the hostile incidents during the 2006 series second Test, plus a number of other issues, which ultimately resulted in the cancellation of the 2007 series, which was set for Australia. "Those discussions are still set to resume," added McGill. "But nothing definite has been planned for the next couple of weeks, and it looks like it will be February before anything is set."
No provisional dates have been included in either the GAA or AFL calendars, and another potential stumbling block is that this year the AFL are celebrating the 150th anniversary of their sport, with several events planned around that, including an International Cup. A quick resumption of the Rules series is apparently not a priority.
But nor is it for the GAA, who maintain the financial loss from the cancelled series is minimal, and their priority is concluding sponsorship and television deals for the next three years.
"No, the financial consideration really doesn't come into it," said the GAA's commercial director Dermot Power. "The International Rules was never a big bonanza for the GAA. We do have some sponsors tied into the series, but they remain very supportive, and have effectively left the decision up to us whether or not it should be resumed."
Power has been overseeing both the sponsorship and television negotiations of recent months, and expects that final agreement can be reached ahead of the next GAA Management Committee meeting on January 18th/19th.
"Right now it's just a matter of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts, but because the two deals are totally integrated, we can't make any announcement on one, without the other. The second-round tender for television rights went out before Christmas and we're still making progress on that, but our new sponsorship partners also have some role in that."
While RTÉ are known to be under significant pressure to maintain their grip on GAA coverage, they are expected to retain the rights for the All-Ireland finals, semi-finals and quarter-finals (known as Package One). TV3 have already received the rights to Package Three, paying almost €8 million, while Setanta are making a hard press for some of the remaining packages.
The sponsorship deal has been well aired and will see six companies, three for each code, become the GAA's headline sponsors for the next three years, worth a total of around €29.1 million. The GAA are reportedly pricing the All-Ireland football championship sponsorship at €5.1 million per company for three years and the hurling at €4.6 million.
Meanwhile, Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte has reacted to last Sunday's defeat to UUJ by making 10 team changes for this evening's McKenna Cup clash with Down in Omagh. The experienced Philip Jordan and Ryan Mellon return, although it is still a largely experimental side, with John Gilmore making his competitive debut at wing back. Cathal McCarron and Martin Swift, both in the full-back line, are the only debutants from last Sunday to hold down their place.
Elsewhere, the appointment of team captains for 2008 continues with Ronan McGarrity confirmed as Mayo's football captain. McGarrity endured a cancer scare last year but has since made a complete recovery, helping his club Ballina to Mayo and Connacht titles. However, he won't return to the panel until after February 17th, at the earliest, as Ballina face Nemo Rangers for a place in the All-Ireland club final.
Dublin are expected to announce a football captain in the coming weeks, as Colin Moran, who held the position for the past three seasons, this week suggested it was time for a change. Manager Paul Caffrey is not expected to announce his potential replacement until the start of next month's National League.
TYRONE (SF v Down): P McConnell; PJ Quinn, C McCarron (Dromore), M Swift; J Gilmore, D Carlin, P Jordan; K Hughes, E McGinley; R Mellon, C Donnelly, A McCarron; C McCarron (Omagh), T McGuigan, P Rouse.
