GAA calendar may be 'tweaked' for 2025 - Burns

GAA president Jarlath Burns previously said the All-Ireland finals could return to September

GAA president Jarlath Burns has said there could be changes to the championship calendar from next season.

Burns, who took over as GAA president earlier this year, revealed the association will begin their consultation process with provincial councils on Monday evening as they look to gather feedback on the current structure.

The football championship is in the second year of its current guise with round-robin games in the All-Ireland and Tailteann Cup following the provincial competitions.

Earlier this year, Burns said the All-Ireland finals could return to September (they are currently staged in July).

Speaking on RTE Radio 1 after Monday's Tailteann Cup quarter-finals draw, Burns said: "This season was a compromise to the fact that our club players felt so strongly about the way the season had been structures, that they actually set up an association called the Club Players Association to address that.

'We understand 100 Euro is a lot for an All-Ireland final ticket'

"It was really to answer those concerns they had, to give certainty to club players that they would know the (club) championship was on a particular date, that date is not going to be moved regardless of how your own county does."

Burns, who took over as GAA president earlier this year, added: "Once the All-Ireland final is over, if you are a dual county, you have to allow 14 weekends to allow for your football and your hurling.

"We always have to have an eye on our dual counties because they are not a nuisance or a hassle; they are the aspiration we should all want to attain.

"We should have a genuine football and hurling set-up in every county. We have to be mindful of all of that but we are not blind and deaf to the calls that people would like to have later All-Irelands."

Burns also defended the GAA's decision to increase ticket prices for the All-Ireland finals from this year.

In May, the association confirmed stand tickets for the deciders will cost 100 Euro (£85), a 10 Euro increase from last year.

Burns admitted he could understand why there would be "eyebrows raised at that" but pointed out that it was the first change in price since 2018.

"We all know where inflation has gone, but I think our members understand that 83% of everything we earn is ploughed right back into the game. We have 350 coaches, we're spending 7m Euro on those at the minute. That's going to go up to 12m Euro. We're increasing that number, we're actually giving them better terms.

"Over the next year we're going to spend 5m Euro on our county grounds. Last year we gave 3m Euro to our clubs in grants. That's going up to 4.5m Euro next year and the year after up to 5m Euro."

He added: "If you have a child and you're bringing your child to the National League matches it's free into that. It was only five Euro for a juvenile to get into all of the games in all of the championship matches so far.

"It is quite good value, but we do understand that 100 Euro is a lot for an All-Ireland final ticket."