The Gaelic Players Association backed campaign by players for a Female Players Charter has escalated in the past 24 hours with players from each of the teams playing in Sunday’s TG4 Senior All Ireland Championship not participating in media events organised by the LGFA and the Camogie Association.
Instead, they will speak to the media through alternative channels organised by the GPA.
The players have stressed that this is not a media blackout and that regional or personal contact with journalists is unaffected but the reality is that it will impact the likely level of coverage which the games will attract.
It will also present embarrassment for the sponsors of the championship TG4 and Glen Dimplex who would always have benefitted from involvement in the pre-match Captains and Managers Media Days held at Croke Park.
Both Associations are also very good at providing match reports and quote-driven content after games which makes it easier for the media to give more extensive coverage.
The LGFA issued its weekly content advisory to media yesterday indicating this would be provided but it is not clear whether the players will participate.
The purpose of any campaign is to effect change and there is still time for common ground to be found around the charter, how it can be created and committed to even if the funding is not yet in place to make it a reality in all aspects.
GAA Director General was asked by Chris Andrews TD about the GAA support for the charter at yesterday’s Oireachtas Committee meeting and he made the valid point that the GAA had experience of working through and developing its own player charter, with the GPA over recent years, and that they were willing to help in certain ways if the LGFA and the Camogie Association asked for their assistance or involvement.
Until integration that has to be the right stance. Though many commentators will either not appreciate or willingly fail to check, the argument is between the female players and their Associations at this point.
The male players did send a signed letter in support of the campaign through 62 individual captains last week but the challenge remains the fact that the pace of integration at administration level is not as quick as players, with a shorter horizon, think is acceptable.
Sport for Business Perspective:
It has to be hoped that some accommodation can be reached whereby progress on the inevitable adoption of a charter that is fair to players can be adopted, but the action cannot be used to allow the shrugging of shoulders in media circles at the fact that the normal efforts to give enhanced coverage for the biggest days in the calendar were stymied.
This is especially true when the semi-finals and the finals in both codes will be competing for space with the Women’s World Cup taking place in Australia and New Zealand.
