It might escape your attention, but this is the first weekend of the National Football League.
e say that, because when it comes to promoting this product, the GAA have never felt the need. Occasionally, they will commission an advertising company to come up with a glib slogan – the latest one being, ‘Where your edge belongs’ and shoot a few scenes for a video promo.
It won’t be screened on television. There will be no one-off preview programme with a few talking heads or analysts. Nor will there be an opportunity to get a few managers in a room and set the hounds of journalists upon them to spice up a few opening fixtures.
In short, every league launch is a ‘soft launch’ for the GAA. They do not need to advertise or sell their games, because they take the audience for granted.
And you can understand that approach too. The truth is, the very nature of the GAA ensures that counties can forever count on the loyalty of their support, no matter how bad things are getting on the pitch.
As long as there is county football, there will be hordes of the various tribes and clanns that go along to it. There’s always been the young men out for a pint and a game. The families of young children. The families of not so young children.
Thankfully, there are far more females attending than was the case even twenty years ago. The numbers keep growing.
For all that, there are some cracking ties this weekend that people would want to get their teeth into, not least the repeat of last year’s Ulster final between Tyrone and Monaghan, which takes place this Sunday in Healy Park.
Given the proximity of the two counties, would it have been an impossibility to get two managers, or two players to meet at an agreed location for some press opportunities and add to the build-up of the biggest intercounty game of the weekend?
No doubt, Covid would be the excuse for the inaction.
Back in 2009, the GAA launched the 125th year of the Association with a game between then defending All-Ireland champions Tyrone and Dublin in Croke Park. They went all out with a fireworks and light show after the final whistle that was kinda spacey and trippy and not in keeping with the GAA.
But at least they tried something then. It’s better than nothing at all.