Full article.Quote:
A plan for an All-Ireland Premier League, with prize money of nearly €4m (£3.2m) a year, has been drawn up by Fintan Drury of Platinum One, a sports marketing group.
At a time when most football clubs on both sides of the border are losing money and some are on the verge of financial collapse because of poor attendance and sponsorship, Drury wants to start the league in August next year. It would be run along the lines of the Premiership in England and the Scottish Premier League.
The businessman, who is chairman of Paddy Power and a director of Anglo Irish Bank, has sent a 62-page proposal to the 10 clubs he wants to join — seven from the republic and three from the north.
Longer article on page 16 of the sport section but is not online. Drury's proposals are summarised there.
The All Ireland Premier League (AIPL) would initially comprise 10 teams, seven from the Republic of Ireland and three from Northern Ireland, with Derry City counting as one of the northern teams. In the third year two more teams would be added, one from each jurisdiction
The AIPL would run under an initial five-year license granted by the FAI and IFA. It would start in August 2009 and be played in winter rather than during the summer, unlike the current Eircom League. The FAI would be expected to switch their league to winter as well
The AIPL would be affiliated to the FAI and IFA and pay an agreed sum to each association annually
The 10 teams would be: Derry City, Cork City, Bohemians, Drogheda Utd, Limerick 37, Glentoran, Linfield, Galway Utd, St Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers. There would be no promotion and relegation in the first two years but from year three the bottom club in the AIPL would be relegated. The winners of the Irish League would then play off against the Eircom League winners for the promotion place
The AIPL would take four European places- two in the Champions League qualifying rounds and two in the UEFA Cup qualifying rounds- from the existing Eircom League and Irish League
The AIPL clubs would still affiliate to their respective associaitons and would play in their annual cup competitions
Each club would have to employ 16 apprentice professionals, aged between 16 and 18. AIPl clubs would be obliged to play in an AIPL underage league to provide a link between the schoolboy and professional game
Platinum One would provide a mininum prize fund of €3.765m for each of the first two seasons of the AIPL. This would be allocated thus: champions €1.1m, runners-up €550k, third and fourth places €425 each, fifth place €350k, sicth place €275k, seventh and eight places €180k, ninth and tenth places €140k
Platinum One would have overall responsibility for marketing and promotion, taking 10% of gate receipts from member clubs
