Pat Spillane has once again voiced his opposition to the GAA split-season.

Writing in his Sunday World column, the Kerry legend predicted that the model will hit sponsorship revenue, increase injuries and lead to a rise in team costs.

“I spoke to an executive from one of GAA’s major sponsors during the week,” Spillane started off by saying.

“He complimented me on a recent column in which I complained (again) about how short the GAA inter-county season was.

“He agreed the association is shooting itself in the foot with the split season. By squeezing the season into a six-month slot, they are ignoring what makes the GAA the greatest sporting institution in this country, he suggested.

“Wearing his corporate hat, he predicted large companies will no longer be taken for fools by the GAA. They will not be rushing to part with big money to sponsor the All-Ireland series so long as they are run off so quickly.

“Meanwhile, Kerry boss Jack O’Connor said players are ‘pulling hamstrings like guitar strings at the moment’."

Spillane added: “They have had three very intense games in three weeks, and it is asking a lot of amateur players.

“One of the hidden impacts of the split season is it’s fuelling the rising cost of inter-county team expenses rather than reducing them, which was one of its touted benefits.

“Counties are now forced to carry much bigger squads because so many players are injured and this bumps up the costs of travelling and catering expenses.”

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