International Rules Football - A New Vision -

The hybrid football code called International Rules Football is, in my opinion, the fastest and most dynamic football code on the planet.
The two creators of the code, the GAA and AFL, do not have an interest in the code developing as they wish to protect their native codes.
There are a few realities here -
1) International Rules is fast and exciting, and if the GAA and AFL dont control it and develop it, someone else will.
2) Neither Gaelic football nor Australia football is ever going to be an international product.
3) Both the AFL and GAA have their domestic football products. Why not develop another football product during the off season and use that to make more money and spread their wings into new markets.

Lets put a bit of vision down on the table - this is what I think they should create, an International Rules Football World League.

International Rules Football - World League

When?
During the offseason each year with a 15 week season running from November to February.

Who would play in it?
There are lots of players on the fringes of both the GAA and AFL who could become excellent International Rules players.The competition would also attract new players from other codes and perhaps goalies from soccer.

How would it be funded?
The GAA and AFL would form a consortium and invite bids for the licences for clubs in each allocated area. These licence fees, along with TV rights would fund the competition.

What teams would play in this competition
I am envisaging the competition being set up into 4 geographic conferences, with 4 licences issued for each conference in the first year.
There would be 4 teams in an Australian conference, 4 teams in an Irish conference, 4 teams in a UK conference and 4 teams in a US conference.It would not be critical if there were less than 4 teams in any conference to being with.

How would be competition operate?
Each team would play three games against the teams in its own conference on a home and away basis, for a total of 6 games during the season, as well as travel internationally once during the season to play an away game against one team from each of the other conferences and then play a home game against one team from the other conferences, for a total of 12 home and away games during the season.
There would then be a 3 week final series. In week 1, the top two teams in each conference would play off for the Conference Championship, then the 4 winners would play off in a semi final in week 2, and the two winners would progress to the Grand final in week 3.

Pretty bloody simple, so lets get on with it!!!!

Below I have outlined the season visually.