Former Kerry player and RTÉ pundit Pat Spillane has claimed that "The Sunday Game" has lost its X-factor and has also slammed RTÉ for prioritising "second-tier" rugby over his beloved sport, GAA.
Spillane, a Kerry legend, had been part of the "Sunday Game" panel for 30 years before retiring in the summer of 2022.
The Kerry native has never shied away from his views on "The Sunday Game" and has once again revealed what he thinks about the show he worked on.
"Sadly, 'The Sunday Game" has lost its X-factor. The era when it was a must-watch programme dictating the GAA narrative for the week ahead is now a distant memory," said the Kerry great in his Sunday World column.
"I watch the live matches on Sunday afternoons and record the Sunday night programme. I rarely get around to watching it, and only occasionally do I bother with the analysis."
Adding further to what made "The Sunday Game" so special, Spillane said the naturalness of the programme gave it life, but then it became too formulaic and scripted for his liking, and as a result, it's lost its shine.
Pat Spillane before his final broadcast, with his Sunday Game colleagues, from left, presenter Joanne Cantwell, analysts Sean Cavanagh, and Ciaran Whelan before the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kerry and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. (Photo By Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)"What made 'The Sunday Game''so special?
"It reflected what the GAA is all about: the craic, the colour, the passion, the banter, and the arguments.
"But it has become too scripted, too formula-driven, and too safe. It lacks humour, passion, and fun. It is as dry as the endless statistics it churns out."
The Kerry legend has also taken umbrage with RTÉ's decision to showcase "second-tier" rugby over the GAA Championship.
"Right now, the URC, a second-tier rugby competition, is taking precedence over the GAA championship," he added.
"For example, on the day of the box-office Ulster SFC clash between Derry and Donegal, RTÉ was also showing two URC games from South Africa. As a result, the live coverage from Celtic Park began five minutes before throw-in. There was no time for a meaningful build-up.
Ending his piece, Spillane believes that immediate action needs to be taken to stop the iconic programme from becoming entirely irrelevant.
"Immediate action is needed to prevent this iconic programme from drifting further into mediocrity and becoming entirely irrelevant.
"'The Sunday Game' deserves better. And just to be clear, I don’t want my job back. That ship has sailed."
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