The equivalent percentage of Central Council (non-provincial) gate receipts for last year would have come to €4.44m and the inter-county players body chief executive Paul Flynn said yesterday: “You know, we are open to looking at all aspects of it.

"And I suppose it is something that could come down the line in regard to the negotiations. But again, with other players’ associations, that is something that has been linked, gate receipt, so…”

Backed by the findings of last year’s ESRI report, the GPA will go into the next round of funding negotiations with a strong hand.

The previous talks broke down at one stage and tensions between the GAA and GPA before Christmas regarding the experimental playing rules would suggest there could be similarly testy relations later this year.

The 31 hours a week inter-county players are putting into their sport is in line with professionals and the GPA have the statistics to back it up, according to Flynn.

“What’s happening now with GPS units, sports science and information being shared from different organisations, whether it be in Australia, who are very good in sharing information about what they are doing, players are benchmarking themselves against the best in the world now.

“I’ve done many conferences and met a lot of rugby players, and the only difference between what we are doing and what they are doing is we go to work, and they go home and have a nap. That’s a big, big difference and rest is something that came through in the ESRI report.”

Flynn has no fears the GPA’s lucrative fundraising activities in the US will weaken their position.

I don’t think so because as regards with fundraising, why do we do it? We do it because we need and why do we need, because demand hasn’t been higher, so the additional funding that we get from the US is spent on programmes.

The GPA have proposed to Saturday week’s Annual Congress that they be represented on the GAA’s Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) for inter-county fixtures.

Already on the Central Council, they see the move as a logical one as they currently make presentations to the CCCC.

“We were in there in November when we had our survey of players, our review of the season, and they were delighted to see this kind of content and player-based feedback,” stated Flynn. “We have no vote.

“All we do is give that information and leave the room. We feel that when they are talking about fixtures, inter-county games, it is very, very easy for us to be in there but also to be actually a decision-maker and not just be in there and give feedback.

“I think if, from speaking to people within the GAA leadership team, broadly speaking it’s been received quite positively, and hopefully that will be the case at Congress and we can get an opportunity to speak to people, around us explaining why we want to be there, and it’s for no other reason other than to be part of the decision-making process.”

Despite opposing the handpass limit motion, which was later jettisoned by the GAA, and the forward sideline kick outside the 13-metre lines, Flynn maintained inter-county players want to improve Gaelic football.

“One of the things I think is really important to highlight too, we’re not against rule changes. We’re very much pro innovating our games to ensure it’s a better playing experience and it’s also a better spectacle for fans.

“So, I suppose we have got four rule changes that are being trialled at the minute and it is a lot. You can see that there has been real benefits to the mark and the way it’s being played and you are seeing more kick passes as a result and positive play.

"Hopefully, that can continue and future rule changes can enhance the game from a player and a spectator perspective.”

Dónal Óg Cusack has returned as GPA President, the former Cork goalkeeper back involved, at least in an official capacity, for the first time since 2015.

Seamus Hickey remains as chairman while Mayo’s Tom Parsons is the organisation’s secretary.