THE GAA HAVE been urged to make all championship games free-to-air on TV, amidst speculation that Sky Sports may be close to entering the GAA market.
The GAA are currently negotiating a new deal for broadcast rights for championship games and it is set to be finalized shortly.
RTÉ have been the primary TV rights holder in recent years with TV3 also broadcasting games but Sky could now be set to get a slice of the market which would make them the first subscription channel to televising senior GAA games.
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Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer, a member of the Bishopstown GAA club and former member of the GAA marketing committee, has urged the GAA to ensure that any televised inter-county championship fixtures are available free-to-air on the island of Ireland.
“I am concerned at reports that the GAA is at an advanced state of negotiations with Sky Sports on a deal regarding the television broadcasting of some inter-county championship matches. Given the social and cultural importance of GAA inter-county championship fixtures I am of the view that all televised inter-county fixtures should be available free-to-air on the island of Ireland.
Mayo's Ger Cafferkey and Dublin's Bernard Brogan. Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO
Lorraine O'Sullivan / INPHO / INPHO
“I have written to the GAA outlining my concerns and asking that it reconsider any arrangement that would result in inter-county championship games not being available on free-to-air TV on the island of Ireland. I have also asked the Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications to consider looking into this issue.
“For generations free-to-air broadcasting of inter-county games has been a focus of Sunday afternoons for many families. If the GAA enter a contract with a subscription only television channel, many of these same people will not get to watch and enjoy the fixtures which are to be televised.
“One of the GAA’s core fundamental principles is the importance of community and every decision taken should reflect this ethos. The broadcasting of inter-county championship fixtures on a subscription-only basis risks undermining this principle.
“Given the significance of the GAA in Irish society, the organisation should make every effort to ensure that all inter-county championship games shown on TV are available free-to-air on the island of Ireland.”
Cork's William Egan and Clare's Tony Kelly. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
Yeah the GAA don’t care about money.they care about Ireland.the “community” the back bone of the country.they only care about doing good for the community and society.its an amateur game anyway that gets plenty of funding from the government and from hosting music concerts.it couldn’t possibly be interested in making money.think of the community
Correct me if I’m wrong.but I thought any company that makes the GAA jerseys is supposed to be an irish company ie o neills.the whole reason was to keep it Irish.should the same not apply to the tv station showing the matches.or is the temptation of a cash windfall to much for the GAA?
Well what about everyone who has been forced to emigrate…?how the hell do we watch GAA games if it is not broadcast on a foreign network? I live in England thank God for Premier Sports…
I think any inter county player who doesn’t have a job should be paid an allowance to coach school children, lar Corbett languished on the dole for a year and just played hurling, that’s a joke, how many have emigrated also. If you go looking for injury expenses then you have to fight for it, gaa should be ashamed to be charging what they do into championship games
Why? 80 percent of all money goes back to grass roots and game development. If this sky deal means my little local club gets a few extra quid, how is that a bad thing.
So you want a British channel to start off a bidding war for TV rights? If the GAA has any pride left at all they’ll turn them down for good. I hope you know who by and why the GAA was founded.
Barry if that much goes back into clubs.why is every club in the country doing “strictly come dancing”"the cube” and “fight nights” to raise funds.open your eyes buddy.do you have proof of this 80% figure
In addition to money being filtered down through the clubs,the majority/all Gaa clubs have weekly lotto’s and various other draws.The gaa bring in circa €50 million a year.not sure what the available funds are for the clubs,but it just seems like its money money money.All for an amateur organisation with many volunteers .This sky mularky is crazy and the gaa should be ashamed of themselves if they are seriously considering it.For the moment i’d give them the benefit of the doubt and assume its a marketing ploy to get RTE and TV3 to bump up the few quid.
Sean unfortunately all the GAA has cared about for the last 20 years is money.forget this crap about the life and soul of the country and giving back to the community.thats the drivel they churn out for the sheep who will defend them til the end of the world
The GAA have been foolish about this for years, they should be saturating the tv with coverage and highlights shows, how do they think Sky made the premier league into the most watched league in the world? It wasn’t by showing no games to try and force attendances up…
They showed game after game and made stars and heroes out of the players so that people around the world will flock to England to watch the games live.
The GAA should be making these inter county players icons. Make the kids and the people want to go see them play because they have seen how good he is on tv and they want to get his autograph or see him in person.
Market the amazing product that is Gaelic Games and stop cutting off people who might not be able to attend for various reasons.
Could many outside Kilkenny or Clare pick out any of their great Hurling sides if they were walking down the street? I doubt it.
HQ need to wake up and smell the coffee and realise that the only way to boost attendances is to give people a reason to want to see these players.
The GAA get too much money from the government in different ways for this to happen.
If as you are suggesting they commercial the whole thing so be it but then stop begging for hand-outs.
All sporting organisations get gov and lotto funding whether pro or not. That’s because sport clubs are good for health, community spirit etc etc. That would be like saying my local rugby club shouldn’t get any financial help coz rugby is a pro sport!
Being saying the same for years. Would love to see more games on tv(dnt care wat channel) huge Gaa fan and nothing more annoying than knowing a good championship game is on and you have to follow it on twitter. Robbie is right about saturation. The Gaa slogan “nothing beats being there” would work beter if people could see the odd time wat you are missing
RTE will still have the same number of games to show, with Sky replacing TV3, which can only be a blessing. I would adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude on it, people were moaning about Setanta when they took over Saturday night games and they have proven to be successful, so let’s give it time to see what the effect is before reaching for ‘the end is nigh’ analogies.
Shane if it got to the stage where u had games that were only shown on sky, I.e pay tv. Then the gaa need to have a serious look at themselves. If sky are coming in but rte still have the same rights and sky would broadcast the games in uk, oz and America and then it’s a great idea. But if you got to the stage where rte were losing out because sky were outbidding them, which is probably what will eventually happen then yea I would stop going to games. The gaa need to keep their fan base happy as well as marketing the games
The GAA have enough to do restructuring the championship.. They should ask sky how many people have cancelled there subscription since the recession and bt sports came alive..
Where does the money go ? The oul famous line “grass roots”..
All sport should be available for everybody.. There is only one reason sky want this is there is such a high demand at home…
Go out out and pay a top marketing crowd if that’s what they are after..
A sorry excuse to sell out our national amateur game… Develop not restrict serious questions should be asked by all it’s members..
No to pay for view of our national sport. The GAA needs to ensure the inclusive armature nature of the sport. Everyone should be able to see matches on the national station not be excluded because you don’t have the right expensive package
It’s a delicate situation. I can see from both sides. I wouldn’t want to see players getting paid but if it meant them getting more and better expenses and a higher profile it would only be good thing. Sky coming in most likely wouldn’t affect RTEs package anyway. If we want to grow the sports we have to move on. Look what sky did for soccer.
What a load of bullshit. The championship and the league are crying out for a revamp and this could kick start it. Hate those backward twonks who want nothing to change and who want us listening to michael lyster forever!
Revamp maybe, but what has that got to do with paying to watch it. Two different subjects completely. Stick to the point and stop trying to muddy the waters like all the other ‘twonks’.
Take out the price of the All Ireland and the GAA is far and away the cheapest sport to follow. Munster and Leinster match won’t have under 16s free tomorrow (and be sound enough to leave a bit of room to manoeuvre, I was just gone 16 until I was about 19) and tickets are far higher than 10 euro after that! You can’t blame the GAA for RTE’s advertising revenue and TV licence.
The key difference is rugby pay their players. I don’t understand why gaa don’t look to fill the stadiums in early rounds of championship by seriously reducing ticket prices, improve the atmosphere and allow more to see the game live. Between petrol and other costs days out at games can be very expensive
How does the players being paid in rugby or soccer make it worth 20 euro more to the consumer? GAA is far cheaper as matchday costs are the same for any sport; the only variable is the ticket. A mayo man going to Croker will save 30 euro minimum compared to an Irish rugby ran from mayo going to the 6 nations. I’ve never paid anything more than 15 euro to get into McHale park Noel, and attendance is usually around the 18000 mark pre-connacht final, asking for ticket prices to go down on that is simply greedy in my opinion as there’s costs for pitch and team maintenance and you fund your local clubs and player welfare if you read where your money goes in the match programs. At least the GAA are transparent in where exactly your money goes!
A mayo man would save himself a lot more than money by not going to croke park, like his self respect! Ah only messing. Back to the main point. My point was that when you pay for a rugby or soccer ticket you’re actually paying players salaries along with all the expenses that you mention the gaa have to pay. The gaa are not supposed to be paying anyone and so as an amateur organisation I don’t think they should be charging between 20 and 40 euros for munster championship games and neither do a lot of people coz the attendances have been way down. You can’t compare ticket prices for pro events with so called amateur events. They would make the same money anyway if they filled the stadium with cheaper tickets and create much better atmosphere
All Ireland minor champions, I’ll take that any day! You can’t expect the pitch maintenance, stadium development and upkeep, stewards and referees all to be paid for, for free? That’s 24/7 jobs! I also have no idea where you’re getting your figures from, I’ve never paid above 20 in the provincial championships for tickets I think you’re getting shafted! Munster is also a very unfair example for fan atmosphere. Cork football are notorious for having the worst travelling support in the country by miles, only other team in the province are Kerry. Munster is a hurling province and the atmosphere at the Limerick-Tipp game was fantastic last year!
Sean its the hurling I’m on about all championship games are 20-30 euros in munster pre final rounds, surely there’s Lee way to drop them, 15 euros is very fair and reasonable, haven’t paid that little in years
Because I’m sure they would have Jeff Stelling and Paul Merson as pundits. Obviously they would get Irish pundits who have played the game or Irish sports journalists
RTE can’t even get pundits who know the rules so Sky will hardly be able to get them. The RTE pundits know some of the rules but choose to ignore quite a few of them…
I’m torn on this one. On the one hand it would be great for football and hurling and would allow ex-pats and potential new fans around the world to watch more games either legally through a sky subscription or illegally through the streams of every sky sports channel going.
On the other hand I resent sky and the fragmenting of viewer-ship that has followed its move into sports broadcasting. What happens if its a success and then BT want a slice of the pie the idea that I would need separate subscriptions to catch both Hurling semi finals or anything else along those lines is horrifying
The GAA as we knew it is finished. Corporate heads in Croke Park are calling the shots. It’s all about revenue now for them. They don’t care about grass roots football and hurling? This would be a sale of all the high profile matches Dublin Cork Kerry etc and your Kilkenny’s Clare and Tipp in the hurling.
You won’t see a Leitrim Vs Sligo Championship match on Sky. What will happen here is that Corporate HQ will sell packages of games will attract an audience. But none of this money will make its way to the people who earn it… The Players.
You won’t see Padraig Duffy or Peter McKenna slogging it out on a wet January night after travelling miles to train hoping to keep their place in a squad. No these boys will be at the top table lapping it up with huge pay checks while your county players are left to take the broken bones the time away from their families and their commitment only to be told by GAA HQ that “it’s great that we have all these amateur players and teams” putting arses on seats in Croker without a penny while HQ take all the glory and the money!
“You won’t see Padraig Duffy or Peter McKenna slogging it out on a wet January night after travelling miles to train hoping to keep their place in a squad.”
Of course you won’t. Duffy stopped playing inter-county football in the 80s but I’m sure he never slogged it out on a wet January night back then either.
Shòwing games live on Free to Air on RTE caused a drop in game attendance. Why go to a game when its raining when you can watch it on tv….
I dont necessarily agree with a deal with Sky but I can understand why if that’s where its going.
The one thing subscription channels look for is volume and quality, and the volume of inter county games just isn’t there. Setanta made a good job of the league games but they’re on regularly. I wouldn’t pay to watch most football games unless it was my own county competing in a final, and I would only be willing to pay for the leinster and munster hurling finals and the semi’s and final after that. And I can’t see gaa selling those key games to sky. The hurling league is now v competitive and could be marketed better but would probably require moving the games from March to April and May, but that would put the nail in clubs.
Regardless if whether tv3 are rubbish or not, you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription like you do with Sky. I have no doubt the sky would do a very good job, but the point here surely is about the people who don’t have sky, who presently can watch their Counties without paying extra. It seems to me that the only winners here apart from the obvious would be the local publican, and as the Gaa are running initiatives to discourage drinking, this would go against those policies. Bad decision, very shortsighted.
I wouldn’t P**S on Sky, if on fire ! Only in the game of putting others out of business, and increasing prices.
Love my Lions tours, Golf etc but have not given them a penny of my hard earned, and will not.
If GAA move, it will be the end of my love affair with the GAA
Rte don’t even show club games, league games, they take highlights off tg4 and cram them into 1 hour on sun nite, only for tg4 we’d see no gaa, the whole gaa structure needs to be revamped and a shorter season to help clubs games, no reason why all counties can’t play every weekend if the structure was correct
There’s an argument that pay to view TV help the GAA. Apart from the obvious increased TV revenue, I think a broadcaster such as Sky will need to capitalise on their investment. Therefore expect a lot of hype and marketing around the games on sky. They’ll aim to create a buzz and atmosphere similar to that done with the Heineken cup, the Lions tour, darts or even the ashes for example.It will become appointment to view TV. It will force the lazy supporter into action, those who don’t currently have Sky at home will need to make a conscious decision to either get sky, get to a pub/mates house to see it or It could evenhelp increase attendance at the matches because fans might just go to the game.
Hopefully Sky can add something new and really raise the bar on GAA Coverage. If nothing else their production values and methods usually add a sense of excitement and occasion to the game (eg. heineken cup v’s pro 12 coverage) although that’s only if they produce the content themselves. If it’s a shared deal with one of the existing broadcasters it’ll be a different story.
What money? The hundred million euro Sky will spend on a rights package that might contain ten live matches a year?
The GAA may get a little more from Sky than they got from TV3. The hysteria above about professionalism and the end of the games as we know them is utterly laughable but entirely in keeping with the standard of comment on this site. The delusional rambling of the terminally thick.
So the main argument from people for not moving some games to sky is they want to see the games for free? Well go down to the Pub (you don’t have to drink) or a friends house or view one of the dozens of streams online for every live sports event if you don’t want to fork out for a subscription. There’s always options. Some people just want to moan and get everything for nothing. The GAA is a business and the first priority of any business is to maximise revenues.
Why can’t people see that if sky get involved with gaa coverage it is one big step closer to our sport being internationally recognised! Possibly one step closer to the sport becoming professional, which would benifit everyone involved and create more jobs. Think about the future, and why be afraid of change if it doesnt work out it will all just go back to normal!
Its all very Irish this isnt it! TV3 are going under with the launch of UTV Ireland so wont have the funds to purchase rights to the games. If ye read the detail the Pay Per View Channel RTE (Annual Pay Per View totaling €160 must be payed by law) will be showing more live GAA games than any other year. This is a massive opportunity to showcase are amazing games abroad. Most of the TD’s etc complaining about this wouldn’t know a sliotar if it hit them in the jaw but will comment if its the populist thing to do…… Sky are getting 14 games 14 FFS including the All Ireland Semis and Final which will also be shown on RTE. People seem to think the GAA are going to be getting “Premiership” sums of money for this deal………. Get a grip ye backward Amadán
Why not just switch off the flow of politically motivated funding, put manners on the f ers , at the time introducing parity of esteem in Irish sport, revolutinary? No bleeding obvious
I reckon Sky coming on board could be the way to market our games (particularly hurling) to a wider audience. We all know the Sky model when it comes to over hyping different sports. But quite frankly, the game of hurling sells itself only for the current tv coverage to be sadly lacking. In spite of many many years of broadcasting hurling on RTE, they cannot seem to get the camera work right when it comes to following the play.
TV3 could only do so much given their meagre resources. I’m all for Sky being given the opportunity to use their technology to further enhance the coverage of live games. It’s a win win situation as far as I can see.
As Nickey Brennan said on RTE radio at Lunch hour clubs will benefit from any deals done by feeding the funds back to the grass roots. If my club benefits all the better. Why not show some of the greatest field sports in the world to a bigger audience. We can’t remain parochial all our lives and so what if we take money from a British broadcasting company sure aren’t we on total ‘farting’ terms with the queen now.
How much would you suggest? League of Ireland soccer amounts? Is every player payed equally? Does Bernard Brogan or Gooch Cooper get the same as the sub on the Antrim Hurling team? do you base the wage on the attendances at games? Dublin dwarf every other county for finances yet train just as hard as the London GAA players. Do you go to championship games? Dublin get 35/40000 at early championship games. How many are at the Leitrim v Sligo game?
Nothing wrong with sky getting coverage as will increase international exposure to games and make available to those living abroad
What they should not get is exclusive rights, show by all means, but in addition to current coverage rather than instead of.
Everyone wins
I’m not a fan of the GAA but the commentary is rarely in English so I can never understand it, and even though sometimes it is in English I still have trouble understanding it because of the accent and use of different words that aren’t English, sky would surely have this in proper English and then just maybe I might enjoy it, sky’s already doing wonders with F1
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Well considering that it is an amateur sport, it should be aired by an amateur station (RTE)
Yeah the GAA don’t care about money.they care about Ireland.the “community” the back bone of the country.they only care about doing good for the community and society.its an amateur game anyway that gets plenty of funding from the government and from hosting music concerts.it couldn’t possibly be interested in making money.think of the community
Correct me if I’m wrong.but I thought any company that makes the GAA jerseys is supposed to be an irish company ie o neills.the whole reason was to keep it Irish.should the same not apply to the tv station showing the matches.or is the temptation of a cash windfall to much for the GAA?
If this deal goes through they have to start paying players.they can’t spout this amateur sh!te for much longer
That’s why they are in advanced talks then
Who?
Wasn’t there some scandal there a way back when it emerged that they were importing their ticket printing services from was it Italy or somewhere?
Gillette super Saturday will be tasty with Paul Merson , Colin Montgomerie, Gary Neville and ger loughnane .
Well what about everyone who has been forced to emigrate…?how the hell do we watch GAA games if it is not broadcast on a foreign network? I live in England thank God for Premier Sports…
Don’t sell your soul GAA. RTE do a super super job of coverage. Leave Sky out of it.
It’s the tv3 rights that are in question not rte as far as I know. Anything is better than that lot!
Matt Cooper is a nightmare, he thinks he’s on “The Last Word” and keeps cutting across people mid sentence, so obnoxious.
Publicans are wetting themselves at this news.
Yep, and all of the GAAmbeens.
Well if Sky do get broadcasting rights then pay the players!
There wouldn’t be the money for that. Would it not be better to offer more services to players instead?
I think any inter county player who doesn’t have a job should be paid an allowance to coach school children, lar Corbett languished on the dole for a year and just played hurling, that’s a joke, how many have emigrated also. If you go looking for injury expenses then you have to fight for it, gaa should be ashamed to be charging what they do into championship games
Why? 80 percent of all money goes back to grass roots and game development. If this sky deal means my little local club gets a few extra quid, how is that a bad thing.
So you want a British channel to start off a bidding war for TV rights? If the GAA has any pride left at all they’ll turn them down for good. I hope you know who by and why the GAA was founded.
Barry if that much goes back into clubs.why is every club in the country doing “strictly come dancing”"the cube” and “fight nights” to raise funds.open your eyes buddy.do you have proof of this 80% figure
In addition to money being filtered down through the clubs,the majority/all Gaa clubs have weekly lotto’s and various other draws.The gaa bring in circa €50 million a year.not sure what the available funds are for the clubs,but it just seems like its money money money.All for an amateur organisation with many volunteers .This sky mularky is crazy and the gaa should be ashamed of themselves if they are seriously considering it.For the moment i’d give them the benefit of the doubt and assume its a marketing ploy to get RTE and TV3 to bump up the few quid.
Sean unfortunately all the GAA has cared about for the last 20 years is money.forget this crap about the life and soul of the country and giving back to the community.thats the drivel they churn out for the sheep who will defend them til the end of the world
Dead Right! Make sure are games remain Local and Parochial!!!
http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-news-and-videos/daily-news/1/0302141105-gaa-annual-accounts-2013-published/
The GAA have been foolish about this for years, they should be saturating the tv with coverage and highlights shows, how do they think Sky made the premier league into the most watched league in the world? It wasn’t by showing no games to try and force attendances up…
They showed game after game and made stars and heroes out of the players so that people around the world will flock to England to watch the games live.
The GAA should be making these inter county players icons. Make the kids and the people want to go see them play because they have seen how good he is on tv and they want to get his autograph or see him in person.
Market the amazing product that is Gaelic Games and stop cutting off people who might not be able to attend for various reasons.
Could many outside Kilkenny or Clare pick out any of their great Hurling sides if they were walking down the street? I doubt it.
HQ need to wake up and smell the coffee and realise that the only way to boost attendances is to give people a reason to want to see these players.
There is a many significant differences between GAA and Football. For a start, I doubt GAA is as popular as Football, even proportionally.
The GAA get too much money from the government in different ways for this to happen.
If as you are suggesting they commercial the whole thing so be it but then stop begging for hand-outs.
All sporting organisations get gov and lotto funding whether pro or not. That’s because sport clubs are good for health, community spirit etc etc. That would be like saying my local rugby club shouldn’t get any financial help coz rugby is a pro sport!
Exactly noël. People always moan about anything the GAA earns, some people even moan when there’s a draw in the championship.
Well said robbie
Being saying the same for years. Would love to see more games on tv(dnt care wat channel) huge Gaa fan and nothing more annoying than knowing a good championship game is on and you have to follow it on twitter. Robbie is right about saturation. The Gaa slogan “nothing beats being there” would work beter if people could see the odd time wat you are missing
Funny that. The UK gets less Premier League on TV than the rest of the world. Sky did what?
What we need is a irish own GAA channel were all the games are shown
Would be great for those no longer on the island. Long being saying that d gaa should have PVv streaming for those around the world
I love GAA but under no circumstances would i pay to watch it on tv. We dont have the population to make this viable for sky.
Just paid €160 to RTE not too long ago as part of their forced annual subscription… I assume when they talk about free-to-air its TV3 only?
A Sky subscription would not replace that. It would be in addition to that.
I should also point out the licence fee is not exclusively for RTE. TV3 get some too.
Don’t think they do, they’re a commercial private company
Tv3 get none of the licence fee. Their ceo is always on newstalk and today fm about it.
TV3 do get some as do other broadcasters like Setanta.
RTE will still have the same number of games to show, with Sky replacing TV3, which can only be a blessing. I would adopt a ‘wait and see’ attitude on it, people were moaning about Setanta when they took over Saturday night games and they have proven to be successful, so let’s give it time to see what the effect is before reaching for ‘the end is nigh’ analogies.
But a lot of people don’t have sky. I
Personally would stop going to games if the gaa sold to sky, the gaa can’t have it both ways
You would stop going to games if they sold any rights to sky? I don’t get this.
Shane if it got to the stage where u had games that were only shown on sky, I.e pay tv. Then the gaa need to have a serious look at themselves. If sky are coming in but rte still have the same rights and sky would broadcast the games in uk, oz and America and then it’s a great idea. But if you got to the stage where rte were losing out because sky were outbidding them, which is probably what will eventually happen then yea I would stop going to games. The gaa need to keep their fan base happy as well as marketing the games
Doubt it . they’re more corrupt than the government
The GAA have enough to do restructuring the championship.. They should ask sky how many people have cancelled there subscription since the recession and bt sports came alive..
Where does the money go ? The oul famous line “grass roots”..
All sport should be available for everybody.. There is only one reason sky want this is there is such a high demand at home…
Go out out and pay a top marketing crowd if that’s what they are after..
A sorry excuse to sell out our national amateur game… Develop not restrict serious questions should be asked by all it’s members..
No to pay for view of our national sport. The GAA needs to ensure the inclusive armature nature of the sport. Everyone should be able to see matches on the national station not be excluded because you don’t have the right expensive package
Don’t do it !!
It’s a delicate situation. I can see from both sides. I wouldn’t want to see players getting paid but if it meant them getting more and better expenses and a higher profile it would only be good thing. Sky coming in most likely wouldn’t affect RTEs package anyway. If we want to grow the sports we have to move on. Look what sky did for soccer.
What a load of bullshit. The championship and the league are crying out for a revamp and this could kick start it. Hate those backward twonks who want nothing to change and who want us listening to michael lyster forever!
Revamp maybe, but what has that got to do with paying to watch it. Two different subjects completely. Stick to the point and stop trying to muddy the waters like all the other ‘twonks’.
Seems bad at first look but this cud sky rocket gaa!
At the cost of it losing it’s integrity. Sky would be a major step towards professionalism should we need to pay to watch our national sport.
I agree but we have to pay already, TV licence, advertising and exorbitant gate charges
Take out the price of the All Ireland and the GAA is far and away the cheapest sport to follow. Munster and Leinster match won’t have under 16s free tomorrow (and be sound enough to leave a bit of room to manoeuvre, I was just gone 16 until I was about 19) and tickets are far higher than 10 euro after that! You can’t blame the GAA for RTE’s advertising revenue and TV licence.
The key difference is rugby pay their players. I don’t understand why gaa don’t look to fill the stadiums in early rounds of championship by seriously reducing ticket prices, improve the atmosphere and allow more to see the game live. Between petrol and other costs days out at games can be very expensive
How does the players being paid in rugby or soccer make it worth 20 euro more to the consumer? GAA is far cheaper as matchday costs are the same for any sport; the only variable is the ticket. A mayo man going to Croker will save 30 euro minimum compared to an Irish rugby ran from mayo going to the 6 nations. I’ve never paid anything more than 15 euro to get into McHale park Noel, and attendance is usually around the 18000 mark pre-connacht final, asking for ticket prices to go down on that is simply greedy in my opinion as there’s costs for pitch and team maintenance and you fund your local clubs and player welfare if you read where your money goes in the match programs. At least the GAA are transparent in where exactly your money goes!
A mayo man would save himself a lot more than money by not going to croke park, like his self respect! Ah only messing. Back to the main point. My point was that when you pay for a rugby or soccer ticket you’re actually paying players salaries along with all the expenses that you mention the gaa have to pay. The gaa are not supposed to be paying anyone and so as an amateur organisation I don’t think they should be charging between 20 and 40 euros for munster championship games and neither do a lot of people coz the attendances have been way down. You can’t compare ticket prices for pro events with so called amateur events. They would make the same money anyway if they filled the stadium with cheaper tickets and create much better atmosphere
All Ireland minor champions, I’ll take that any day! You can’t expect the pitch maintenance, stadium development and upkeep, stewards and referees all to be paid for, for free? That’s 24/7 jobs! I also have no idea where you’re getting your figures from, I’ve never paid above 20 in the provincial championships for tickets I think you’re getting shafted! Munster is also a very unfair example for fan atmosphere. Cork football are notorious for having the worst travelling support in the country by miles, only other team in the province are Kerry. Munster is a hurling province and the atmosphere at the Limerick-Tipp game was fantastic last year!
Sean its the hurling I’m on about all championship games are 20-30 euros in munster pre final rounds, surely there’s Lee way to drop them, 15 euros is very fair and reasonable, haven’t paid that little in years
Sky Sports will not know the rules of the GAA games stay away from the GAA
Because I’m sure they would have Jeff Stelling and Paul Merson as pundits. Obviously they would get Irish pundits who have played the game or Irish sports journalists
I am almost sure sky had a highlights show a few years back. Pretty sure sky would manage to get a few pundits who know the rules
RTE can’t even get pundits who know the rules so Sky will hardly be able to get them. The RTE pundits know some of the rules but choose to ignore quite a few of them…
It would be funny though to see Chris Kamara in Croke Park, we could get a bit of this :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8gKmQ6Hrro
I’m torn on this one. On the one hand it would be great for football and hurling and would allow ex-pats and potential new fans around the world to watch more games either legally through a sky subscription or illegally through the streams of every sky sports channel going.
On the other hand I resent sky and the fragmenting of viewer-ship that has followed its move into sports broadcasting. What happens if its a success and then BT want a slice of the pie the idea that I would need separate subscriptions to catch both Hurling semi finals or anything else along those lines is horrifying
Say it ain’t so Joe,say it ain’t so!
The GAA as we knew it is finished. Corporate heads in Croke Park are calling the shots. It’s all about revenue now for them. They don’t care about grass roots football and hurling? This would be a sale of all the high profile matches Dublin Cork Kerry etc and your Kilkenny’s Clare and Tipp in the hurling.
You won’t see a Leitrim Vs Sligo Championship match on Sky. What will happen here is that Corporate HQ will sell packages of games will attract an audience. But none of this money will make its way to the people who earn it… The Players.
You won’t see Padraig Duffy or Peter McKenna slogging it out on a wet January night after travelling miles to train hoping to keep their place in a squad. No these boys will be at the top table lapping it up with huge pay checks while your county players are left to take the broken bones the time away from their families and their commitment only to be told by GAA HQ that “it’s great that we have all these amateur players and teams” putting arses on seats in Croker without a penny while HQ take all the glory and the money!
This is such sensationalist garbage.
How much is Padraig Duffy paid?
“You won’t see Padraig Duffy or Peter McKenna slogging it out on a wet January night after travelling miles to train hoping to keep their place in a squad.”
Of course you won’t. Duffy stopped playing inter-county football in the 80s but I’m sure he never slogged it out on a wet January night back then either.
Sorry meant club football not inter-county football. Point still stands though
What an absolute load of piffling schite. Embarrassing.
Shòwing games live on Free to Air on RTE caused a drop in game attendance. Why go to a game when its raining when you can watch it on tv….
I dont necessarily agree with a deal with Sky but I can understand why if that’s where its going.
A Jean Luc Picard Face palm for you.
Jesus Karen. What are you on about?
The one thing subscription channels look for is volume and quality, and the volume of inter county games just isn’t there. Setanta made a good job of the league games but they’re on regularly. I wouldn’t pay to watch most football games unless it was my own county competing in a final, and I would only be willing to pay for the leinster and munster hurling finals and the semi’s and final after that. And I can’t see gaa selling those key games to sky. The hurling league is now v competitive and could be marketed better but would probably require moving the games from March to April and May, but that would put the nail in clubs.
Regardless if whether tv3 are rubbish or not, you don’t have to pay a monthly subscription like you do with Sky. I have no doubt the sky would do a very good job, but the point here surely is about the people who don’t have sky, who presently can watch their Counties without paying extra. It seems to me that the only winners here apart from the obvious would be the local publican, and as the Gaa are running initiatives to discourage drinking, this would go against those policies. Bad decision, very shortsighted.
Isn’t Setanta Sports a subscription channel? I could swear I’ve seen GAA matches on it.
I wouldn’t P**S on Sky, if on fire ! Only in the game of putting others out of business, and increasing prices.
Love my Lions tours, Golf etc but have not given them a penny of my hard earned, and will not.
If GAA move, it will be the end of my love affair with the GAA
Sure they ran the old setanta out of business, any competition is bad to sky and murdoch is just pure evil
Free , and GAA, in the same sentence , ha!
Jesus Gerry how did you think of that really witty original comment?
There’s a vein of truth there though, I went to see a junior club camogie game and they were charging in!
Rte don’t even show club games, league games, they take highlights off tg4 and cram them into 1 hour on sun nite, only for tg4 we’d see no gaa, the whole gaa structure needs to be revamped and a shorter season to help clubs games, no reason why all counties can’t play every weekend if the structure was correct
There’s an argument that pay to view TV help the GAA. Apart from the obvious increased TV revenue, I think a broadcaster such as Sky will need to capitalise on their investment. Therefore expect a lot of hype and marketing around the games on sky. They’ll aim to create a buzz and atmosphere similar to that done with the Heineken cup, the Lions tour, darts or even the ashes for example.It will become appointment to view TV. It will force the lazy supporter into action, those who don’t currently have Sky at home will need to make a conscious decision to either get sky, get to a pub/mates house to see it or It could evenhelp increase attendance at the matches because fans might just go to the game.
Hopefully Sky can add something new and really raise the bar on GAA Coverage. If nothing else their production values and methods usually add a sense of excitement and occasion to the game (eg. heineken cup v’s pro 12 coverage) although that’s only if they produce the content themselves. If it’s a shared deal with one of the existing broadcasters it’ll be a different story.
Great news but who gets the money, the players?
What money? The hundred million euro Sky will spend on a rights package that might contain ten live matches a year?
The GAA may get a little more from Sky than they got from TV3. The hysteria above about professionalism and the end of the games as we know them is utterly laughable but entirely in keeping with the standard of comment on this site. The delusional rambling of the terminally thick.
So the main argument from people for not moving some games to sky is they want to see the games for free? Well go down to the Pub (you don’t have to drink) or a friends house or view one of the dozens of streams online for every live sports event if you don’t want to fork out for a subscription. There’s always options. Some people just want to moan and get everything for nothing. The GAA is a business and the first priority of any business is to maximise revenues.
Why can’t people see that if sky get involved with gaa coverage it is one big step closer to our sport being internationally recognised! Possibly one step closer to the sport becoming professional, which would benifit everyone involved and create more jobs. Think about the future, and why be afraid of change if it doesnt work out it will all just go back to normal!
I personally don`t watch any GAA myself , but think that the sport should be free to air in Ireland,
Why?
Cúchulainn will be turning in his grave.
Its all very Irish this isnt it! TV3 are going under with the launch of UTV Ireland so wont have the funds to purchase rights to the games. If ye read the detail the Pay Per View Channel RTE (Annual Pay Per View totaling €160 must be payed by law) will be showing more live GAA games than any other year. This is a massive opportunity to showcase are amazing games abroad. Most of the TD’s etc complaining about this wouldn’t know a sliotar if it hit them in the jaw but will comment if its the populist thing to do…… Sky are getting 14 games 14 FFS including the All Ireland Semis and Final which will also be shown on RTE. People seem to think the GAA are going to be getting “Premiership” sums of money for this deal………. Get a grip ye backward Amadán
Why not just switch off the flow of politically motivated funding, put manners on the f ers , at the time introducing parity of esteem in Irish sport, revolutinary? No bleeding obvious
It should remain free to air, but would be good if Sky Sports pick up the games simultaneously for the Irish living in the UK.
I reckon Sky coming on board could be the way to market our games (particularly hurling) to a wider audience. We all know the Sky model when it comes to over hyping different sports. But quite frankly, the game of hurling sells itself only for the current tv coverage to be sadly lacking. In spite of many many years of broadcasting hurling on RTE, they cannot seem to get the camera work right when it comes to following the play.
TV3 could only do so much given their meagre resources. I’m all for Sky being given the opportunity to use their technology to further enhance the coverage of live games. It’s a win win situation as far as I can see.
As Nickey Brennan said on RTE radio at Lunch hour clubs will benefit from any deals done by feeding the funds back to the grass roots. If my club benefits all the better. Why not show some of the greatest field sports in the world to a bigger audience. We can’t remain parochial all our lives and so what if we take money from a British broadcasting company sure aren’t we on total ‘farting’ terms with the queen now.
Eoin Gaa is classified as football.
I think that Sky should have the championship…they may even improve the spectacle. Give them 3 years and see how it pans out.
It’s funny how this picture is from a soccer match
Pay the players money now!!!
How much would you suggest? League of Ireland soccer amounts? Is every player payed equally? Does Bernard Brogan or Gooch Cooper get the same as the sub on the Antrim Hurling team? do you base the wage on the attendances at games? Dublin dwarf every other county for finances yet train just as hard as the London GAA players. Do you go to championship games? Dublin get 35/40000 at early championship games. How many are at the Leitrim v Sligo game?
Nothing wrong with sky getting coverage as will increase international exposure to games and make available to those living abroad
What they should not get is exclusive rights, show by all means, but in addition to current coverage rather than instead of.
Everyone wins
I’m not a fan of the GAA but the commentary is rarely in English so I can never understand it, and even though sometimes it is in English I still have trouble understanding it because of the accent and use of different words that aren’t English, sky would surely have this in proper English and then just maybe I might enjoy it, sky’s already doing wonders with F1
??