Sky eye up the All Ireland championship matches?

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rockonollie wrote: »

<quote snip>

Strong contender for most racist comment in the history of boards.ie

That actually read like satire before the mod stepped in.

If shaking off some of these attitudes is what the Sky deal brings then thats another plus imo.

Frankie Lee

The Cush wrote: »

June 14 — Dublin v Wexford (Leinster SHC semi-final)

Why are people saying it is Dublin vs Wexford here, Wexford need to the round robin winners first who will have a number of competitive games behind them.

Radio5

hardybuck wrote: »

But we all know what's going to happen. Sky, or BT, will inevitably ask about screening games on Friday nights. They might say that they don't want games clashing with the big soccer games they screen on Sunday afternoons. They basically created the product of 'Monday Night Football' during the Premiership era.

In rugby, Heineken Cup games start on a Friday night, continue from lunchtime on Saturday and finish up on Sunday evening. All for commercial reasons, none of them sporting.

Anyone who thinks that these large professional organisations could allow themselves to be bullied into such practises, and the GAA will be too stubborn and will not, is mad or naive or both. It may not happen in this deal, but it will in time.

The GAA is becoming increasingly fixated with expansion into new markets and generating more commercial revenue. The Garth Brooks concerts are a perfect example. Croke Park will have three days to recover from 5 days of concerts before the All Ireland Quarter Finals will be staged. That's pretty cynical, and an indication of the current management's vision.

Well said. Its only 14 games for now but you can be sure there will be more & more for Sky in the future.

bruschi

My head is sore from banging it off the table at some of the absolute moronic posts about this. My god, the hyberbole, the absolute exaggeration of the situation, and the twee old Irish people stuck out in a bog who are being deprived. Why are so many people going on that the whole championship will be "pay per view" (which in itself is also an incorrect term) when there is absolutely no evidence whatsover that this will happen. People talking about in years to come. Talk about strawman arguments.

Do people really believe Sky sports will buy a full championship and that RTE wouldnt be able to match or compete with their bid? Its absolutely ludicrous some of the arguments on here. Lads saying they'll give up on the game and wont contribute to their club? seriously, what utter drivel.

If RTE and TV3 couldnt finance a package to keep all the games on their channels, then there is no one to blame but themselves. They had the opportunity to have games, but wouldnt stump up. This will bring good competition to the broadcasting market, and would hopefully improve all manner of coverage. Skys highlights show can hardly be any worse than RTE's or their mid week magazine program (last years crap with Marty was unbearable rubbish).

You'd swear the world was ending with the way some people are harping on about this. Going on about paying hundreds or thousands to get sky in, conveniently leaving out that you can get it for 3 months only if you want. Or the other online options available.

prospect

Banjo String wrote: »

An amateur sport , about to whore itself off to Rupert?

irishfeen wrote: »

them being an Amateur organisation

irishfeen wrote: »

the GAA is amateur organisation

hardybuck wrote: »

you're comparing two professional organisations to one amateur organisation

STB wrote: »

It is an amateur sport, NOT a professional sport.

Treble20 wrote: »

IIt makes a mockery of the amateur ethos that the Gaa are harping on about all the time

STB wrote: »

Its an amateur sport

castletownman wrote: »

great little amateur sport we have

handandy wrote: »

you shouldnt have to pay to watch your national sport which is an amateur sport

Dick phelan wrote: »

What's wrong is the GAA is supposed to be an amateur sport

seligehgit wrote: »

Endangers the amateur ethos

STB wrote: »

The fact that the game is an amateur

STB wrote: »

And what the feck has that to do with the right to view a national amateur pastime ?

The GAA is not an amateur sport, nor is it an amateur organisation.
In fact, it is quite a cut-throat and ruthless business. How many times have you heard of people heavily involved in playing, volunteering and supporting teams not being able to get AI tickets because one-off attendees and business guests are happy to pay inflated ticket prices for the big occasion.

The players are amateur, the volunteers are amateur, the rest of it is big business.

To be fair about it, I'd be happy if they made more money out of PPV TV deals if it meant they dropped the price of attending matches accordingly.


True:

Pharaoh1 wrote: »

GAA may be an amateur sport but there is nothing remotely amateur about the organisation.

Prop Joe

bruschi wrote: »

My head is sore from banging it off the table at some of the absolute moronic posts about this. My god, the hyberbole, the absolute exaggeration of the situation, and the twee old Irish people stuck out in a bog who are being deprived. Why are so many people going on that the whole championship will be "pay per view" (which in itself is also an incorrect term) when there is absolutely no evidence whatsover that this will happen. People talking about in years to come. Talk about strawman arguments.

Do people really believe Sky sports will buy a full championship and that RTE wouldnt be able to match or compete with their bid? Its absolutely ludicrous some of the arguments on here. Lads saying they'll give up on the game and wont contribute to their club? seriously, what utter drivel.

If RTE and TV3 couldnt finance a package to keep all the games on their channels, then there is no one to blame but themselves. They had the opportunity to have games, but wouldnt stump up. This will bring good competition to the broadcasting market, and would hopefully improve all manner of coverage. Skys highlights show can hardly be any worse than RTE's or their mid week magazine program (last years crap with Marty was unbearable rubbish).

You'd swear the world was ending with the way some people are harping on about this. Going on about paying hundreds or thousands to get sky in, conveniently leaving out that you can get it for 3 months only if you want. Or the other online options available.

Have you sky sports at home?

Elmo

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resource are too carry out a review of designated sporting events. The currently list of events are: -

Live Basis

1. The Summer Olympics.
2. The All-Ireland Senior Football & Hurling Finals.
3. Ireland’s qualifying games in the European Football Championship & World Cup.
4. Opening games, semi-finals and final of the European Football Championship Finals and the FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament.
5. The Irish Grand National and the Irish Derby.
6. The Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show.

Deferred Basis

1. Ireland’s games in the Six Nations Rugby Football Championship.

Minister Pat Rabbitte TD stated the following when announcing that he was not going to change the list: -

He also noted that based on GAA assurances, he believes that the events which were considered for designation will continue to be shown on a free to air basis.

Sky and TV3 did a deal in the early 2000s with the FAI, this deal lead to Ireland’s qualifying games in the European Football Championship & World Cup being added to the list.

bruschi

Prop Joe wrote: »

Have you sky sports at home?

no

upstairs for coffee

What is the rumoured amount that the GAA got from Sky?

The GAA president was a wally on primetime yesterday claiming the deal wasn't commercially significant and there were better offers.

LeinsterDub

bruschi wrote: »

You'd swear the world was ending with the way some people are harping on about this. Going on about paying hundreds or thousands to get sky in, conveniently leaving out that you can get it for 3 months only if you want. Or the other online options available.

Or you know you could go to the game too.

ArmaniJeanss

bruschi wrote: »

If RTE and TV3 couldnt finance a package to keep all the games on their channels, then there is no one to blame but themselves. They had the opportunity to have games, but wouldnt stump up.

The GAA have since 2007 deliberately gone down the route of splitting the games into packages and not allowing one broadcaster to get them all.
So you cant really blame RTE for not getting all the games.

TV3 by all accounts made a bid financially similar to the Sky bid, however the GAA appear to have wanted to go the Sky route. Obviously the GAA are entitled to do this, but it seems that not a lot of blame can be laid at the door of TV3 either.

Nice rant though.

WesternZulu

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

The GAA have since 2007 deliberately gone down the route of splitting the games into packages and not allowing one broadcaster to get them all.
So you cant really blame RTE for not getting all the games.

The reason that the GAA did this was because RTE gave them hardly anything for the rights before so went down the route of a split TV deal 6 years ago.

You can blame RTE to a certain extent.

hardybuck

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Or you know you could go to the game too.

Not everyone lives in Dublin, and gets games on their doorstep. Many people like to watch teams outside their county as well.

I used to notice that my county, Waterford, had a lot of support from people living in non traditional hurling counties from the opposite end of the country. Sligo, Monaghan, Donegal etc. They liked our style of hurling at the time, and hurling was accessible to them in their homes. Now they mightn't have that opportunity to watch the game, as they are very unlikely to get an opportunity to go to a Munster Championship game in the flesh.

Similarly, I love watching hurling and football games in every province. My chances of getting to an Ulster football game are pretty remote.

awec

Sky always provide top notch sport coverage - the show they put on will surpass anything that RTE / TV3 are capable of right now.

This in turn should force RTE and TV3 to up their game.

Naux

bruschi wrote: »

My head is sore from banging it off the table at some of the absolute moronic posts about this. My god, the hyberbole, the absolute exaggeration of the situation, and the twee old Irish people stuck out in a bog who are being deprived. Why are so many people going on that the whole championship will be "pay per view" (which in itself is also an incorrect term) when there is absolutely no evidence whatsover that this will happen. People talking about in years to come. Talk about strawman arguments.

Do people really believe Sky sports will buy a full championship and that RTE wouldnt be able to match or compete with their bid? Its absolutely ludicrous some of the arguments on here. Lads saying they'll give up on the game and wont contribute to their club? seriously, what utter drivel.

If RTE and TV3 couldnt finance a package to keep all the games on their channels, then there is no one to blame but themselves. They had the opportunity to have games, but wouldnt stump up. This will bring good competition to the broadcasting market, and would hopefully improve all manner of coverage. Skys highlights show can hardly be any worse than RTE's or their mid week magazine program (last years crap with Marty was unbearable rubbish).

You'd swear the world was ending with the way some people are harping on about this. Going on about paying hundreds or thousands to get sky in, conveniently leaving out that you can get it for 3 months only if you want. Or the other online options available.

Agree with all of the above.

Only thing is I hope the money from TV deals goes to the correct places(ie) not in GAA administrators wage packets or in their expenses claims. Senior intercounty players who make championship panel should be paid legally. (as opposed to what currently goes on)

keane2097

Seems like the players are universally positive about it (with one caveat where Aidan O'Shea is positive while also complaining that he won't get any money into his own hand). Probably all in on the conspiracy with the Croke Park fat cats.

http://www.livegaelic.com/features/gaa-players-reacted-sky-sports-deal-twitter/

Pete_Cavan

Radio5 wrote: »

Well said. Its only 14 games for now but you can be sure there will be more & more for Sky in the future.

Given the structure of intercounty GAA, there is only a small market with a vested interest in the vast majority of matches (really limited to the population of the counties playing minus those attending the game). For most of the televised games, most of the viewing audience will be general fans looking for some entertainment, that being readily available on RTE, free of cost and can be enjoyed in their own home. If they can find entertainment for less than the cost of a Sky Sports subscription, they will take that. For this reason I think uptake of Sky Sports subscriptions in this country as a result of this will be tiny and Sky’s interest in GAA rights in this country for the next rights issue will most likely disappear. The reality is Sky’s ability to bid for rights in this country is base Hopefully Sky will be able to get decent viewing figures for the games in Britain and they will focus on promoting it in this market and increasing viewing numbers there.

What the GAA also need to consider is the value of future sponsorship deals. With all matches FTA on this island, practically everybody is a potential viewer for any particular game (even those who are not GAA fans might watch a match if for no other reason than they have nothing else to do on a Sunday afternoon). I don’t think Eircom, Ulster Bank, SuperValu, Etihad Airways, Centra and Liberty Insurance will be too happy that their exposure will likely be reduced due to 14 games being exclusively on pay TV. The additional exposure in Britain is of little or no benefit to them. I am sure the sponsors will be putting pressure on the GAA to return to FTA coverage so they can get their logos in front of more people.

All in all, when it comes to renewing the rights, I think Sky will be looking for, and only have the option for, less games here. All going well they will be looking for more matches to show in Britain and they will be satisfied with that.

Elmo

You can blame the department for not listing All available all Ireland matches for Free To Air Broadcasting.

The GAA should divide the games like so

Munster (including Munster Final)
Ulster (including Ulster Final)
Connacht (including Connacht Final)
Leinster (including Leinster Final)
All-Ireland Semi-finals and finals
Separate 14 Games made of up games from each of the provincial packages

I'd say TV3 organised the division having only taken a interest in GAA in 2006.

I'd also say that one of the reason for going with Sky over TV3 was also HD broadcast.

International Rights to include all matches, as deal done with the Seven Network.

lertsnim

awec wrote: »

Sky always provide top notch sport coverage - the show they put on will surpass anything that RTE / TV3 are capable of right now.

This in turn should force RTE and TV3 to up their game.

You should take a look at the coverage they had for the Northern Ireland soccer league. It was woeful.

hardybuck

awec wrote: »

Sky always provide top notch sport coverage - the show they put on will surpass anything that RTE / TV3 are capable of right now.

This in turn should force RTE and TV3 to up their game.

Not always true. Their football analysis has improved recently with a couple of key appointments, but it had become extremely bland, and still is to some extent. They employ people who are too close to the game, and afraid to express their opinions or be critical. This could be said of all the UK channels however.

Their rugby coverage is completely UK dominated and is lacks impartiality. I remember getting Lions games last summer from some of the southern hemisphere networks and being far more satisfied with the commentary and analysis.

lertsnim

Elmo wrote: »

I'd also say that one of the reason for going with Sky over TV3 was also HD broadcast.

As the games will be on Sky Sports 3 so the HD broadcasts will be exclusive to Sky Sports customers using the Sky platform.

awec

lertsnim wrote: »

You should take a look at the coverage they had for the Northern Ireland soccer league. It was woeful.

I've watched most of the games they broadcast - their coverage is better than anything BBC or UTV provide.

awec

hardybuck wrote: »

Not always true. Their football analysis has improved recently with a couple of key appointments, but it had become extremely bland, and still is to some extent. They employ people who are too close to the game, and afraid to express their opinions or be critical. This could be said of all the UK channels however.

Their rugby coverage is completely UK dominated and is lacks impartiality. I remember getting Lions games last summer from some of the southern hemisphere networks and being far more satisfied with the commentary and analysis.

Hard to be UK-centric with GAA though!

I genuinely think they'll do a top job - will be interesting to see anyway.

Elmo

lertsnim wrote: »

As the games will be on Sky Sports 3 so the HD broadcasts will be exclusive to Sky Sports customers using the Sky platform.

Interesting Sky Sports 3 don't have any opt-out advertising for the Irish market.

Starokan

keane2097 wrote: »

Old people in the country and families with four children don't have phones, tablets, laptops, money for sky for one month, access to the pub, ability to travel to matches or anyone else in the world who would be willing to let them come and watch the game?

Come on. Seriously.

It's like we're meant to be the land of Darby O'Gill and the Little People again here. Nobody is that busto or that isolated.

You know there really is a lot of people in that boat at the moment, broadband is dire in many parts of the country & a vast amount of people with not a lot of money to spend have cut out sky sports deeming it a luxury. It's easy to say people are not that busto , the reality is a lot are, there are many folks barely scraping a living together at the moment & its for that reason that I don't agree with what the GAA have done.

As to will it work I personally think that Sky will do an outstanding job, they pretty much do that with every sport they showcase, in some ways I think this was an inevitable move by the association , it was never going to go down well regardless of how it was mooted.

iDave

The more I think of it the more I think they could of been more ambitious with this.
Perhaps the number of live games should of been increased to 55. 5 extra for RTE and Sky apiece. With 5 more on RTE it would of softened the blow for those who wont have Sky and would of made Skys package more appealing.
Perhaps shared coverage of all provincial finals too. We should be getting those great occasions in Croke Park, Thurles, Clones, Castlebar and Killarney out there not just AI semis and finals.
Throw Intl Rules into Skys package to see if theres anything they can do with it, RTE have no interest in GAA after September and its just not going anywhere on TG4.

nice_guy80

Where have all these new GAA posters appeared from?

Elmo

iDave wrote: »

Throw Intl Rules into Skys package to see if theres anything they can do with it, RTE have no interest in GAA after September and its just not going anywhere on TG4.

International Rules or GAA on TG4? Because TG4 coverage of GAA games generally gets over 100,000 viewers.

bruschi

LeinsterDub wrote: »

Or you know you could go to the game too.

I know, but I thought I'd leave that out seeing as everyone else is conveniently leaving it out too!

like one of the arguments I heard that the only option for parents of players playing in Croke Park is to watch them on TV in a pub. :rolleyes:

Godge

namloc1980 wrote: »

Like what? 25 years ago people said allowing Jersey sponsor would be the end of the GAA. 20 years ago people said allowing more games on TV would be the end of the GAA. 17 years ago people said allowing qualifiers would be the end of the GAA. 15 years ago people said getting rid of Rule 21 would be the end of the GAA. 7 years ago people said allowing rugby and soccer in croke park would be the end of the GAA. And yet the world hasn't ended.

And neither has the GAA:D:D

wirehairmax wrote: »

Sad day for the GAA. I had hoped it was an April 1st joke but woke up this morning to sickening headlines. I for one don't have Sky Sports as the extra €36 odd to have it is too much.

So you don't have Sky TV.

wirehairmax wrote: »

I hate Sky coverage anyway.

So you don't have SKY TV and you hate its coverage.

wirehairmax wrote: »

Its so OTT and tabloid style and most of it is just pure overblown spin and nonsense. Its painful to watch the HC rugby and that crap that is the most over-rated league in the work ie: the Premiership on Sky.

So you don't have SKY TV and you hate its coverage yet that makes you both knowledgeably enough from watching its coverage and unbiased enough from your neutral view to be able to comment on the quality of its coverage!!!! Amazing.

wirehairmax wrote: »

I actually quite like the RTE coverage of sport. Aside from a few buffoons, (Hook, Brolly, Spillanne, Dunphy) the commentary is not bad.

Where do I start? Up for the Match, always reminds me of forgotten RTE programmes like Trom agus Eadrom, Housewife of the Year and Tops of the Town. Same production quality and standard of entertainment.

Then we have Second Captains Live, that unfunny sports comedy show.

Then there is the Sunday Game the evening of the All-Ireland final, devoid of analysis and full of backslapping.

Let us not forget the crowning of our hero Michelle Smith who is still defended to this day by that doyen of RTE, the Memory Man, Jimmy Magee. Please spare me any more questions for that man.

Now I haven't touched on Hook's inconsistency, Dunphy's rants or the sweet tones of Kenny Cunningham yet you can tell me that RTE Sport is not bad!!!

Oh and I nearly forgot Fred Cogley and George Hamilton, groan....

wirehairmax wrote: »

Our games don't need the type of nonsense that Sky produce. Championship weekends are already special and there is nothing to compare to Marty Morrissey describing the athmosphere from the sideline in Semple, Croker, Pairc ui Choimh, Clones, etc.

.

Now, I understand, you were being sarcastic. Phew, thought you believed what you wrote.

Elmo

Hook on sky

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QINzmRPfMCU

iDave

Godge wrote: »

Where do I start? Up for the Match, always reminds me of forgotten RTE programmes like Trom agus Eadrom, Housewife of the Year and Tops of the Town. Same production quality and standard of entertainment.

Then we have Second Captains Live, that unfunny sports comedy show.

Then there is the Sunday Game the evening of the All-Ireland final, devoid of analysis and full of backslapping.

Let us not forget the crowning of our hero Michelle Smith who is still defended to this day by that doyen of RTE, the Memory Man, Jimmy Magee. Please spare me any more questions for that man.

Now I haven't touched on Hook's inconsistency, Dunphy's rants or the sweet tones of Kenny Cunningham yet you can tell me that RTE Sport is not bad!!!

Oh and I nearly forgot Fred Cogley and George Hamilton, groan....

.

They also pay MONEY to have Jerry Kiernan doing their athletics coverage :rolleyes:

iDave

Now don't jump on me for suggesting this but if you have a smartphone and know someone with Sky who hasn't set up Sky Go be a good friend and do it for them, on the provision one of the 2 devices allocated to it is your phone. Or laptop, whatever suits.

bruschi

iDave wrote: »

Now don't jump on me for suggesting this but if you have a smartphone and know someone with Sky who hasn't set up Sky Go be a good friend and do it for them, on the provision one of the 2 devices allocated to it is your phone. Or laptop, whatever suits.

dont jump on me either, but I now think you can have 4 devices using sky go.

keane2097

iDave wrote: »

Now don't jump on me for suggesting this but if you have a smartphone and know someone with Sky who hasn't set up Sky Go be a good friend and do it for them, on the provision one of the 2 devices allocated to it is your phone. Or laptop, whatever suits.

There's a Sky Go Extra thing as well where you can pay a few quid a month to add extra devices to Sky Go. Think it's pretty cheap as well.

EDIT: That's prob what Bruschi is talking about, think the standard is two unless it's changed in the last couple of weeks.

irishfeen

Godge wrote: »

And neither has the GAA:D:D



So you don't have Sky TV.



So you don't have SKY TV and you hate its coverage.




So you don't have SKY TV and you hate its coverage yet that makes you both knowledgeably enough from watching its coverage and unbiased enough from your neutral view to be able to comment on the quality of its coverage!!!! Amazing.




Where do I start? Up for the Match, always reminds me of forgotten RTE programmes like Trom agus Eadrom, Housewife of the Year and Tops of the Town. Same production quality and standard of entertainment.

Then we have Second Captains Live, that unfunny sports comedy show.

Then there is the Sunday Game the evening of the All-Ireland final, devoid of analysis and full of backslapping.

Let us not forget the crowning of our hero Michelle Smith who is still defended to this day by that doyen of RTE, the Memory Man, Jimmy Magee. Please spare me any more questions for that man.

Now I haven't touched on Hook's inconsistency, Dunphy's rants or the sweet tones of Kenny Cunningham yet you can tell me that RTE Sport is not bad!!!

Oh and I nearly forgot Fred Cogley and George Hamilton, groan....






Now, I understand, you were being sarcastic. Phew, thought you believed what you wrote.

Hamilton is up there with Tyler and Darke as the best football commentator in the UK/Ireland...

Dr. Bre

don't see the problem with this deal. if your a real fan you will be at your counties games anyway

prospect

Dr. Bre wrote: »

don't see the problem with this deal. if your a real fan you will be at your counties games anyway

Now that is an utter rubbish comment.

brianxc

Hey,

Seems to me that the suits in Croke Park have decided this. I think I read somewhere that the negotiations were conducted by one or two individuals,
who are paid, un-elected employees of the GAA, correct me if I am wrong?

Surely this should have been brought back to congress and let the membership decide?

It was interesting to watch prime time/news last night, Duffy and O'Neill shift uncomfortably in their seats. All they mentioned was about better access to games by GAA members abroad - with the Channel 7 deal in Aust, and the online streaming by RTE digital, this was resolved imho. PPV by SKY will do nothing to improve this situation, and only restrict the visibility of our games. You only have to look at viewing figures of other sports to see this. This is a complete red herring. Can anyone tell me of a sport where viewership figures increased by moving to a PPV model?

Also, if this is a success for Sky, do you honestly think they will be happy with 14 exclusive games? This is just the start.... For posters that stated the games could be shown in clubhouses to members, this is only possible in urban settings. How many rural clubs have meeting rooms with decent AV facilities - not many, I'd wager....

If Duffy and O'Neill are so sure this is the best thing for the GAA, take it to congress, and let the GAA membership decide. As a member of the GAA, the games belong to me and every other card-carrying member of the GAA. As far as I am concerned, this is the only opinion that matters on this subject.

I have two young kids (< age 6), and I delight in sitting them both down with their county jerseys on, and watch the league coverage lately. And bring them to the odd match - though they are too young for this really (poor attention span). I certainly won't be bringing them to a pub to math games, and I won't be landing up on my neighbours doorstep either, without an invite! Can't believe O'Neill suggested this.

I am really disheartened by this, and will be making representations within my local club to reflect my concerns. I think this is the best way of making yourself heard on this one. I won't be boycotting matches - I think this is an extreme response, and other approaches lie open to GAA members to make their voices heard.

If you want a say on this issue - you need to be a current member of the GAA! The GAA is not about looking at GAA matches - its about participation. Look at the playing numbers in cricket/soccer/rugby in the UK, upon the advent of pay per view. All have declined.

Hopefully this wont be the case with our great games, but time will tell.....

lertsnim

Dr. Bre wrote: »

don't see the problem with this deal. if your a real fan you will be at your counties games anyway

And what if you want to watch other counties? Go to those games too?

Dr. Bre

lertsnim wrote: »

And what if you want to watch other counties? Go to those games too?

nope go to your local or friends house who has sky

munchkin_utd

brianxc wrote: »

<snip>
I have two young kids (< age 6), and I delight in sitting them both down with their county jerseys on, and watch the league coverage lately.<snip>

you obviously have no problems with the league being on subscription TV behind a pay wall, you seem to think its a good thing - so why do you and others have such a problem with some (a minority) of games being on sky?

AugustusMinimus

brianxc wrote: »

Hey,

Seems to me that the suits in Croke Park have decided this. I think I read somewhere that the negotiations were conducted by one or two individuals,
who are paid, un-elected employees of the GAA, correct me if I am wrong?

Surely this should have been brought back to congress and let the membership decide?

You then have to ask why any of the previous broadcasting deals weren't also brought to congress. In particular the deal with Setanta for league matches and the deal with TV3 which just about nobody wanted.

But yes, I presume a motion could be brought by a club before congress next year in order to ban GAA having matches on pay TV in Ireland. I doubt they could block this contract but everything after 2016 could be blocked if the rule is voted in through congress.

dxhound2005

brianxc wrote: »

Hey,

Seems to me that the suits in Croke Park have decided this. I think I read somewhere that the negotiations were conducted by one or two individuals,
who are paid, un-elected employees of the GAA, correct me if I am wrong?

Surely this should have been brought back to congress and let the membership decide?

It was interesting to watch prime time/news last night, Duffy and O'Neill shift uncomfortably in their seats. All they mentioned was about better access to games by GAA members abroad - with the Channel 7 deal in Aust, and the online streaming by RTE digital, this was resolved imho. PPV by SKY will do nothing to improve this situation, and only restrict the visibility of our games. You only have to look at viewing figures of other sports to see this. This is a complete red herring. Can anyone tell me of a sport where viewership figures increased by moving to a PPV model?

Also, if this is a success for Sky, do you honestly think they will be happy with 14 exclusive games? This is just the start.... For posters that stated the games could be shown in clubhouses to members, this is only possible in urban settings. How many rural clubs have meeting rooms with decent AV facilities - not many, I'd wager....

If Duffy and O'Neill are so sure this is the best thing for the GAA, take it to congress, and let the GAA membership decide. As a member of the GAA, the games belong to me and every other card-carrying member of the GAA. As far as I am concerned, this is the only opinion that matters on this subject.

I have two young kids (< age 6), and I delight in sitting them both down with their county jerseys on, and watch the league coverage lately. And bring them to the odd match - though they are too young for this really (poor attention span). I certainly won't be bringing them to a pub to math games, and I won't be landing up on my neighbours doorstep either, without an invite! Can't believe O'Neill suggested this.

I am really disheartened by this, and will be making representations within my local club to reflect my concerns. I think this is the best way of making yourself heard on this one. I won't be boycotting matches - I think this is an extreme response, and other approaches lie open to GAA members to make their voices heard.

If you want a say on this issue - you need to be a current member of the GAA! The GAA is not about looking at GAA matches - its about participation. Look at the playing numbers in cricket/soccer/rugby in the UK, upon the advent of pay per view. All have declined.

Hopefully this wont be the case with our great games, but time will tell.....

Surely the precedent has already been set with Setanta being given the rights to Saturday night League games. It is also a PPV provider with coverage in the UK as well as here. Did Congress get a say in that? Was anybody jumping up and down last Saturday when you had to be a Setanta subscriber to watch Dublin and Mayo? Did Congress get a say when TV 3 got some games which had only ever previously been on RTE?

AugustusMinimus

munchkin_utd wrote: »

you obviously have no problems with the league being on subscription TV behind a pay wall, you seem to think its a good thing - so why do you and others have such a problem with some (a minority) of games being on sky?

The hypocracy on this thread is staggering. The amount of people who have an issue with the Sky deal but no issue with the Setanta deal is astounding.

Oh wait, maybe these people are the bandwaggoners who only watch championship matches :rolleyes:

lukin

I heard on the news that Sky are going to have a dedicated 24 hour GAA channel for their coverage.
http://gaabanter.ie/sky-launch-new-channel-sky-sports-gaa-new-acquisition/
Is this true? It's only 14 matches they are showing. Seems a bit unnecessary.

munchkin_utd

lukin wrote: »

I heard on the news that Sky are going to have a dedicated 24 hour GAA channel for their coverage.
http://gaabanter.ie/sky-launch-new-channel-sky-sports-gaa-new-acquisition/
Is this true? It's only 14 matches they are showing. Seems a bit unnecessary.

"By GAA Banter on April 1, 2014"

dxhound2005

lukin wrote: »

I heard on the news that Sky are going to have a dedicated 24 hour GAA channel for their coverage.
http://gaabanter.ie/sky-launch-new-channel-sky-sports-gaa-new-acquisition/
Is this true? It's only 14 matches they are showing. Seems a bit unnecessary.

It's true all right. And it will be on the air until April 1st 2017.

Santa Cruz

lukin wrote: »

I heard on the news that Sky are going to have a dedicated 24 hour GAA channel for their coverage.
http://gaabanter.ie/sky-launch-new-channel-sky-sports-gaa-new-acquisition/
Is this true? It's only 14 matches they are showing. Seems a bit unnecessary.

24 hour channel?
How many times will we hear "in all fairness" "we don't care what the papers say" if they are broadcasting interviews with players on 24 hour channels

Necro

lukin wrote: »

I heard on the news that Sky are going to have a dedicated 24 hour GAA channel for their coverage.
http://gaabanter.ie/sky-launch-new-channel-sky-sports-gaa-new-acquisition/
Is this true? It's only 14 matches they are showing. Seems a bit unnecessary.

Ah here... April 1st seems to elude some people