The FAI how outdone themselves now.....

vorbis

`there are better ways to raise money rather than alienate half your audience. The FAI did a pretty good job of wasting tens of millions on a stadium that wasn't even built !! All this over 5 million when they have wasted away twenty times that amount!!
I remember the England rugby team went over to Sky a couple of years ago for the good of the game. Now they're back with BBC because of the damage that did to their sport in general. Don't forget soccer competes with GAA over here. All the FAI have done is shown themselves to be a penny pinching greedy incompetent organisation.

Jake

Originally posted by Blindpew
[
I was only joking about Beckhams knickers and the English and hope I didn't offend anyone. [/B]

Didnt offend me Blindpew, I cant stand the English football team!:D

Jake

Im not to bothered about the deal to be honest!
Certainly I feel very sorry for people with young children or families who are on a tight budget and cant afford a satilite dish (myself included)
But such is life!
We'r getting screwed by the corporates in this country everyday but everybody just seems to accept it so Ill take all this outrage with a pinch of salt thank you very much and see ye all down the pub come october.

anthonymcg

Originally posted by Jake
But such is life!

Eh...no. "Such is life!"?! Getting screwed by corporate companies is completely different when a national event is involved. The FAI have ignored the fact that 100,000 irish people came out to welcome their team home while millions of others watched the games on tele and have given the team tremendous support for years. This is how they're rewarded?!

I refuse to pay over the odds to watch matches on Sky, especially Irish internationals, with some muppet commentators who haven't a clue about irish soccer and use the word 'eire' constantly. The success of the irish team in the future has been dealt a huge blow as fans will not support the team as we have done before simply because we won't get to see the games. Why should fans have to accept this? It's the fans who keep the FAI going for gods sake!

Mailman

Been thinking about this for a while and my conclusion is that TV3 are really to blame.

Sky would never have been granted rights to broadcast the games if TV3 hadn't collaberated with them.

TV3 chose not to bid for the live rights.
TV3 collaberated with SKY to keep the matches off terrestrial TV.
Perhaps TV3's licence shouldn't be renewed when the time comes.
It isn't unreasonable to expect TV3 to bid for the rights to the Irish matches if the matches are self financing?

This is a dangerous precedent as the greedy heads of GAA will see this as a means of getting more money.
The GAA and any other sporting body will claim that as long as TV3 are transmitting the game an hour later then they are within their rights to sell the games to the highest bidder as the game can be seen (albeit) an hour later on terrestrial TV.

I'm betting that International Rugby is the next to go to SKY with the collaberation of TV3.

For TV3 I consider this policy to be very short sighted. Due to the low quality programming they carry they will find it harder in the years to come to compete with SKY for advertising revenues. At the moment SKY don't have a big presence in Ireland so they can't attract as much advertising as they'd like but thanks to TV3 giving viewers a reason purchase a dish SKY's market share will quickly grow.

bucks73

As a subscriber to Sky Sports anyway it doesnt bother me that its not on RTE.

As someone involved in junior and schoolboy football in Limerick its great to see the FAI taking the best deal for football in Ireland. 7.5 million from Sky or 2 million from RTE. There was no other option. Read yesterday that the FAI even offered the deal to RTE for 6 million and it was refused.

RTE are going to use this as another argument to increase the license fee but I can not see the government exerting pressure on the FAI as the Bertie Bowls success relies on the FAI being the primary tenant.

As those who visit the ICDG board will know live GAA is not available to those of us watching RTE on satellite even though we pay our license fee and subscription but where is the outrage over this?

Mailman

Your licence fee ensures that you can pick up RTE including GAA transmissions over the air analog on the TV that you own.

anthonymcg

Originally posted by bucks73
As someone involved in junior and schoolboy football in Limerick its great to see the FAI taking the best deal for football

So you might be able to see it but some of the kids who emulate and look up to their heroes and hope to one day play for Ireland can't see it because some fat cat at the FAI wants to line his pockets? Do you honestly think any of that money will filter down to the clubs and roots of football in this country?! Not a chance

Mailman

And those of us like me who play soccer every week without any help from the FAI are certainly not going to see any of the money and won't get to see the matches on TV now.

snake_eyes

without the FAIs help eh ?

Thats what you think! Who do you think trains even all the kids referees? Who runs the coaching courses? The FAI do lots of stuff for you, its just behind the scenes.

Mailman

Be they on astroturf or elsewhere no contributions have been made by the FAI to my hobby.
Never had interaction with the FAI in my life and they're not failling over themselves to coach my nephews either. The work I see being done to bring on the youth is being done by parents entirely outside the FAI. The FAI aren't even behind the scenes.

But then what do I know, I just kick a football around so I mustn't count.

The FAI do not own the irish team or football in Ireland. Somewhere along the line they forgot this.

I'm not going to contribute any more to this thread.
Likewise, I'm not going to contribute to Sky to watch a national amenity and I'm certainly not going to buy FAI merchandise.

Trojan

For the "all-talk, no action" people:
http://www.fai.ie/FAI/Contact.htm -- send them a letter or an email (don't spam them), or ring them, and make your dissatisfaction clear in a non-abusive manner.

Mike65: "newbie :rolleyes:" - pot, kettle

Al.

bucks73

Originally posted by Mailman
And those of us like me who play soccer every week without any help from the FAI are certainly not going to see any of the money and won't get to see the matches on TV now.

If you play in an organised junior or senior league then it ultimately comes under the control of the FAI. You probably then also play in the FAI junior cup every season. As a junior team manager and ex-player I know how much it costs for a player to play football every season but without the FAI and the local league councils then there would be no football.

bucks73

Originally posted by Mailman
Be they on astroturf or elsewhere no contributions have been made by the FAI to my hobby.
Never had interaction with the FAI in my life and they're not failling over themselves to coach my nephews either. The work I see being done to bring on the youth is being done by parents entirely outside the FAI. The FAI aren't even behind the scenes.

But then what do I know, I just kick a football around so I mustn't count.

The FAI do not own the irish team or football in Ireland. Somewhere along the line they forgot this.

I'm not going to contribute any more to this thread.
Likewise, I'm not going to contribute to Sky to watch a national amenity and I'm certainly not going to buy FAI merchandise.

We are talking about real football here. On grass, 11 a-side with a referee and two big goals. As snake_eyes said the FAI run coaching courses for players from 7 up to 16 years of ages using fully qualified coaches and former internationals like Bonner and McGrath. They fund the referees associations for training of referees for all grades of football.

I too play football on astroturf and wouldnt expect anything from the FAI as it doesnt come under their auspices. Just as if I was pucking around in the garden I wouldnt expect the GAA to pay for my sliotar.

bucks73

Originally posted by anthonymcg


So you might be able to see it but some of the kids who emulate and look up to their heroes and hope to one day play for Ireland can't see it because some fat cat at the FAI wants to line his pockets? Do you honestly think any of that money will filter down to the clubs and roots of football in this country?! Not a chance

I can tell you our club has recevied money from the FAI only last season to cover the costs of our u-13 team having to travel around Ireland in the national cup. We have had an FAI coach out with our schoolboys last summer and were offered the chance to hold an FAI coaching school this summer but turned it down.

IMO the FAI do good work for grass roots football in this country but it is hard to see it if you are not involved with a club, a supporter of a club or a parent bringing their kids out to play.

anthonymcg

Originally posted by bucks73


I can tell you our club has recevied money from the FAI only last season to cover the costs of our u-13 team having to travel around Ireland in the national cup. We have had an FAI coach out with our schoolboys last summer and were offered the chance to hold an FAI coaching school this summer but turned it down.

IMO the FAI do good work for grass roots football in this country but it is hard to see it if you are not involved with a club, a supporter of a club or a parent bringing their kids out to play.

A fair point but totally unrelated to the current conversation. Some people are missing the big picture here. Yes the FAI may provide some level of facilities around the country to facilitate and encourage the sport but they have made such a MASSIVE blunder with the TV rights, that all that good work is undermined. The FAI need a management shakeup after all of this is sorted out. If it is sorted out.

bucks73

True it is OT but I was trying to show that the FAI, despite what some people think, do a lot of work for football in this country and the more money they can make from TV deals the better it is for football.

snake_eyes

The FAI are helping the people invovled in Irish football by taking this deal. True, it will affect the people that give nothing back and just watch the big internationals on TV for free, but really they have to put the children that are playing week in week out first.

That doesnt mean letting them watch the national team for free. That means getting them out playing in a team as part of a community, making friends and having fun. Soccer takes a lot of kids off the street.

I dont think anyone can argue that the extra money wont filter down to the grass roots eventually. Its the grass roots that should come first.

Also more on the point, I heard today all the Department of Communications can do is force Sky to make the transmission of the game "free to air", the lecturer on the radio regarded this as in an unscrambled format. Maybe it would suit everyone if sky broadcasted the game unscrambled. Everyone would still need a digibox and a dish to watch it, but most people would get these as part of a subscription. Sky would get more subscriptions, People could watch it without a subscription ( assuming they had a dish lying around...... ), and the Department would have to go and scratch - the game would be available to everyone for free.

Greenbean

At the end of the day I don't see how it aids the publicity and progression of the irish game if its being shown to less people at more cost. At the gain of 7 million quid, the FAI has said "for the next couple of years we shall lower our exposure on terresterial tv!". What a clever bunch.

Bateman

The FAI have ignored the fact that 100,000 irish people came out to welcome their team home

---

Far too many of these were teenage girls there for the bands and not the team. Its been said before how patehtic the big celebration of failure gig in the Park was, even the players looked embarrased.



some muppet commentators who haven't a clue about irish soccer

---

Too many people think that "Irish soccer" means the international team and nothing more.



Sky would never have been granted rights to broadcast the games if TV3 hadn't collaberated with them.

---

TV3 have outbidded RTE before on their own, it is nothing new, fair play to TV3, RTE obviously never had an interest in the delayed transmission deal, or were too stupid to realise it was on offer.



Due to the low quality programming they carry

---

I don't think TV3's programming is any worse than RTE's. Ever tried to get an eircom League scoreline on Aertel?



Do you honestly think any of that money will filter down to the clubs and roots of football in this country?! Not a chance

---

Thats being a bit pessimistic. Sure many of the FAI head honchos will have new cars, and might move to somewhere more comfy than Merrion Square, but they were going to sqaunder the World Cup money on that anyway.

At the gain of 7 million quid, the FAI has said "for the next couple of years we shall lower our exposure on terresterial tv!". What a clever bunch.

---

Yes, indeed, you are being sarcastic but what you say is true. If the "exposure" of the national team in Ireland means more Man Utd shirts with Keane on the back, or more Celtic shirts being sold, then "exposure" is worth fúck all.



For people to have sympathy for an organisation that pays Pat Kenny half a million a year, Marion Finucane 350,000, Joe Duffy 150,000 and Gerry Ryan, Bill O Herlihy and others over a hundred grand a year is absurd. RTE have themselves to blame for thewir failures.

vorbis

every organisation pays its top people well, otherwise they'd just leave. That RTE pay them that much is hardly a scandal.

Jake

I have never bought FAI merchandise (Im one of the celtic top wearing brigade) I havnt paid to see the Republic of Ireland play in several years and I havnt paid to see a League of Ireland game in years so what right have I to tell the FAI what to do?
None!
If I was in the above brackets then yes I would have grounds to complain and would feel agreived but many who Iv heard ranting in the last couple of days (and no Im not talking about people on this board) care feck all about football until an important qualifier or a major championship comes round!

I was watching sky sports this evening (ye can just about get a reception on cablelinkd) uring the build up to the the Brazil under17s game and the conversation turned to youth development!
It was pointed out that the "Brittish" climate stops alot of kids from getting out in the park playing football more regularly and that the general affluence has meant that alot more kids now spend time in front of Playstations and on the Internet than on the street playing football!
I reckon this kind of scenario will have as much impact on the number of kids comming through the Irish ranks as the switch to Ireland games sky
Anyone noticed how many fat kids there are now compared to say ten years ago?
OK so Im going off topic but maybe some of you can decifer what Im saying

Venom

Well if RTE didnt want to pay the 6 million for the Irish matches they shouldnt start bitching about it.How long were the FAI ment to wait for RTE to get a fair offer off them?RTE offered less in their bid than for the last 4 years ffs.

All this rubbish about kids not being able to see there heroes is lame and just media **** stiring.The country will still be able to watch the matches,just an hour and a half later on TV3.some people cant get this station at the moment but TV3 should be made to remedy this situation since they now carry the torch so to speak.If the so called kids cant wait an hour and a half well there not that interested in thier heroes are they.

Personaly I think what is happening sucks and it will affect me more than most,as Im the armchair watching supporter and Ill be ****ed if Im getting Sky Sports or trekking off to the pub.I think both RTE and the FAI are scum and always have.But in this case the FAI made the best out of a bad situation.

Bateman

Some sense being spoken at last. People who don't either go to eircom League games or don't spend more than a couple of jerseys and the odd match ticket worth of merchandise don't really have the right to complain about the deal. The FAI have no obligation to defend the rights of the armchair fan, and its great to see some people realise this.

Last night on the FM104 Phoneshow (I know, I know, hardly an intellectual beacon anyway) some of the shíte being spouted was incredible. People were aggreived because they can't afford Sky Digital etc which although I support the deal is a grievance that i accept. However, some of the cúnts were trying to make it out to be a matter for our heritage that the games be on RTE. This is bollocks, as RTE were outbid before by TV3 for France 98 qualifying games, or at some stage anyway. There was no outcry then, because once people can watch the games free to air, they don't care. Be they on RTE or TV live, its fine, but once they get nicked by satellite, there is a big fuss as some idiots dress it up as anti-cultural that they can't be on the national broadcaster. This pretend loyalty to the "national broadcaster" is sickening. Maybe if RTE didn't splash out on the English Premiership for so long they might be in a position to make a better offer for OUR national team.

To hear people who have Sky subscriptions for the purpose of watching a foreign league complaining that our international games are on sattelite (NOT pay per view, despite what RTE are reporting) is absurd.

Occidental

Public Relations tip for the FAI.

Finalise deal with SKY/TV3 on Friday.
Go meet minister.
Inform minister that you are going with SKY/TV3 due to poor offer from RTE.
Announce deal to public, pointing out that the government were aware of SKY/TV3 offer and given the opportunity to secure the deal for RTE.

Sit back and laugh as government takes all the abuse.

Hardly rocket science is it.

Bateman

I don't think the Govt give a fúck anyway, so its not an issue. They are coming out badly out of this anyway, as the legislation to protect certain events is enacted for years now, all they had to do was fill in the actual events that they wanted to protect. However, back then, it was the associations who lobbied that the blanks never be filled in.

The FAI are fully convionced that they did the right thing, and as PR never really enters the equation of anything they do, it is unlikely to this time.

bucks73

Just heard Bertie on the radio at lunchtime. His argument about listing certain events was that if you listed say the All-Ireland Hurling championship and it had to be shown on terrestrial tv, then what is to stop RTE from offering only five grand for the rights.

IMO its a fair point because if all Irish international football matches were listed then RTE wouldnt have offered anything near 2 million and the FAI would be the big losers. They could still have had a deal with Sky as in the past few years but it would be nothing like the new one.

Bateman

True, and either way, I don't think protected events could be extended to cover a whole qualifying campaign, in England its only the FA Cup Final, Aintree Grand National, WC Final, Boat Race (?) etc etc.

So here it would probably be just the two All Irelands if it were to come into effect.

Blindpew

It shouldn't have come down to money or government intervention. The FAI should have respected the national team as the sporting representitives of the Republic of Ireland and not as their exclusive club. They should be promoting sport, not raising beer sales for publicans or making further millions for sky. These matchs should be on RTE as everyone has to buy a license and so has RTE. Not everyone wants to watch matchs where the results are known, on a bastardised version of ITV with crappy presenters.

Venom

RTE could always have done the decent thing and offered and paid a fair amount to FAI so they could show the matches,made a fortune in advertising during the matches along with the big sponsorship deal for showing the matches like they do with most of there new tv shows and movies.


The sooner the better RTE is done away with the better.Pack of wasters.

Bloody Drunkard

I don't think i can live anymore with Apres MAtch. That had to be the funniest show of alltime. I'm defo gonna cancel my Sky Sports subscription those bbastaards can do with out my euros. The FAI's decision is as stupid as if RTE got exclusive rights to England ****ing cricket matches

BKtje

Ireland were well supported in England and this way SKy will get a few more signups in the Uk as well. Sky arent doign it to spite the irish people so i dont see what cancelling ur sub would reall accomplish unless u dont like the programs they give you.

FAI are a shower of muppets but 1.6million for 4 years is nothing ffs.

Mossy Monk

i was very pissed off with all of this the other day after hearing the report on RTÉ News. since then i have heard about RTÉ offering penny's compared to what Sky were offering. RTÉ have no one to blame but themselves. if anyone has left down supporters in this country it is those dickheads at Donnybrook

Occidental

Report on the radio this morning, that EU Commission believe government can still force games to be shown on terrestrial television and if SKY can't do this then they can be forced to sell the rights to someone who can.

Lot's of if's and but's and probably complete rubbish, but it'll fill a hole in the papers for another day or two.

Waylander

I think RTE are entirely at fault here, and I think people should reserve judgement on the FAI to see what they do with the money. RTE only offering €1m was abusing there position as the state broadcaster and if Sky had not of outbid them TV3 would have, even though their advertising revenue is considerably less than RTE's and they do not get the TV licence money. That is what happened in the last qualifying campaign. I also think people are over reacting, particularly anyone living in a town. If one in five people have sky sports then everyone will know at least someone who has sky sports and therefore can watch matches without going to the pub or bringing their kids to the pub. I know it is not an ideal situation but for the difference in money I think they FAI made an abvious decision, and as far as I can remember this is the first time I have backed a major decision made by the FAI. Your man Cogley from RTE has been whinging and moaning all over the media since this happened but has not attempted to explain how RTE have now been outbidded twice consecutively for rights for home matches.

Bateman

If RTE did not spend so much on the Premiership highlights contracts, they might have been able to offer something decent. Nobody can deny that they got complacent and have themselves to blame.

Redknapp64

There all a bunch of bussiness men who have'nt a f*ck*ng notion about soccer,all they want is d money!Fans, what do they care about d fans?they dont give a f*ck,they take d money and run!if only Dev was still around he'd straighten them out the f*ck*ng ass banging Bastards!

Jake

The Government have waided in tonight and published a list of sporting events that must be shown on terrestrial tv.
So looks like tv3 or rte will get the football......sorry "soccer" games

Its all starting to resemble the movie gladiator to me!
Give the populas "games" to take their mind off the fact that the countries going to ****e!:D

I saw an article in a paper last week that claimed that RTE paid 1million last year for the Premiership package!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

So I hope you lot who got/will get what you wanted now that the games are listed are gonna start turning up at LOI games and helping out at local level on sunday mornings to help make up the financial shortfall as the minister has said that their will be no financial package to make up the money shortfall

Ciaran

Originally posted by Jake
I saw an article in a paper last week that claimed that RTE paid 1million last year for the Premiership package!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

2 million, I thought.

Blitzkrieger

Originally posted by irishgeo
I wonder will SKY hire eammon.

I ****ing hope not.