GAA Go

Virgin Media's statement: "RTÉ is a 50% shareholder in GAAGO, this has never been clarified in any editorial discussion about GAAGO and the decision not to show key games on Free to Air television.

"When Sky Television decided not to renew its GAA rights, the GAA did not approach other broadcasters to ascertain whether they would be interested in broadcasting these games but arbitrarily decided to put them behind a paywall.

"The question must be asked, did RTE pay anything for these rights or did they just agree to keep them behind a paywall to drive incremental revenues for both partners in GAAGO, i.e. RTÉ and the GAA

"Given the multi-million increases in State funding to RTÉ over recent years, RTÉ now has more Sports rights than it can show on its channels, with licence payers now being forced to further subsidise RTÉ by paying for GAA Sports content through its joint-venture with the GAA."

I know RTE and the GAA refuted this statement. But RTE are simply not trustworthy on any level and GAAGO is poorly presented and often doesn't function from it's email service to its production going blank on screen during games or simply not working at all.

I believe Virgin Media on this. I believe RTE and the GAA top brass have gotten into each other's ears on lots of junkets in Dublin and got into bed together on this deal and there's money being made somewhere and it's not going back into the game. The whole thing stinks.

I don't want to give any money to RTE through the guise of the GAA. None.

And why is there a condensed calender? The football championship, after the provincals, has 4 groups of 4, 24 games, in order to eliminate 4 of 16 teams. Who last year were Westmeath, Louth, Sligo and Clare.

RTE showing Dublin v Louth in a meaningless leinster football final over Cork v Limerick in hurling, we know why they're doing it. 'Contracted to show provincal finals' a smokescreen.

All a racket and carefully orchestrated.

Marty's renault won't run itself.

I dont recall GAA County Boards actively promoting Sky when they had games.

All the one to me, have my season ticket, dodgy box when required. But i would be seriously worried about the promotion of hurling. There's few enough big games in an even shorter window now. RTE should be doing more, the top games should be available to kids up n down the country.

This was just a load of nonsense though from Virgin Media - gaa had to issue a statement to correct VM's claims:

GAA corrects record on VMTV statement

Wednesday 10 May 2023

On Tuesday May 9th, VMTV (Virgin Media Television) issued a statement that called into question the integrity of the GAA Media Rights process.

The statement contained several factual errors and misleading comments.

The GAA contacted VMTV and requested that they correct their statement. Since this has not been forthcoming, the GAA, reluctantly, issues the following to correct the record.

Strategically, the GAA media rights are designed to:

a) Maximise coverage. We bias toward ‘Free To Air’.

b) Support the Irish language. We bias toward TG4.

c) Generate a fair commercial value for our rights. We seek to keep commercial tension to the fore by seeking an agile, competent third party.

1. From as early as February 2021, the GAA contacted VMTV and other parties to gauge their interest in acquiring rights packages that would become available in the renewal of the GAA media rights in 2022. The initial call was followed up by a detailed description of the various packages available.

2. Thereafter followed several meetings, telephone calls, emails and document exchanges between the parties.

3. The GAA did not receive a formal bid from VMTV or an expression of interest.

4. In June 2022, VMTV were again contacted to clarify that they did not intend to make a bid. VMTV were clear that their model was not to acquire rights but rather to acquire ‘ready to go’ packages ie productions which don’t require outside broadcast set-ups for live match coverage.

5. In short, VMTV were afforded every opportunity to discuss options, variations to packages and to submit a confidential offer. VMTV choose not to bid.

6. GAA continued discussions with other parties.

7. Specifically in respect of one party, the GAA was unable to deliver Sky’s preferred selection as strategically we wanted greater free to air coverage for our National League Package. These rights subsequently went to TG4 and RTÉ. Whilst Sky did bid for a lesser package, the GAA decided to progress with GAAGO.

This was because GAAGO could facilitate greater flexibility on match schedules, provide coverage for an additional 24 games and offer the opportunity for more flexible pricing for viewers and members. The finances involved were in fact similar.

8. Recently GAAGO has been the subject of considerable commentary and we will conduct a comprehensive review of its operation at season end.

You know what i mean.

It's obviously the GAA's responsibility to promote the games. But money is the bigger priority over promotion.

Two points you're over looking - people don't trust rte & people don't respect rte.

RTE wastes vast amounts of money. It is a body, apparently a government body, that is corrupt and willfully and clandestinely overspends taxpayer money.

It lobbied for license fee increases throughout decades of overspending (and still is).

The GAA has decided to allow RTE to use the GAA to increase their (RTE's) revenue. Possibly the worst decision ever by the GAA top brass and the president. The service provided by RTE, GAAGO, has been terrible. A whole host of problems from just getting the thing to work to camera work to losing the stream to customer service to on and on. Typical RTE Sport.

Several counties have set up streaming partnerships that are working. They're proving profitable. These profits are traceable. RTE, a public service broadcaster, has proven to be untraceable and uncommunicative in its spending habits.

RTÉ is financed by the television licence fee and through advertising - why should RTE have access to GAA's people's money?

The GAA is more than capable and profitable enough to set up it's own streaming service, if counties can do it (Galway brought in nearly 200,000 for its streaming), so, what the hell is going on here? Why do the GAA need RTE for this?

People smell a rat. I don't see how anyone could not question this arrangement.

RTE and GAAGO (RTE) want you to focus on issues of streaming games and it simply being impossible to show every game. These are minor issues. Smoke screens.

If I was a betting man, the issues coming to light now about the TLL Musical Show and pay, pay off, and severance packages, will be the issues of GAAGO in the future.

A decade down the line, expect to see statements like this: '"Significant concern" was expressed by RTÉ's Audit and Risk Committee over how the sponsorship revenue for Toy Show The Musical was reflected in the show's accounts.'

The most populated hurling county is behind a paywall in three games this coming summer. That's a cash grab. People are being suckered by a government body that they already bank roll.

Hopefully, in the future, Clubber will get the Senior Munster Hurling championship and that'll be that for the GAAGO/RTE.

It was on Twitter and I've seen it on a few online newspapers but it was removed since. So, maybe, they jumped the gun on an official launch or something... maybe RTE/TG4 lost their **** when they saw it and started ringing headquarters?

Clubber announce three-year media deal with Munster GAA to show Tipperary matches - Tipperary Live

This is the preseason schedule:

Did Burns just state that the Munster championship paywall on GAAGO is to pay for stadiums and centres of excellence from Antrim to Kildare…
So not only is hurling not being showcased to the widest possible audience and future generations, the money it generates is being used for football focused counties' stadia and centres of excellence…

Pubs are not taking it up.

I was in Cork City centre the day of the Cork v Waterford game. Went into 4 pubs at the time of the game, none showing it.

It costs pubs a fortune to pay for Sky and BT as it is.

Saturday just gone is a perfect example of how GAA Go should work.

3 main games on. One huge one plus two others.

1. Show Limerick v Cork on RTE
2. Use GAA Go to show KK v Car and Dub v Ant. People in those counties who don't go to the game can therefore avail of Gaa Go to catch the match. Die hard hurling fans around the country that want to watch as much hurling as possible can also pay to watch it.

Everyone catered for but the big game gets huge exposure and hurling is the winner.