Reaching for the sky for GAA coverage

By Seamus Hayes

THE cost of attending inter-county hurling or football fixtures has been blamed for falling attendances in recent years, especially with the increase in TV coverage.

Viewing has been free to air but the ground rules have been suddenly changed with a contract giving Sky Sports exclusive rights to 14 championship games.

Clare hurling manager Davy Fitzgerald is of the view that while nobody within Ireland should have to pay to watch any GAA game, the organisation has a duty to explore world markets. He says a way has to be found to satisfy both of these demands.

“Any sports-minded person outside of Ireland will catch on to Gaelic games. We have a massive product, which is untapped and we should be going outside of Ireland with it.

“It is our national game and some way  must be found so that people here in Ireland aren’t caught to pay to view such games,” Fitzgerald said, adding, “It is, of course, very important to have our games available to the thousands of Irish people who have been forced to emigrate due to the downturn in the economy here over the past decade”.

He is adamant that all monies raised as a result of this deal must filter down to the grassroots to help clubs continue to develop.
The GAA announced on Tuesday that “within Ireland, a total of 45 provincial and All-Ireland championship matches will be broadcast live on television annually for the next three years: a total of 31 games will be shown by RTÉ and 14 by Sky Sports”.

In addition to these 14 games, Sky Sports will also broadcast the All-Ireland hurling and football semi-finals and finals, thus making 20 live games available to its subscribers throughout Britain and Ireland. ​

“Making our games more widely available to Irish people abroad was a critical factor in our approach to these negotiations. We felt an obligation to them not to neglect their legitimate appeals to be able to watch live TV coverage of our games,” GAA president Liam O’Neill said.

Independent MEP Marian Harkin has called on the GAA to be prepared to pay the fee to Sky, which would ensure that in every community there would be an opportunity to view all televised games now restricted to Sky. “Older people, in particular, who cannot get to games and children, who should not be required to go to a pub to view GAA games, must be provided with the opportunity to view all televised GAA games”, she said.

“The GAA should consider paying the Sky service fee and help to provide an appropriate screen in GAA clubs, in the first instance, or community halls.”
Having watched the All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final between Clare and Limerick in the US last year, Mayor of Clare Joe Arkins acknowledged that the Irish diaspora should be able to view important games. However, he stressed this has to be balanced with the fact the GAA is an amateur organisation with hundreds of thousands of volunteers, who have given loyal service over the years as players, mentors and supporters and who should be able to see all GAA matches on a free to air channel.

“A deal could have been done with Sky whereby the major matches could have been shown to people abroad and still leave all the GAA matches on a free to view basis in Ireland.”

Fianna Fáil Sport spokesperson, Timmy Dooley expressed disappointment at the deal. “It’s the first time in the history of broadcasting that GAA fans will be expected to pay to watch games on television.  All Irish people should be afforded the right to watch the national game free of charge on the national broadcaster, once they have paid their licence fee.  That right has been effectively taken away from them.”