macattack - first game is Kilkenny v Offaly on 7th June. Same as yourself, I had Premier Sports but got rid of it as it's coverage is terrible. Hoping Sky can do a good job.

scruff (UK) - Posts: 467 - 20/05/2014 10:16:22    1590564

Question for the UK lads.

What's the general mood on the sky coverage over in the UK?

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 20/05/2014 10:46:49    1590588

"Anyone else find the sky punchline a little strange? 'See GAA differently'. Assuming most of their viewership cant see it as it is, does that mean they 'see' it as something not worth watching at present? Or have they unintentionally inferred this while trying to have a cut at rte coverage? Either way, not a great one liner in my opinion..."

It would seem that this advert is aimed totally at the island of Ireland as opposed to people living in Britain.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/05/2014 11:08:38    1590605

Jack_Goff - Well within GAA circles, Ie my club and Irish friends over here everyone is pretty excited, although I do enjoy the odd trip to the local on a Sunday afternoon it will be great to have the option to stay in and watch it after Sunday lunch!

Outside of the exiles over here, people dont really know a great deal about it! The real gauge will be after the first few games when people are flicking and if the sport will catch their attention or not! Hoping for some exciting games, have been trying to sell it to my work colleagues and English friends!

The UK veiwing figures will be interesting!

macattack (UK) - Posts: 584 - 20/05/2014 11:30:45    1590626

To be honest Jack, I'm not likely to start subscribing to Sky Sports as a result of this deal, however like yourself, I generally appalled by RTE ambivalent attitude to our national games and welcome any competition to the cosy monopoly they have enjoyed all these years.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 20/05/2014 11:38:19    1590633

Well said Brend. I've had sky for 6 years now so that answers that but at the same time I'm delighted RTE now have to up their game and will likely have to pay a fairer price for their package next time it comes around.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 20/05/2014 12:05:51    1590652

This sky hysteria is nonsense, sure haven't the english,etc had access to BBC Northern Ireland via sky for years?

also, Shinty is a gaelic game with it's routes in Ulster, you don't see the English paying much attention to it and it's played on the same island as them

4KHDoneill (Derry) - Posts: 182 - 21/05/2014 10:57:58    1591155

The English aren't gonna watch BBC NI full stop. And shinty is doesn't have anywhere near the popularity or exposure in Scotland (never mind England) as Gaelic games. It would just look like a more barbaric form of hockey!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 21/05/2014 12:07:03    1591202

keeper7
County: Longford
Posts: 1972

1591202
The English aren't gonna watch BBC NI full stop. And shinty is doesn't have anywhere near the popularity or exposure in Scotland (never mind England) as Gaelic games. It would just look like a more barbaric form of hockey!

sure they wont be watching sky sports either during the summer
as theres no soccer on it that will be on bbc or itv with them in the world cup
so there hardly going to stumble on gaa in fairness

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/05/2014 12:17:25    1591217

The World Cup is on for 4 weeks, Hill.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 21/05/2014 12:32:17    1591236

And the everyone knows that the only reason that anyone gets skys sports is to watch the Soccer!!!!!

I have had sky for a few years now, and I would say I have watched half a dozen soccer matches!

macattack (UK) - Posts: 584 - 21/05/2014 12:43:41    1591251

Anyone have any prediction of viewing figures? Maybe possible current programmes it could rival. I can't really think of many, possibly super rugby but even that seems a reach. People may laugh at speedway but it seems to get decent coverage and must have a following maybe thats the target?

glantine.guard (Limerick) - Posts: 33 - 21/05/2014 14:20:20    1591359

keeper7
County: Longford
Posts: 1974

1591236
The World Cup is on for 4 weeks, Hill.

yeah and they wont flick onto sky sports till end of august when soccer season begins again

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/05/2014 14:55:48    1591383

21/05/2014 12:17:25 hill16no1man
sure they wont be watching sky sports either during the summer as theres no soccer on it that will be on bbc or itv with them in the world cup
so there hardly going to stumble on gaa in fairness Just because there's no soccer on sky doesn't mean subscriptions drop that much. Still is cricket etc that keeps subscriptions high so plenty will stumble across GAA

21/05/2014 12:32:17
keeper7
The World Cup is on for 4 weeks, Hill.Not on Sky

21/05/2014 12:43:41
macattack
And the everyone knows that the only reason that anyone gets skys sports is to watch the Soccer!!!!!
I have had sky for a few years now, and I would say I have watched half a dozen soccer matches! Soccer isn't only reason. Rugby/Golf
amongst 1/2 other sports that are big pullers in of subscribers

21/05/2014 14:20:20
glantine.guard
Anyone have any prediction of viewing figures? Maybe possible current programmes it could rival. I can't really think of many, possibly super rugby but even that seems a reach. People may laugh at speedway but it seems to get decent coverage and must have a following maybe thats the target?Impossible to predict viewing figures...

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 21/05/2014 14:59:03    1591385

The coverage and marketing that the games will get through Sky could be ten fold what RTE can offer. Really looking forward to them getting stuck in. The sound quality of the crowd was class in that report.

MayoMark (Mayo) - Posts: 332 - 21/05/2014 15:16:27    1591404

So what marketing have sky done of the games. The launch of a small panel is all I can see. Making a shambles of names etc. I have to agree with Hill.

How many of you watch some of these sports on Sky such as speedway etc? I'd imagine very few so why would an average English man stop and watch a game of Hurling?

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 21/05/2014 20:47:32    1591614

Ormo the fact is Irish Sky subscriptions die a death over the summer. Cricket doesn't interest 99% of irish subscribers. They want the GAA coverage to hold onto a large portion of them and then hopefully keep the odd UK viewer happy too. It will work this year because of the novelty and if they do a good job covering the games it should work in future too.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/05/2014 20:52:19    1591621

MayoMark
County: Mayo
Posts: 326

1591404
The coverage and marketing that the games will get through Sky could be ten fold what RTE can offer. Really looking forward to them getting stuck in. The sound quality of the crowd was class in that report.

how do you figure that the marketing of the game will be so much better?
so far they will only have one analyst in the studio
which leaves you with 66% less opinions on the games then rte and tv3 both had/have
there ad campaign is very lame, it dosent even show the games being played which would be more benificial to attracting people
who have not seen them before then having two guys do fancy tricks which they wouldnt do in the match.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 22/05/2014 10:20:41    1591737

hill

so far they will only have one analyst in the studio

DEAR GOD NO!!! Only one analyst! how the hell are people supposed to understand a game if only one person explains it to them instead of 3, there'll be mass confusion I tells ya, mass confusion!

Let's face it hill, you had your mind made up about Sky's coverage from the very moment it was announced, they could do the best job ever seen by a broadcaster and you'd still call it rubbish. As far as you're concerned Sky doesn't deserve a judge, jury or fair trial of any sort, it's straight to execution.

I personally have no idea how well Sky are going to do with our games, not a notion because I haven't seen their coverage of a single game yet. But either way they're going to be covering Gaelic games for at least 3 years so you may aswell get used to it, no amount of b*t*hing is going to change that simple fact.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 22/05/2014 10:58:42    1591754

The World Cup is on for 4 weeks, Hill.

"yeah and they wont flick onto sky sports till end of august when soccer season begins again"

If they're paying for it they will!

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 22/05/2014 11:50:07    1591775