Lar Corbett has slammed the decision to continue putting Munster SHC games behind a paywall.

Streaming service GAAGO will have exclusive rights to 38 Championship matches this year, including four in the Munster SHC. Last year, there was uproar when a number of Munster hurling blockbusters were only available to watch via pay-per-view.

Writing in his Sunday World column, Corbett questioned why all Munster SHC games aren’t free-to-air like the Six Nations.

“The Six Nations ticks a lot of the same boxes as the Munster hurling championship: a fabled tournament with a long tradition that’s proving more popular than ever,” the Tipperary great stated.

“To fit the sporting calendar, both competitions are played off quickly, across six weeks, with three matches most weekends. They both deliver drama in spades, with no one able to reliably predict the top three. They get the blood flowing for players, draw huge attendances and are watched on TV by many who wouldn’t call themselves fans of the sport.

“But that’s where the similarities end. In one competition, the players are all paid professionals, earning hefty six-figure salaries. In the other, they’re grudgingly given 70 cent a mile. All the rugby matches are free to air across RTÉ and Virgin. Not the case in hurling.

“Despite the overwhelming opposition from the hurling public and politicians, it remains full steam ahead for GAAGO. All reasonable arguments about its negative impact on the sport’s promotion have been ignored.

“Not showing last year’s Munster championship matches between Limerick and Clare and Tipp and Cork is unforgivable. Yet they’re going to do it again. Granted, the TV slots are not available on one station, but there’s capacity to cover more matches between TG4, RTÉ and Virgin.”

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