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Sky Sports To Stop Showing GAA

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Whatever about Sky , I think that the broadcasters are missing an opportunity on the club season. The game coverage is decent but there should be a marquee programme like the Sunday game on Sunday night to analyse the top games. Some serious games over the next month or so and a real opportunity. Also if the Sunday game pundits got to make a few pounds out of the club game they might stop whinging about the split season. anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 840 - 25/10/2022 14:51:44 2445393 Link
https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/1025/1331313-rte-announces-expanded-gaa-rights-deal/ Fionn (Dublin) - Posts: 3733 - 25/10/2022 15:34:48 2445403 Link
Replying To anotheralias: "Whatever about Sky , I think that the broadcasters are missing an opportunity on the club season. The game coverage is decent but there should be a marquee programme like the Sunday game on Sunday night to analyse the top games. Some serious games over the next month or so and a real opportunity. Also if the Sunday game pundits got to make a few pounds out of the club game they might stop whinging about the split season." I think your last sentence there is absolutely bang on the money. Has been very noticeable to me all along that by far the loudest opponents of the split season are certain pundits, other elements of the media, and "big day" bandwagon-type supporters who'll go to see their county team in the height of summer, but are unlikely to be seen at a club match or anywhere else at the grassroots of the game. I've hardly heard a single player or genuine club person complain about it at all. But back to the point, and yes, a "Sunday Game" type of programme for club matches at this time of year would be great, even if just using footage from whatever matches TG4 had shown live earlier in the day. Might make some of those pundits a little bit happier too! Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 25/10/2022 15:53:03 2445406 Link
Replying To anotheralias: "Whatever about Sky , I think that the broadcasters are missing an opportunity on the club season. The game coverage is decent but there should be a marquee programme like the Sunday game on Sunday night to analyse the top games. Some serious games over the next month or so and a real opportunity. Also if the Sunday game pundits got to make a few pounds out of the club game they might stop whinging about the split season." Club games are much harder to analyse and there would be some whinging on here about the quality of the analysis of club games. Pundits will struggle to know all the teams in the larger counties. No matter how involved you are in club GAA you wont know all the players well unless you're a rival club. We all know how much people whinge about RTE as it is... From the club games televised on RTE and TG4 you can already see their knowledge is limited. I'm not a flunet Irish speaker but you could see Wall and Fluery were really struggling for conversation for the Tipp county final and Gooch and Darren O'S looked equally uncomfortable a week or two before and they are both from Kerry. Although I would love to see what you suggest happening, I think the level of whingeing would go through the roof! tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 25/10/2022 15:57:30 2445408 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "I think your last sentence there is absolutely bang on the money. Has been very noticeable to me all along that by far the loudest opponents of the split season are certain pundits, other elements of the media, and "big day" bandwagon-type supporters who'll go to see their county team in the height of summer, but are unlikely to be seen at a club match or anywhere else at the grassroots of the game. I've hardly heard a single player or genuine club person complain about it at all. But back to the point, and yes, a "Sunday Game" type of programme for club matches at this time of year would be great, even if just using footage from whatever matches TG4 had shown live earlier in the day. Might make some of those pundits a little bit happier too!" Only most of those *holes wouldn't know who the clubs involved were, never mind the players! Viking66 (Wexford)** - Posts: 11879 - 25/10/2022 15:58:45 2445409 Link
Replying To tiobraid: "Club games are much harder to analyse and there would be some whinging on here about the quality of the analysis of club games. Pundits will struggle to know all the teams in the larger counties. No matter how involved you are in club GAA you wont know all the players well unless you're a rival club. We all know how much people whinge about RTE as it is... From the club games televised on RTE and TG4 you can already see their knowledge is limited. I'm not a flunet Irish speaker but you could see Wall and Fluery were really struggling for conversation for the Tipp county final and Gooch and Darren O'S looked equally uncomfortable a week or two before and they are both from Kerry. Although I would love to see what you suggest happening, I think the level of whingeing would go through the roof!" I see your point to an extent . But these lads are well paid so surely a little bit of extra work with some research wouldn't go amiss. Most games at this stage have a handful of county players that everyone ( even these "experts") recognise. And a 20 minute conversation with a local expert would fill in any gaps they would need. If these guys aren't knowledgable enough to comment about , or to analyse, club games then they shouldn't be anywhere close to the job for inter county gigs. anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 840 - 25/10/2022 16:13:14 2445413 Link
Replying To Fionn: "https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2022/1025/1331313-rte-announces-expanded-gaa-rights-deal/" . . . so effectively Sky Sports being replaced by GAA Go - not quite a return to terrestrial TV! The GAA Go annual pass is €120 - great value in some senses but not for casual observers. brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 285 - 25/10/2022 16:22:40 2445414 Link
Replying To Pikeman96: "I think your last sentence there is absolutely bang on the money. Has been very noticeable to me all along that by far the loudest opponents of the split season are certain pundits, other elements of the media, and "big day" bandwagon-type supporters who'll go to see their county team in the height of summer, but are unlikely to be seen at a club match or anywhere else at the grassroots of the game. I've hardly heard a single player or genuine club person complain about it at all. But back to the point, and yes, a "Sunday Game" type of programme for club matches at this time of year would be great, even if just using footage from whatever matches TG4 had shown live earlier in the day. Might make some of those pundits a little bit happier too!" For a national broadcaster who should remain impartial on that type of topic I taught RTE's coverage around the split season was disgraceful. TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1727 - 25/10/2022 16:31:45 2445416 Link
Disappointed to see Sky go, I really liked their coverage but I'm preume a lot will be glad. Disappointed to only see RTE broadcast the championship unless I read it wrong but that's what it seems like DuhallowRed (Cork) - Posts: 268 - 25/10/2022 16:39:35 2445419 Link
Replying To anotheralias: "Whatever about Sky , I think that the broadcasters are missing an opportunity on the club season. The game coverage is decent but there should be a marquee programme like the Sunday game on Sunday night to analyse the top games. Some serious games over the next month or so and a real opportunity. Also if the Sunday game pundits got to make a few pounds out of the club game they might stop whinging about the split season." The pundits get paid an annual fee so the championship season ending earlier or there being more club games matters nothing to them in terms of making a few pound when theyre arguing about the split season. And the fact is the vast majority of those pundits are involved with clubs, very much so, this idea that theyre somehow anti club is moot, they just dont agree with the shortening of the intercounty season. And to be frank the opportunity is there for broadcasters to cover more club games but they dont because the appetite for viewership isnt there, thats just it. The amount of club games being shown at the moment is probably adequate for the interest thats out there, in 2020 there was a programme called "RTE does comic relief" and its a programme ive never heard of, never even knew existed yet it took in on average 2.5 times the viewers that TG4's most watched club game did in the same year. And that was during COVID when ye couldnt even get to a game. If it was a viable commercial opportunity the fact is RTE would be showing more club games than they are. tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1338 - 25/10/2022 16:39:38 2445420 Link
Replying To tearintom: "The pundits get paid an annual fee so the championship season ending earlier or there being more club games matters nothing to them in terms of making a few pound when theyre arguing about the split season. And the fact is the vast majority of those pundits are involved with clubs, very much so, this idea that theyre somehow anti club is moot, they just dont agree with the shortening of the intercounty season. And to be frank the opportunity is there for broadcasters to cover more club games but they dont because the appetite for viewership isnt there, thats just it. The amount of club games being shown at the moment is probably adequate for the interest thats out there, in 2020 there was a programme called "RTE does comic relief" and its a programme ive never heard of, never even knew existed yet it took in on average 2.5 times the viewers that TG4's most watched club game did in the same year. And that was during COVID when ye couldnt even get to a game. If it was a viable commercial opportunity the fact is RTE would be showing more club games than they are." We will have to agree to disagree on this one. I dont believe that all the pundits that we see on the SG are on annual contracts ( maybe some, I'm not sure) . Lowerviewerships on club games is down to the fact that most genuine supporters who might watch them , are actually at other club games at the same time. Everyone would get the chance to watch the Sunday night programme. Also there is a bit of a chicken and egg situation here. People have less interest in the club games because they dont know the players.....why dont they know the players....because the dont get much TV coverage. So if it isn't initially viable , in my opinion, increased coverage would be the catalyst to ultimately making it viable , and the GAA need to engage with the broadcasters to encourage them to make that leap of faith. anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 840 - 25/10/2022 16:56:51 2445422 Link
Replying To Viking66: "Only most of those *holes wouldn't know who the clubs involved were, never mind the players!" Yeah, but back to my other bugbear about how I feel there should be more highlights, and less analysis. Particularly for club matches. Say for example they're showing three matches in an hour-long programme. You mightn't even need analysis. Show 12 to 15 minutes of highlights of each game, and two to three minutes of post-match interviews. Throw in the obligatory ad break or two, and there's your hour of TV. Pikeman96 (Wexford)** - Posts: 2249 - 25/10/2022 16:57:36 2445423 Link
Replying To brianb: ". . . so effectively Sky Sports being replaced by GAA Go - not quite a return to terrestrial TV! The GAA Go annual pass is €120 - great value in some senses but not for casual observers." I'd predict the €120 annual membership is likely to rise significantly if there's a significant number of extra games to be shown there. Might still work out as good value, but stand by for the same type of complaints from people who said the Sky deal was unfair on older people who don't have Sky. They'll say now that it's unfair on older people who don't have the internet. Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 25/10/2022 17:01:01 2445424 Link
Replying To TerribleFootwork: "For a national broadcaster who should remain impartial on that type of topic I taught RTE's coverage around the split season was disgraceful." I don't think RTE Sport are impartial on the matter. They're trying to get as many people as possible watching the games on RTE. The split season means that the earlier games are going up against the final stages of the Premier League, the European Cup, the European Rugby cup etc. The latter stages will regularly be up against the World Cup, the European Championships and the Olympic Games. RTE Sport would prefer for the big GAA games to be outside the window of "prestige" sporting tournaments. No doubt the pundits will have been briefed to highlight this. brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 285 - 25/10/2022 17:11:15 2445426 Link
Replying To brianb: ". . . so effectively Sky Sports being replaced by GAA Go - not quite a return to terrestrial TV! The GAA Go annual pass is €120 - great value in some senses but not for casual observers." €120? I paid €49 for an 'Annual Pass GB' last May. This gives me, I quote: 12 months of access to GAAGO. Every televised game in the 2022 Allianz Leagues. Action from both All-Ireland Championships (excludes 12 months of access to GAAGO. Every televised game in the 2022 Allianz Leagues. Action from both All-Ireland Championships (excludes senior All-Ireland Finals and semi-finals) live and on demand in full HD. Access to the Allianz League Sunday and Sunday Game highlights programmes. Exclusive access to classic games and GAA documentaries on GAAGO TV.) live and on demand in full HD. Access to the Allianz League Sunday and Sunday Game highlights programmes. Exclusive access to classic games and GAA documentaries on GAAGO TV. It doesn't mention club games in the above, but you also get plenty of them. I think the reason the senior All-Ireland Finals and semi-finals were excluded was that Sky had the rights to show those in Britain. How is the Irish pass different? Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 2474 - 25/10/2022 18:56:47 2445431 Link
Replying To tearintom: "The pundits get paid an annual fee so the championship season ending earlier or there being more club games matters nothing to them in terms of making a few pound when theyre arguing about the split season. And the fact is the vast majority of those pundits are involved with clubs, very much so, this idea that theyre somehow anti club is moot, they just dont agree with the shortening of the intercounty season. And to be frank the opportunity is there for broadcasters to cover more club games but they dont because the appetite for viewership isnt there, thats just it. The amount of club games being shown at the moment is probably adequate for the interest thats out there, in 2020 there was a programme called "RTE does comic relief" and its a programme ive never heard of, never even knew existed yet it took in on average 2.5 times the viewers that TG4's most watched club game did in the same year. And that was during COVID when ye couldnt even get to a game. If it was a viable commercial opportunity the fact is RTE would be showing more club games than they are." Just on the 2nd paragraph your right those RTE pundits don't get hit financially as they've annual contracts but their ego takes a hit at not been on the national broadcaster all year round, also a longer intercounty season suits their employers who want to show games on Sunday afternoons in August and Sept rather than repeats of Roger Moore James Bond films. As Pikeman rightly pointed out players love the new schedule and their the most important stakeholder in all of this and people who follow GAA properly and don't just follow the big occasions aren't losing out at all. TerribleFootwork (Wexford) - Posts: 1727 - 25/10/2022 20:19:21 2445444 Link
Replying To Cockney_Cat: "Who are the BBC's hurling pundits?" BBC NI's Mark Sidebottom is a hurling enthusiast and has a senior county club medal with his club in Antrim. 50+, and has moved form the defence into goals and still plays in goals. Like all the Glensmen, cracked about hurling! points50swiththeargyllsonthewrongfeet (Tyrone) - Posts: 240 - 25/10/2022 20:49:59 2445446 Link
Replying To brianb: ". . . so effectively Sky Sports being replaced by GAA Go - not quite a return to terrestrial TV! The GAA Go annual pass is €120 - great value in some senses but not for casual observers." Respectfully disagree with you on that. I'm in the US and from Galway. GAAGO has no Galway club games so there's little of interest to me since the end of the championship. Meanwhile I'm stuck paying for a service I don't use because when you sign on there's a warning that if you cancel your monthly payment, they won't let you sign up again later. Which means this year, with rising inflation, cost of living, etc. etc. I'm paying for a streaming service for nearly half the year that I won't use. Very poor value for money. festinog (Galway) - Posts: 3097 - 25/10/2022 21:32:03 2445449 Link
Replying To Cockney_Cat: "Who are the BBC's hurling pundits?" You seem to have a bee in your bonnet about the lack of exposure/coverage of Ulster hurling. Can I ask why I can't see coverage of the Kilkenny club football championship? Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9136 - 26/10/2022 08:34:21 2445453 Link
Replying To Backheel: "Bbc NI coverage is like hurling coverage can't say a bad word about the games. A bit delusional." Totally as it's actually terrible royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 26/10/2022 08:46:17 2445455 Link