National Forum

You See, Its Not Just GAA Go That's The Problem

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To Onfor15:  "First of all if he 'couldn't be bothered' then he is part of the problem he has created for himself.

There are far more free to air games than there were 10 years ago across a wide variety of grades and ages via RTE and TG4.

Charging for extra ones is perfectly reasonable. There is no other sport that I can think of where I don't have to pay to watch. Sometimes its via a skysports subscription, sometimes its via a BT Sport subscription and sometimes its through a GAAGO subscription which allows me to watch almost 38 games for around €2 per game.

If he and his son were to go to the Tipperary v Cork game, it would have cost them at least €30 in tickets (I'm assuming he's an OAP), €20/30 in travel and whatever else in food. They could buy the entire GAAGO package for the cost of that one day out, or they could pay €12 to watch it as a single game and sit down together to watch it.

It is very easy to find problems for every solution and this GAAGO row is the perfect example of the type of irrational knee-jerk reactions we often see when people's sense of entitlement runs amuck.

As for the Tanaiste wanting every game live on TV. Either thats an example of an idiot, or just a politician looking for an easy way to be in the news. Or maybe both. It is an impossible suggestion. This coming Saturday there are 14 intercounty senior matches, plus the under 20 football final, on Sunday there 9 intercounty senior games. And that's just in the men's side of things. I assume our esteemed Tanaiste wouldn't want the women left out of his 'free for all plan'. THis weekend both the Leinster and Munster Camogie finals are on, while there is provincial championship action in Ladies football also.

So I would love to hear from Mr Martin, how he would propose to show all 26+ intercounty games this weekend live on TV? Answers on a postcard"
Its not possible to show all games free to air.

The issue is whats best for the GAA organisation as a whole.

Scenario 1 is extra games behind a paywall with the company involved paying the GAA a premium for those extra games, the GAA filtering down that premium to the benefit of the organisation.

Scenario 2 is extra games behind a paywall where the GAA has to spend a fortune to begin with to show those games before they even begin to get some money back in to the organisation.

And the other thing no one is talking about is the fact that i know of loads of people simply buying the dodgy box for nothing other than the GAA GO games so no money back to the organisation, suppliers of dodgy boxes/sticks have never been busier!

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1484 - 11/05/2023 15:23:04    2477656

Link

Replying To Eddie the Exile:  "The worst thing possible for hurling is to have more games on TV. It would shatter the myth that all games in the code are high quality and keenly contested. Its precisely because only a select few games among 9 counties make it on to TV that the mystique exists.
Laois v Westmeath in Cusack Park anyone?!
Don't ruin a good thing!"
Laois and Westmeath would serve up a cracking game of hurling. And always do at every level.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 15530 - 11/05/2023 15:49:07    2477664

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Nobody is wanting or expecting every game free to air.
Many people much rather go to a game.
But, GAA Go was initially brought in to help overseas viewers and that was a great idea.
What it should never be brought in to do was put domestic people, who are the lifeblood of the organisation and who are the ticket buyers and sellers at club and county level, as well as the work horses of the organisation, in a situation where they need to come up with even more money for these games.
If it wasn't all about money, why don't RTE stream the games on YouTube like TG4 did with the Dublin v Offaly u20 match last night? They had 1-2 cameras and we don't need expensive half time cliches/analysis to add to the production costs if its a cost issue."
Where is the cost of cameras, analysts and commentators going to come from if its free? You also get the added benefit of rewatching all games as much as you want which I've done as I could only catch bits of the matches last weekend when they were live

This is being completely blown out of proportion in my opinion. I've seen many suggest that the two football finals last weekend should have been on GAA GO instead of the hurling.

I've yet to see any sensible solution to a very small problem

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 11/05/2023 16:04:16    2477669

Link

Replying To Eddie the Exile:  "The worst thing possible for hurling is to have more games on TV. It would shatter the myth that all games in the code are high quality and keenly contested. Its precisely because only a select few games among 9 counties make it on to TV that the mystique exists.
Laois v Westmeath in Cusack Park anyone?!
Don't ruin a good thing!"
At least you are open sbout your bias and distaste for hurling.

Very few if any neutral hurling fans would have an interest in watching Laois vs Westmeath as you know well.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 2011 - 11/05/2023 16:14:11    2477677

Link

Replying To tiobraid:  "Where is the cost of cameras, analysts and commentators going to come from if its free? You also get the added benefit of rewatching all games as much as you want which I've done as I could only catch bits of the matches last weekend when they were live

This is being completely blown out of proportion in my opinion. I've seen many suggest that the two football finals last weekend should have been on GAA GO instead of the hurling.

I've yet to see any sensible solution to a very small problem"
Cameras are there already tiobraid.
I watched a match between Dublin and Offaly and another on TG4 between Wexford and Kilkenny. There was maybe 2-3 cameras at each, and 1 commentator. Hardly costs a fortune and all anybody wants.
There would be nothing to stop RTE creating a YouTube channel and streaming matches similar to what TG4 do presently.
Nobody is calling for every match to be free to air, but the very biggest games should be so and if the Munster football final is collateral damage, does it matter?

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1329 - 11/05/2023 16:59:09    2477702

Link

RTÉ has a news channel that was used to show matches during COVID and the last group matches in soccer World Cup,this would give people a choice of games to watch..I know all matches can't be shown..the football fraternity will be giving out in next 2 weeks..this argument is going to rumble on for a while yet..look at football fixtures this weekend,Cavan/Laois probably the pick but it's on Gaa go,I wouldn't mind watching Limerick/Longford or Wicklow/Carlow but don't see them down for broadcast..again I ask if Gaa go have a match at 7,can any other match be shown earlier or is Saturday solely for Gaa go..??

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2500 - 11/05/2023 17:58:00    2477713

Link

Replying To downtheroad:  "I haven't signed up for GAA Go as there is enough matches on TV and I prefer going to games in any case. € 75 per annum is good value the current debate is a microcosm of how the GAA is viewed by a lot of its own supporters. It is an organisation where a significant cohort don't want to pay membership or pay going into a match. The argument is nearly almost around a few hard cases. I know plenty of eighty somethings who have no problem with paying and have embraced the technology.

The impression I get is that some people would be happier if they were no matches on TV rather than allow people to pay for them."
Hear hear, well said.

Just how old are these older generations? I'm pushing 60 and I've been using e-mail since 1994 and mobiles since 1998. My cousin is in her late 80s and does regular Zoom calls to her grandkids in the States. At some point, people have to stop crying and making excuses. Poverty is a different issue, but let's stop pretending that so-called "modern" technology is "difficult", or even "modern". Something that has been in widespread use for getting on for a quarter of a century is not "modern". The real issue is people can't be bothered and are happier whinging.

I remember being in Hampstead Heath in London decades ago, trying desperately to follow a match through a fuzzy, crackly radio broadcast. You'd hear a roar, and knew something had happened, but you mightn't even know which team had scored; v bad for the heart lol. Once, I climbed up a tree to see if that would help (it didn't).

My Dad played for the county, and recalled cycling to Clones, playing a match, and cycling home again. They all did; nobody thought twice about doing so. In the past, lots of older people had no cars and could not easily travel to matches outside a cycling radius. And now that we can see all sorts of games on a screen (not just AI finals), people are still finding something to complain about. Being at matches is great, so is Tyrone and other county TV, and so is GAA GO. As a fan, I've never had it so good.

points50swiththeargyllsonthewrongfeet (Tyrone) - Posts: 290 - 11/05/2023 20:11:48    2477735

Link

ex-pats need access to Gaelic games and GAAGO provides a great service. Irish living overseas are denied access to free RTE matches on the website, player, whatever. But look, that's ok. GAAGO is very affordable. A lad could skip a night out to pay subscription. I have tons of friends/relatives in USA that love it. The GAA podcasts are free at least, for now.
O.A.P.'s in Ireland should get a subsidised GAAGO subscription.

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1226 - 11/05/2023 20:40:24    2477740

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Cameras are there already tiobraid.
I watched a match between Dublin and Offaly and another on TG4 between Wexford and Kilkenny. There was maybe 2-3 cameras at each, and 1 commentator. Hardly costs a fortune and all anybody wants.
There would be nothing to stop RTE creating a YouTube channel and streaming matches similar to what TG4 do presently.
Nobody is calling for every match to be free to air, but the very biggest games should be so and if the Munster football final is collateral damage, does it matter?"
Cameras are left their full time for anyone to use? Are you sure about that?

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 12/05/2023 09:05:00    2477765

Link

Replying To CTGAA10:  "RTÉ has a news channel that was used to show matches during COVID and the last group matches in soccer World Cup,this would give people a choice of games to watch..I know all matches can't be shown..the football fraternity will be giving out in next 2 weeks..this argument is going to rumble on for a while yet..look at football fixtures this weekend,Cavan/Laois probably the pick but it's on Gaa go,I wouldn't mind watching Limerick/Longford or Wicklow/Carlow but don't see them down for broadcast..again I ask if Gaa go have a match at 7,can any other match be shown earlier or is Saturday solely for Gaa go..??"
And what is preventing RTE from showing deferred games? Last Saturday night there was no highlights programme so RTE could have shown Cork v Tipperary deferred. The same the previous week for Limerick v Clare. TG4 show plenty of deferred games and RTE have done so as well in the past.

KnockaineyAbú (Limerick) - Posts: 96 - 13/05/2023 12:00:21    2478030

Link

Replying To tiobraid:  "Cameras are left their full time for anyone to use? Are you sure about that?"
No what I mean is they are at these grounds anyway recording the match for The Sunday Game, etc.
I am sure they are not just left there all week.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1329 - 18/05/2023 16:25:08    2479464

Link

Replying To ExiledInWex:  "No what I mean is they are at these grounds anyway recording the match for The Sunday Game, etc.
I am sure they are not just left there all week."
It's not just about having cameras at a match. Broadcasting or streaming live still involves a lot more than just having a camera or two there to record footage that will be edited into highlights afterwards.

For a live stream or broadcast, you also need a director (if there are two or more cameras involved), at least one commentator, somebody to add the real-time graphics to the transmission, and a general "runner". Those are significant extra demands in terms of both cost and personnel.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2837 - 18/05/2023 23:21:45    2479545

Link