Sky's exclusive matches

Provincial Championship Games

June 7 - Kilkenny v Offaly LSHC

June 14 - Dublin v Wexford LSHC

June 21 - Sligo v Galway/London CSFC

June 28 - Armagh/Cavan v Down/Tyrone/Monaghan (USFC)

Qualifiers

July 5 - Game D qualifiers

July 12 - Game F Qualifiers

July 19 - Games I and J

July 26 - Games G and H

August 2 - Games K and L

All-Ireland Series

August 9 - 2 x Football Quarter-Finals


anybody notice they already disrespecting weaker sides as dublin dont automaticaly meet wexford in that match
wexford have a quarter final against the round robbin winners

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2014 12:25:03    1569162

MuckrossHead
County: Donegal
Posts: 2284

1569158
This will also force the GAA to up it's game as to presentation of grounds.

If Sky are coming calling do we want the world to see the dilapidated state some of our grounds are in?

Do we want some of the shambolic situations with incompetent umpires being aired?

Do we want Sky airing games where the ground in only half full?

A lot to ponder on.


there will be grounds with only a quarter full now!
as if sky are as brilliant as everybody reckons they will make it more attractive to stay at home and watch wont they

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2014 12:26:25    1569163

Htaem
County: Meath
Posts: 5028

Ps, why do we fear professionalism anyway? It's almost used as a dirty word on this forum, well I tell you what, I don't work for free, do you?

I think people fear professionalism in the GAA because, like you said, it can't work within the current structures. Professionalism in the GAA would mean an end to the inter-county championships. That's what people don't like about talk about professionalism and I think that's probably fair enough.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 02/04/2014 12:34:23    1569171

htaem

simply because the GAA is the most exicting games in the world for the main reason it doesnt revolve around money
like every other sport

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2014 12:40:03    1569176

I have mixed views on the Sky contract! I do subscribe to it or any other paid channel and do not intend to do so. My main sports interests in terms of tv viewing are gaelic games, rugby union and athletics. I have zero interest in Premier soccer etc.

What annoys me most is the GAA H/Q's dismissal[as per last night's 'Prime Time' Show] of the concerns of people who for whatever reason do not have access to Sky. The same attitude was displayed when [along with the FAI and IRFU] it dismissed the viewpoint that there might me any link between the acceptance / promotion of drinks industry sponsorhip and our issues with alcohol in our country.

It is good that our games can reach a wider audience and be further promoted. However, I sometimes fear that GAA H/Q might equate money with mammon, to the detriment of its players, supporters and grass-root communities. I hope it isn't the thin edge of the wedge whereby mammon replaces people!

Incidentally can anyone clarify if the 9 games exclusive to Sky might at least be shown on RTE as deferred highlights?

RTE,TG4 and BBC all contribute significantly in their coverage of our games. I would, however, welcome the option of English subtitles in the context of TG4.

drumlingael (Monaghan) - Posts: 40 - 02/04/2014 12:40:37    1569179

MesAmis

I think people fear professionalism in the GAA because, like you said, it can't work within the current structures. Professionalism in the GAA would mean an end to the inter-county championships. That's what people don't like about talk about professionalism and I think that's probably fair enough.

Listen I understand people's concerns when I think they're genuine but honestly MesAmis, what are the the odds of the Gaa going full time pro anytime soon, I just can't see it happening. Sky does open the door for a far higher level of exposure and hence advertising but we haven't seen anything in action yet so we have no idea how this venture is going go, I'd ask people just relax and see how things go, that's all.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/04/2014 12:41:45    1569184

hill16no1man
County: Dublin
Posts: 7226

1569162


Sky's exclusive matches

Provincial Championship Games

June 7 - Kilkenny v Offaly LSHC

June 14 - Dublin v Wexford LSHC

June 21 - Sligo v Galway/London CSFC

June 28 - Armagh/Cavan v Down/Tyrone/Monaghan (USFC)

Qualifiers

July 5 - Game D qualifiers

July 12 - Game F Qualifiers

July 19 - Games I and J

July 26 - Games G and H

August 2 - Games K and L

All-Ireland Series

August 9 - 2 x Football Quarter-Finals

Hill
If you're right there is no game from the Munster football championship, Munster hurling championship or Leinster football championship. There is one game from the Ulster football championship & one game from the Connacht football championship.

In football there is no sign of Dublin, Kerry, Cork, Mayo, Donegal or Derry

Truly the end of life as we know it.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/04/2014 12:46:16    1569192

hill16no1man

simply because the GAA is the most exicting games in the world for the main reason it doesnt revolve around money
like every other sport

I agree that our games are the most exciting in the world, but that's my subjective view, objectively I still think they are some of the best in the world and yes playing with that level of passion and pride for nothing is very admirable. But nevermind the issue of professionalism because I can't really see it happening and therefore I'm not too interested in debating it to be honest. I'm just curious about something you said in a previous post:

we have something uniquely irish that we are proud of here in this country and enjoy
why he need to have to have other countries take notice

Well I mean if we have something that is so great (and we both agree on that), then why the hell not try to share it with others outside our country?

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/04/2014 12:48:53    1569195

muckross

I am right as its announced.
no but they are probably banking on dublin winning leinster football championship as it would mean they would get
the all ireland football quarter final live on a saturday night if we do

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2014 12:51:50    1569198

Well folks that's that

We now have to sit back and see how Sky applies their considerable experience to our games

But I wouldn't hold my breath about Sky growing our games

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 02/04/2014 12:54:27    1569199

Htaem
County: Meath
Posts: 5030

Well I mean if we have something that is so great (and we both agree on that), then why the hell not try to share it with others outside our country?

why not enjoy it for what it is and something that is ours
I mean we all think our wives are great but do you feel the need to share them with other men?
im not suggesting nobody can watch our games far from it but when you look at this tv rights
The most striking aspect of the international coverage is the terrestrial broadcast of all championship matches in Australia on Channel 7. This creates the slightly unusual situation that audiences in Australia will have access to all matches on free-to-air while domestic audiences in Ireland can view only 31.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2014 12:57:15    1569202

jimbodub
County: Dublin
Posts: 12152

1569199
Well folks that's that

We now have to sit back and see how Sky applies their considerable experience to our games

But I wouldn't hold my breath about Sky growing our games

It's not up to Sky to grow our games Jimbo, all they will do is present the product that is handed to them by the GAA. Sky are like a big shop window, if the product in the window is good it will sell, if it isn't it won't.

Now we will truly find out if the games we regard as the best in the world will be seen by others the same way.

The London manager was on radio this morning & he reckons it will do great things for them.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/04/2014 13:01:15    1569205

Htaem
County: Meath
Posts: 5030

Listen I understand people's concerns when I think they're genuine but honestly MesAmis, what are the the odds of the Gaa going full time pro anytime soon, I just can't see it happening. Sky does open the door for a far higher level of exposure and hence advertising but we haven't seen anything in action yet so we have no idea how this venture is going go, I'd ask people just relax and see how things go, that's all.

My point was in answer to your point about people's fear of professionalism.

It is unrelated to Sky Sports buying the rights.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13710 - 02/04/2014 13:07:00    1569209

I was just thinking. I have traveled to matches all over this country over the past fifty years. Over the past few years, and this includes last Sunday in Limerick, I have noticed that a considerable proportion of those attending ordinary League and Club games are either middle aged or over. Now I feel the latest deal with Sky is a done deal so there is nothing we can do to reverse it. However in three years time if the GAA look at attendances and see they are unaffected by their deal with Sky they will promptly give away the rights for all the games, if the price is right.I firmly believe us middle folk and older who in the coming decades will be reaching a stage where we will probably be unable to attend games on our steam should take the following action. (1)Boycott all Under 21, Minor, Intermediate, College and Club games. (2)Pressurise all local Co Board officials to use their influence to maintain the status co in three years time. (3)If the above two courses seem to be making no progress withhold the yearly subscription to Co Board draws.
In the past it has been shown that grey power can be a fairly effective weapon so lets crank it up again here otherwise we will be paying over 1,000 euro a year just for the privilege of watching games we supported in every way good during our more active days, when we are older.

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 02/04/2014 13:07:36    1569211

hill16no1man

why not enjoy it for what it is and something that is ours
I mean we all think our wives are great but do you feel the need to share them with other men?

Haha, I don't think we're talking about the same thing here, you seem to have an extremely possessive attitude towards our sports hill, we're talking about sharing our sports not our spouses!!!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/04/2014 13:11:22    1569214

Htaem,
You say the GAA cant go pro or semi pro - the other 2 organisations are semi or professional on this island(FAI & IRFU). The FAI leagues have a fraction of the interest the GAA has yet they pay players who have freedom of movement between clubs for contracts.
It will happen -and the championships will have to change to reflect this reality - look at Wales in Rugby -the Clubs were marginalized and regionalised rugby was brought into the welsh public same as in Scotland when they went pro- net results of this will be amalgamations of ~Teams ie you will have midlands team based on Offaly/Laois/Carlow etc who will contract players from any county as they see fit.
We were fed this bullshit Excuse when got the leagues -Never happen in championship only a few league games whats your problem.
Now it is the championship but sure its only 14 games what are you winging about -well the next step is its 26 games etc etc. till all that will be left free to air is the finals
if thats what we want in 10-15 years time fine but let it be decided at congress not by the money men in croke park

TrueGrit (Dublin) - Posts: 42 - 02/04/2014 13:14:53    1569217

hill16no1man
County: Dublin
Posts: 7231

I mean we all think our wives are great but do you feel the need to share them with other men?

Good man hill!!!!

Mind you, you might be on to something there.

Sky would really be interested in something along those lines, a bit like Game of Thrones!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 02/04/2014 13:16:12    1569218

Relax the kacks, everytime Rupert Murdoch has got his greasy hands on a sport, the death of the sport was cited by a lot of people. Now since then Heineken cup has prospered in to something a lot irish people think predates the FA Cup but this was down to SKY making it sound like the must win competition that the Irish provinces bought into, the French and the English compete and the Welsh, Scots and Italians don't seem that bothered. Darts and the Premier League were all suppose to be finished also when they got the rights there. But no, one sport that has avoided Sky which is snooker and really it's popularity has fallen greatly. I think this could be the age where clubs turn this to their advantage, citing people not being able to afford the SKY fee and setting up good clubhouses with good TVs showing the games free of charge every Sunday it is on SKY, time the clubs gave a little bit back to the lotto ticket buyers and the fans who attend every club game. Just saying. Turn this into a positive and we have to move on. Most of us grew up in an era where there was only 6 to 8 live games a year on TV so we are still being spoiled.

bananapublican (Leitrim) - Posts: 878 - 02/04/2014 13:18:53    1569220

MesAmis

My point was in answer to your point about people's fear of professionalism.

Ok fair enough MesAmis, here was your post:

I think people fear professionalism in the GAA because, like you said, it can't work within the current structures. Professionalism in the GAA would mean an end to the inter-county championships. That's what people don't like about talk about professionalism and I think that's probably fair enough.

Now I don't recall saying that professionalism wouldn't work in the current structures not exactly anyway, I think theoretically you wouldn't have to change much, I say this because I would be pretty confident that we're not going to see professionalism anyway.

But let's say professionalism does come in, you wouldn't necessarily have to change much. You could leave the championships as they are, you could put a ban on transfers to insure that players still play for their own counties and you could bring in an equal wage budget for all teams so there wouldn't even be an incentive for players to seek transfers anyway.

Ps, for my money by the time professionalism is even possible the championship structures will probably already be long since changed. We've already had all sorts of suggestions on this forum about how best to even out the championships so I don't think professionalism can be blamed for that.

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 02/04/2014 13:28:18    1569232

Sky are merely dipping their toe in, they will asses the profitability of the deal in due time. They will also be closely monitoring many factors to gauge whether the sport is capable of growing.

Irish people are exactly the type of market Sky have sold their Soccer broadcast to, some posters fail to realise the negative role Sky have had in shaping English football because they were precisely the market Sky were catering to, the armchair supporter born and raised in Ireland.

Regarding helping the diaspora, that's nonsense, ask any member of the Irish community how important attending the local Irish bar or club is to maintaining the community. The sight of 60 year old's in suits standing for the anthem amongst young second generation lads togged out in O'neills gear is a wonderful memory. The diaspora need not be catered for by Sky but by their community. If the diaspora were important to Ireland the government would have enabled them to view Irish television, they haven't.

The posters who praise the role Sky have had in Darts and Rugby League seem not to grasp that we have 60 or so county teams, that number is too big for Sky to manage. Rugby has 14 and the Darts league has ten, much easier to streamline, promote and structure.

There is no way Sky are here just to gain a few hundred thousand extra viewers, no chance. They are here for the long run.

Fiveways (Mayo) - Posts: 19 - 02/04/2014 13:28:57    1569233