To say that democracy is "dead" within the GAA is over egging the pudding quite a bit.

Truth be told, the GAA, for all it's faults, is about as openly democratic an organisation as you will get.

Granted, it's not perfect, what is nowadays, but lets not get carried away here.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 12/02/2015 12:42:57    1692844

JimTheLegend
jimbodub has hit the nail on the head, the SKY deal was sold as being for good for the GAA as more people abroad could see the games. What about people in Ireland who do not have Sky? Surely if they were only concerned with the market abraod, then why award Sky exlusive rights to the games they are showing. Sky could show the games abroad, RTE or TV3 could show the same games in Ireland.

RTE showed the same number of games last year as the year before...

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/02/2015 12:44:05    1692845

Clare Chairman stated that people shouldnt be charge to watch championship games.
At least we can remove the turnstiles if we all get to go for free.
The GAA has a long tradition of charging to see games. Should not make a difference whether on TV or not. If Clare want games on Free to air tv then should lobby minister for communications to give the money to RTE to make a proper tender for the entire rights package.

jpcampion (Laois) - Posts: 194 - 12/02/2015 12:47:48    1692846

How many did TV3 show themaster?

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20601 - 12/02/2015 12:48:13    1692847

TV3 isn't available in some places in Ireland jimbo, so for many people, exactly the same number as the previous year...

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/02/2015 12:56:16    1692849

"I don't think anybody should have to pay to see our Championship games. I don't think that's what our Association is about. It's an amateur organisation with an amateur ethos.

For a start I tend to cringe when I see the term 'ethos' used in relation to Gaa, to me it stinks of 'we don't to change or try anything new ever'. But anyway that aside there's a problem with what Michael McDonagh is saying, he reckons nobody should have to pay to see our Championship games because of the amateur ethos......well we do pay, we pay all the time.

If he truly believes or even understands what he's saying then why do we pay into championship games? why do we pay into club games? if you choose to stay at home and watch the games on RTE or TV3 then you have to pay the TV license, also your tv uses up electricity so that's more money gone, so what the hell is free in this world anyway? it's all a myth!!!

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 12/02/2015 13:07:27    1692854

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 12614

1692849
TV3 isn't available in some places in Ireland jimbo, so for many people, exactly the same number as the previous year...

________

TV3 is available on saorview making it available across the country

Up to 95% coverage themaster - some black spots alright but very few now

So this "many people" thing... doesn't cut the mustard

Fact is..less games are now available for Irish people to watch - less GAA games appeared on Irish terrestrial television last year

You cant argue against that... but you'll probably try alright... there's no hope for some

The whole basis was to expand the sport, with more Irish people gaining access to the games

It's done the exact opposite. Less game are available now on Terrestrial television - Less Irish people are now watching the sport

Listen look at the viewing figure on TV3 compared to Sky....

It was a massive ratings earner for TV3... Sky simply outbid them... money... that's all it was about for the GAA

Sky wanted a way to plug their summer subscription drop off... and they paid for it.

The GAA just got a higher offer from Sky... TV3 wanted it... to broadcast it for free but they couldn't match Sky

All the rest is spin and propaganda hiding the real truth of it.

And now Fox media own the rights to something that used to be broadcast for free on TV3 to hundreds of Thousands of Irish people

But hey that's business...

But please... the neck of the GAA trying to sell it as some sort of long term benefit is completely disingenuous on their part.

Sky threat it as nothing special... it sadly used to be.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20601 - 12/02/2015 13:15:20    1692863

StirringIt
Combining the two leagues in Cavan would be the obvious thing to do. The County board after allowing the delegates a vote and then over ruling the decision shows the lack of respect that the have for the clubs wishes.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2991 - 12/02/2015 13:40:11    1692876

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 12614

Why would sky show games for free? If the gaa told you to work for free would you do it?

But its OK for players to play for free? If you have Pay-for-view as sure as night follows day you ultimately will have pay-for-play, fair is fair.

The point is not the deal, no point going over that nonsense again and again, its the lack of discussion and accountablility within the GAA to this and everything else. They screwed up Garth Brookes concerts with massive loss of revenues, hacked off the local communities, they are not answerable on foot of this to anyone but their own over-paid selves. But this all seems OK with most of you, until its a matter close to your own heart.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4898 - 12/02/2015 14:28:12    1692909

in what way did sky outbid tv3?...please deal in facts now..not hyperbole...the money with tv3 and sky was very similar...this thread is a waste of time overall as its quite similar to all the hysteria that went on last year and lots of people pretending to be poor mouths when they probably watch premier league soccer every week

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 12/02/2015 15:02:46    1692927

Up to 95% coverage themaster - some black spots alright but very few now

Completely inaccurate. People in the north don't get it and the ones that do, only manage to get it from overspill of the signal.

It isn't as if subscribing for sky sports for the couple of months to watch the gaa would kill you anyway. Stay in a few weekends, don't buy the latest Liverpool jersey, or maybe get rid of the internet for a while :/


Arock, pay for play is totally unrelated. People are asking a business to cover their product, but then asking not to charge. If you get a taxi home from town over the weekend, ask him not to charge once you get there and tell us how you get on... Sky aren't a part of the gaa, they are offering a service to the gaa, therefore the amateur ethos the gaa has within it's own halls is of no concern to sky. It is like asking the guy selling food at the game not to charge, the lad selling hats scarves and headbands not to charge, or hawkeye, etc etc, or in other words, complete nonsense.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/02/2015 16:00:44    1692966

abio8
County: USA
Posts: 1344

1692927
in what way did sky outbid tv3?...please deal in facts now..not hyperbole...



It's not hyperbole Fabio

It's the truth.

I know that sounds like hyperbole but it's not...

Deal with the facts.. that's exactly what I'm doing...

Sky outbid TV3... TV3 did put in a very handsome offer

Because with the Soccer World Cup over on RTE that year... it was most important that they retained the GAA rights

Which they couldn't do - which resulted in them losing massive share over that time.

Sky offered more - the GAA went with Sky

Although that will prove to be very useful for TV3 in 2015... TV Land works like that

Because they have secured the Rugby WC rights.. watch their share this summer - because of the negative impact on ratings that they experienced last year - it will make their gain even more impressive with exclusive rights to the rugby.

It's not hyperbole man... wish I could go into detail but I cant

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20601 - 12/02/2015 16:03:47    1692968

JimTheLegend
County: Donegal
Posts: 35

1692831
jimbodub has hit the nail on the head, the SKY deal was sold as being for good for the GAA as more people abroad could see the games. What about people in Ireland who do not have Sky? Surely if they were only concerned with the market abraod, then why award Sky exlusive rights to the games they are showing. Sky could show the games abroad, RTE or TV3 could show the same games in Ireland.

It's a Trojan horse, in a few years a lot more games will be pay per view, at least from the provincial finals on. It doesn't matter too much to me as I am abroad and have GAAgo, but those at home should be concerned about it.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 12/02/2015 16:11:36    1692973

Motion 6 (Clare): To increase the diameter size of the sliotar to 85-88mm (from 69-72mm) and the mass to 150-160mm (from 110-120mm), thereby reducing the likely travel distance.
heres alink to the rest of the proposals

@hillno1man.

Whilst the Clare motion is worded badly I think they've a point in relation to the modern sliothar travelling too far and its impact on the game. There are lads flicking the new ball over the bar from 80 metres out at their leisure. IMO it takes away from the game a bit and the 2020 committee or whatever they're called should have set out to come up with a new substance inside the same size ball to reduce its travel distance. You do not need to make the ball bigger or heavier, just change the core materials.

I bet none of the current batch of hurlers for all their core work and what not could put an old cork core wrapped in cotton thread over from 80 metres!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 12/02/2015 16:48:34    1692997

Gleebo
It's a Trojan horse, in a few years a lot more games will be pay per view, at least from the provincial finals on. It doesn't matter too much to me as I am abroad and have GAAgo, but those at home should be concerned about it.

Sorry but that is just complete scaremongering. If they make more games pay per view then people don't pay, they lose money and in future they don't continue the pay per view system. It is really that straightforward. Sky were trying to do this with boxing for a while, putting it on their box office channels, but people just weren't buying it. Now most of their boxing is back on sky sports as part of the normal subscription and is proving popular again. The viewers have the power, not rte.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/02/2015 17:19:16    1693023

Exactly right bricktop. That is a great suggestion from Clare. The distance the ball is travelling is making it all about striking and taking the bit of intelligence out of the game

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 12/02/2015 17:21:35    1693025

TheMaster
County: Mayo
Posts: 12642

1693023
Gleebo
It's a Trojan horse, in a few years a lot more games will be pay per view, at least from the provincial finals on. It doesn't matter too much to me as I am abroad and have GAAgo, but those at home should be concerned about it.

Sorry but that is just complete scaremongering. If they make more games pay per view then people don't pay, they lose money and in future they don't continue the pay per view system. It is really that straightforward. Sky were trying to do this with boxing for a while, putting it on their box office channels, but people just weren't buying it. Now most of their boxing is back on sky sports as part of the normal subscription and is proving popular again. The viewers have the power, not rte.


What makes you think that, exactly? There has been a steady commercialisation of gaelic games for the last 25 years or so, from sponsorship of jerseys to elite player grants to hikes in ticket prices to pay-per-view matches on TV, and nothing has really diluted the attitude of the GAA public to stump up cash (other than the recession, but that's beyond the scope of the GAA's powers). Unless you are Mystic Meg's lost twin, neither you nor I can predict with certainty what will happen if a greater number of pay-per-view matches came in.

Sky have already nabbed two exclusive All-Ireland quarter-finals in football. If they wanted to offer Croke Park more money for all four, do you honestly think that Headquarters would refuse them?

For your boxing analogy, I can cite lots of sports, such as Premier League soccer, cricket, MMA, wrestling etc. which have thrived in terms of viewership under PPV. I don't want that for gaelic games, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 13/02/2015 16:37:40    1693325

so if its not hyperbole then jimbo please explain with facts how sky outbid tv3?

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 13/02/2015 17:51:44    1693349

sounds a lot like scaremongering...certain games would have to be free to air...can you explain your theory or is it just hypothetical?

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 13/02/2015 17:57:55    1693351

sounds a lot like scaremongering...certain games would have to be free to air...can you explain your theory or is it just hypothetical?

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 13/02/2015 17:57:57    1693352