Lads, Considering the huge amount of effort SkySports put in to all sports they show and the amount of advertising they do, I've a simple question, If SkySports covered GAA, Would it make more people sitting at home come out and actually support their county teams and promote the game around the world ?

I know they are a british company, I also know that GAA is an amature sport, But I would be fully in favour of SkySports covering our games if it was ever to be considered.. As unlikely as it seems.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 11/05/2013 17:30:17    1382140

Hopefully it will happen.It would be good promotion for the game.They would probably want exclusive rights to the games before any deal was to be done though,which for me would be a deal breaker.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 11/05/2013 17:39:39    1382148

no i reckon it would do the opposite it would make more peole sit at home and not go to matches as they would be getting updates from all games.
wouldnt ever be in favour of abritish comany running the show anyway we have enough of that already here in ireland.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 11/05/2013 17:39:53    1382149

Hill16,having more rugby coverage on tv has done no harm to attendances at rugby games has it?The more games on tv,the more exposure,which would be good for our games.They are among the most exciting sports around,the only thing they lack is exposure.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 11/05/2013 17:46:25    1382154

Everyone complains about the SG coverage and RTE's analysis/GAA coverage in general, I think the way Skysports not only show live and exclusive coverage or their sports, But their analysis and time and effort into promoting sports have had a massive impact on sports, Look at the Darts , Premier league snooker, The coverage of the PL etc I think a lot of broadcasters could learn a lot from Sky.

I don't think anyone could argue it could only be a good thing if Sky ever did cover Gaelic games ..

Wont happen anytime soon though..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 11/05/2013 17:57:37    1382164

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMK4ZFfpHHw link there for a bit of exposure.
to be honest I don't see it happening. its very rare that people who do not live in Ireland or were actually brought up by Irish people play the sports as they are alien to many others. I tried showing a few Americans hurling two years ago while in college there and I found the lads who played tennis and lacrosse were handy but said it would never catch on there as there is too many other alternatives. Hurling was played in many countries but the lack of ash made hurlies too hard to find but it could have grown if the Irish immigrants had had the resources they have now. Would say galic football will be popular in Europe in a few years. Many people seem to like the idea of 15 goal keepers and the more physical element than soccer but then again its so hard to get people to change sports when they are older

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 11/05/2013 18:03:32    1382171

11/05/2013 17:30:17
waynoI
Lads, Considering the huge amount of effort SkySports put in to all sports they show and the amount of advertising they do, I've a simple question, If SkySports covered GAA, Would it make more people sitting at home come out and actually support their county teams and promote the game around the world ?

I know they are a british company, I also know that GAA is an amature sport, But I would be fully in favour of SkySports covering our games if it was ever to be considered.. As unlikely as it seems.
Don't see how GAA being an amateur(sic) organisation with all its players playing not for money but the jersey etc would be an issue.
Why would Sky cover GAA? How much would they gain from covering hurling/football? Not enough market share outside of Ireland to make it viable.
11/05/2013 17:39:39
joncarter
Hopefully it will happen.It would be good promotion for the game.They would probably want exclusive rights to the games before any deal was to be done though,which for me would be a deal breaker
It will not happen though and they wouldn't necessarily want exclusive rights to games as it depends on the sport, competition as to whether sky have exclusivity over tv rights. Look at premiership soccer nowadays, the Heineken cup a few years ago all were on sky and not exclusive to sky.

11/05/2013 17:39:53
hill16no1man
no i reckon it would do the opposite it would make more people sit at home and not go to matches as they would be getting updates from all games. wouldnt ever be in favour of a british company running the show anyway we have enough of that already here in ireland. Not sure it would but you never know. non irish company coming in would be the biggest issue

11/05/2013 17:46:25
joncarter
Hill16,having more rugby coverage on tv has done no harm to attendances at rugby games has it?The more games on tv,the more exposure,which would be good for our games.They are among the most exciting sports around,the only thing they lack is exposure.
gaelic games get huge exposure on national tv, on the radio and in the papers. No way at all that hurling/football suffer from a lack of exposure

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 11/05/2013 18:03:56    1382173

Hill16,having more rugby coverage on tv has done no harm to attendances at rugby games has it?The more games on tv,the more exposure,which would be good for our games.They are among the most exciting sports around,the only thing they lack is exposure.

_____________


Exactly I agree with you completely, As I've said look at how much the exposure the PL has gotten worldwide, Arguably because of S.S the PL is the most watched league in the world, Its all cause of the exposure its given. If Gaelic games aren't going to be shown on S.S, Then RTE should at least try learn a thing or two from S.S and the work they put in to football.

Look at what Skysports has done for PDC darts. PL snooker, Boxing etc..

As I said its extreamely unlikely that Skysports will ever show Gaelic games,But I can only think of positives in it happening.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 11/05/2013 18:04:07    1382174

It wouldn't lead to more coverage in Ireland, it would just be a different broadcasting company broadcasting games that RTE would have broadcast anyway, no? There used be a GAA highlight program on Sky Sports about 10/15 years ago, but it wasn't a success (and it wasn't very well done).
As for promoting around the world, in how many countries other than Britain or Ireland is Sky Sports a major subscription channel? I do think getting GAA (especially hurling) onto TV in the US in some fashion would pay dividends, I think there could be a native market for it.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 11/05/2013 18:15:01    1382184

Don't see how GAA being an amateur(sic) organisation with all its players playing not for money but the jersey etc would be an issue.
Why would Sky cover GAA? How much would they gain from covering hurling/football? Not enough market share outside of Ireland to make it viable.

________

I don't think there was much market in Fishing and Netball either but they show them sports. The Premier league and Rugby league in England wouldn't exactly be huge, When you consider the amount of people who have Sky, in Ireland and Britain, I don't see what harm it would do even on a short term contract at first.. See how it goes if they review the viewing figures over the summer or whatever... I'm sure it can work if it was tried. I don't see the harm in them trying. That's just my opinion though

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 11/05/2013 18:15:50    1382187

I disagree with you on your final point ormo.The Gaa doesn't get enormous coverage (the league doesn't get any coverage except on Irish speaking channels which a lot of non Irish speakers don't watch)).
Many Irish people don't watch and have never watched the Gaa but if it was covered on sky sports news it would perhaps open their eyes to the games.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 11/05/2013 18:20:10    1382190

11/05/2013 18:15:50
waynoI
I don't think there was much market in Fishing and Netball either but they show them sports. The Premier league and Rugby league in England wouldn't exactly be huge, When you consider the amount of people who have Sky, in Ireland and Britain, I don't see what harm it would do even on a short term contract at first.. See how it goes if they review the viewing figures over the summer or whatever... I'm sure it can work if it was tried. I don't see the harm in them trying. That's just my opinion though
There would be huge interest in fishing, netball etc
Netball has increased its playing numbers hugely the past decade or so
Rugby League is huge in the north of England in Wigan, Hull, St Helens Leeds, Bradford etc
Sky would probably have looked at showing hurling, football if they saw that there would be a market but since they haven't shown games or looked at getting the rights you can see they don't.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 11/05/2013 18:27:31    1382197

It wouldn't lead to more coverage in Ireland, it would just be a different broadcasting company broadcasting games that RTE would have broadcast anyway, no? There used be a GAA highlight program on Sky Sports about 10/15 years ago, but it wasn't a success (and it wasn't very well done).

________


Yeah but it would get more coverage across Britain and Europe. I just think it would be great to see GAA on Skysports. It would be covered more for me..

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13655 - 11/05/2013 18:34:13    1382201

Orm,if any sport has grown in England London post 2008 its the Gaa sports.Give over with your netball and handball.Cricket gets huge coverage on sky and Ive never seen a stadium even 10% full.Croker will sell out this September (twice) on all Ireland final days(82 300 fans) and it wont even get a mention on sky sports,even though its just a half hour plane ride away.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 11/05/2013 18:51:27    1382216

Skysports!!! Yer off your head lad!
The corporation that is Skysports is
only interested in the bottom line, it
would only be a matter of time before
drained the soul out of the GAA!
Until skysports got the rights, English
soccer was enjoyable, lads played with
their hearts on their sleeves, and money
was not God! Look at it now, a vacuous,
soulless enterprise!
Is that what we want for the GAA?!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 11/05/2013 19:03:57    1382222

Skysports!!! Yer off your head lad!
The corporation that is Skysports is
only interested in the bottom line, it
would only be a matter of time before
it drained the soul out of the GAA!
Until skysports got the rights, English
soccer was enjoyable, lads played with
their hearts on their sleeves, and money
was not God! Look at it now!!
Is that what we want for the GAA?!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 11/05/2013 19:11:26    1382229

That's a bit extreme thegatekeeper.Soccer is actually doing quite well believe it or not,better than ever actually.All this stuff about "soul" and "heart" is just guff really.Many Gaa players don't play with heart and soul and would jump at the chance of a transfer to a big county if they were allowed to.
That type of mentality has been in irish society since the boom,its not skys fault.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 11/05/2013 19:19:14    1382236

gaa on skysports, how many people would see the gaa games without going to the pub?

kerryluck (Kerry) - Posts: 2517 - 11/05/2013 19:48:37    1382259

joncarter
County: Galway
That's a bit extreme thegatekeeper.Soccer is actually doing quite well believe it or not,better than ever actually.All this stuff about "soul" and "heart" is just guff really.Many Gaa players don't play with heart and soul and would jump at the chance of a transfer to a big county if they were allowed to.
That type of mentality has been in irish society since the boom,its not skys fault.


Extremes are required to keep the vultures out of the GAA!
Our opinions differ, lets just leave it at that!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 11/05/2013 19:51:42    1382261

hill16no1man County: Dublin Posts: 4422

I agree would cause more people to sit at home and do absolutely nothing, GAA sports require huge amounts of volunteering, can't see it happening anyway.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4955 - 11/05/2013 20:05:30    1382266