mckenna says not about money but about coverage and promotion well surely the best promotion for a competition where 99% of the matches are played in ireland would be to have the competition shown live on the national brodcaster of Ireland,
where every household in the country gets the station.
Do these guys realise anything about what the GAA was founded for and they want to hand the sport over to an organisation that is british and that will give minimal coverage to the sport and place it down the ladder after all there other main sports.
makes no sense at all other then for money.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 16/11/2013 20:32:43    1514140

Firstly sky also is a huge employer in this country, what is problem with it been a British company? I have many a fond memories of my time in Britain, lovely people, fantastic country and still have very close contact with them.
It could be worse they could be given it tnag
Anyway it would be great for the sport and hopefully with the extra monies we get redeveloped navan and other grounds if it ever came to pass, but no doubt some dinosaurs will not want it.
Can't stop progress, can you imagine the coverage sky would give matches? Phenomenal. Hopefully it will happen, fair play to McKenna doing a great job.

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 16/11/2013 20:53:33    1514155

16/11/2013 20:32:43 hill16no1man
mckenna says not about money but about coverage and promotion well surely the best promotion for a competition where 99% of the matches are played in ireland would be to have the competition shown live on the national brodcaster of Ireland,
where every household in the country gets the station.
Do these guys realise anything about what the GAA was founded for and they want to hand the sport over to an organisation that is british and that will give minimal coverage to the sport and place it down the ladder after all there other main sports.
makes no sense at all other then for money.Whats relevance of them being British? How can you say they'd give it minimal coverage and what would be minimal coverage IYO?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 16/11/2013 20:59:44    1514158

Sky Sports would do a much better job promoting GAA than the likes of RTE do.In most sports you tune into pre match coverage and the broadcaster tries to tempt you to watch a match.If you tune in to RTE before a football match the pundits would turn you off watching it.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 16/11/2013 21:06:42    1514163

relevance of them being british is one of the reasons the gaa was founded was to keep irish traditions alive while the british were terrorising ireland,this our national sport something uniquely irish handing over the reigns to a british company would be a shame.
also minimal coverage would apply here is clear example of a scenario it would face,
take this years all ireland final in football,the match clashed with a soccer match in england man utd v man city.
now both matches to be screened live on sky sports which do you think would dominate the days coverage?
you would be playing second fiddle not only to premiership soccer but to rugby,cricket,formula one,darts and boxing to name just a few.
if any of these sports clashed with gaa matches it would be barely mentioned on sky sports as naturally these sports are bigger and more watched by their viewers in the uk where the station is based.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 16/11/2013 21:17:19    1514169

I don't have sky and would be a bit p***ed off having to fork out extra money to a British corporation just to be able to see our national games but all the same I do agree that Sky do great work in terms of sport promotion.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 16/11/2013 21:21:26    1514173

16/11/2013 21:17:19 hill16no1man
relevance of them being british is one of the reasons the gaa was founded was to keep irish traditions alive while the british were terrorising ireland,this our national sport something uniquely irish handing over the reigns to a british company would be a shame.
also minimal coverage would apply here is clear example of a scenario it would face,
take this years all ireland final in football,the match clashed with a soccer match in england man utd v man city.
now both matches to be screened live on sky sports which do you think would dominate the days coverage?
you would be playing second fiddle not only to premiership soccer but to rugby,cricket,formula one,darts and boxing to name just a few. if any of these sports clashed with gaa matches it would be barely mentioned on sky sports as naturally these sports are bigger and more watched by their viewers in the uk where the station is based. If they covered Hurling/Football like they do other sports would you complain. They're a huge world wide multimedia organisation
Sky Sports have loads of channels so if for example a prem soccer game and GAA game clashed they could show both equally.
Why would you think if Sky got some coverage GAA would be second fiddle to any sports? Rugby isn't second fiddle to soccer which isn't second fiddle to Formula one which isn't second fiddle to boxing on the site. they've all got their share

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 16/11/2013 21:41:26    1514180

relevance of them being british is one of the reasons the gaa was founded was to keep irish traditions alive while the british were terrorising ireland,this our national sport something uniquely irish handing over the reigns to a british company would be a shame.


Surely we cannot still be using this as stick to beat all things British with, remembering that at this stage their national anthem has been played in the GAA headquarters along with several 'foreign' sports. I hope that even the suggestion of this happening will give our national broadcasters the kick up the ass I feel they need to promote our fantastic games better than they are currently doing.

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 16/11/2013 21:42:38    1514181

ormond rugby is definatly second fiddle to premier league soccer on sky ,
you would want to open your eyes if you honestly believe they promote them equaly.
a league game between the manchester teams and the all ireland final hear,they would barely mention our final,yes they would show it but it would get no build up no main billing like it deserves,they same would be said for all big games clasing with british based sports its naturaly going to happen they will promote there own ahead of things abroad(adly our media dont follwo that trend)

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 16/11/2013 21:56:09    1514190

Good and next, pay the players!!!

allSOran (Sligo) - Posts: 690 - 16/11/2013 21:56:52    1514191

frankbhoy

i agree i do hope it gives our national brodcaster the neccessary kick but i cannot see that happening as mr rugby ryle nugent is looking for rte to become rugby only,they dont even show national soccer matches played in ireland some times now and always come on before a rugby match for about an hour previewing where as other sports your lucky to get 5mins

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 16/11/2013 21:58:34    1514193

The coverage sky are bidding for would be the UK contract currently held by Premier Sports. It has nothing to do with RTE and won't affect the coverage on Irish tv. And for what it's worth, premier sports don't do a great job so Sky would be a huge addition

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 16/11/2013 22:01:23    1514197

I am fairly sure there will be a huge surge in Hannon, Downes and Dowling shirts on the streets of Leytonstone!!! That's Limerick City kid!

Hoover78 (Limerick) - Posts: 865 - 17/11/2013 08:41:45    1514202

Hill selling out to british company? Ah come on.
Its 2013 not 1913. Are we all going looking for maidens dancing at the crossroads.
I am just interested to see the thread about the dubs selling out to the yanks . You know aig ? Or does that not matter cause the money is been pumped into dublin? And I've searched back but can't find the thread that you must have started when dublin were been sponsored by british multi national vodafone. Why is that ? Is it cause you lot would have won nothing only for the millions pumped into dublin gaa by this british and now american company? So its ok for dublin gaa to accept money from these companies once it remains in dublin to buy more all irelands , but not the gaa as a whole as it will benefit all counties equally.
Dublin are bordering on professionalism with all the money they get and facilities they buy with it, I find that more worrying than money going to other counties from a possible deal with sky. No dub can have the neck to try and have a moral compass on the rest of the gaa, you lot sold your soul so keep quite. And one final thing that may be of interest to you.
Sky is owned by ........ Wait for it..... A AUSTRALIAN. Rubert murdoch. Google him if you don't take my word for it. #unrealignorance

foreverroyal (Meath) - Posts: 349 - 17/11/2013 10:23:41    1514222

Before jumping in with two feet firstly as always the devil is in the detail .
Are we talking a proposed deal to run in conjunction with a national station ? no issue there
Are we talking an exclusive deal ? major issues and its a case of where do you start ? Timing of matches would as in soccer would be at the beck and call of the station , remember they are amature players with jobs and college and flexabilty and availabilty is not the same as a professional .
A game currently accesable by everyone for the price of a TV licence is therefore the PEOPLES game , the haves of society will sell off and call it progess , my parents lifelong members of the association and pensioners do not have SKY and should not have to purchase to enjoy something that belongs to the people .
I think there are those that are so suduced by the marketing hype of Sky like kids in a candy shop they just cant help themselves , oh please come and do the same for us please , well our game does not need selling on the back of this years championship hurling in particular , we do not need to have slick tongued stylish ringmasters to tell us whats what .
I just love it when posters describe someone against the selling of the very soul of the game as dinosaurs , its those dinosaurs and fact that while assosication maybe slow in moving have brought this wonderfull institution to where it is today .
So we have to wait and see what comes out , exclusive or partnership ? To sell out or to promote ?

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 17/11/2013 10:34:15    1514227

Surely wouldn't be worth it for sky unless they get the AI finals. The finals get like a million people(Positive that's wrong) minus the amount of people who don't have or can't afford sky and that figures gonna be cut. It won't be enough money to make any difference in the quality of stadiums or anything.

RebelCork (Cork) - Posts: 789 - 17/11/2013 10:42:47    1514231

If they get them you'd imagine Dub football games would pretty much be all the're interseted in.

RebelCork (Cork) - Posts: 789 - 17/11/2013 10:52:49    1514235

Only a matter of time before a big offer comes in.RTE and Oneills getting a away with paying little or nothing for the monopoly of our games

pd73 (Louth) - Posts: 322 - 17/11/2013 11:16:46    1514246

It won't happen. The championship will remain on free to air stations in Ireland as the GAA themselves have said ot's not all about money but about making the games available to the Irish people.
They say they could make a multiple of what RTE/TV3 have paid previously but turned it down.

jackhackett (Meath) - Posts: 773 - 17/11/2013 12:41:46    1514276

Any good business man is going to say that they would consider a bid from Sky, it keeps the pressure on the local broadcasters to come up with proper financial offers. There are a number of reasons why the GAA won't sell to Sky:
- they are a non Irish company;
- Sky are unlikely to be happy with the mish mash of a competition that is currently in place and are are likely to want to make changes;
- It wouldn't be popular with GAA fans and
- the pay for play debate would reach a dangerous new level.
The only possible way it could work would be in partnership with one of the local broadcasters but that would severely restrict the amount Sky would be willing to pay.

MB1 (Tyrone) - Posts: 360 - 17/11/2013 13:11:18    1514289