Both have been concentrating on rugby sevens for Olympics for last few years. Ireland played practically an England b team for last few years. Look it's great they won but live on TV? That's rediculous. Basketball hockey camogie soccer football swimming tennis athletics all vastly more popular that women's rugby. RTE made the decision to cover more female sport. That was long overdue. However someone made the decision to cover live a sport that almost no women play. It's a bizarre situation. Imagine if to promote sport for boys RTE put on live cricket over gaa or even rugby.

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 19/02/2016 11:05:36    1826567

Both have been concentrating on rugby sevens for Olympics for last few years. Ireland played practically an England b team for last few years. Look it's great they won but live on TV? That's rediculous. Basketball hockey camogie soccer football swimming tennis athletics all vastly more popular that women's rugby. RTE made the decision to cover more female sport. That was long overdue. However someone made the decision to cover live a sport that almost no women play. It's a bizarre situation. Imagine if to promote sport for boys RTE put on live cricket over gaa or even rugby.
sceptical (Cavan) - Posts:368 - 19/02/2016 11:05:36Ireland have been concentrating on the Olympics as much as the other countries. Whats ridiculous(sic) about it being live on tv. Coverage of sporting events in the media isn't only determined by exactly who take part in a sport.
Rugby is a mainstay of RTEs coverage. The 6 Nations is one of world sports biggest annual events and the womens games tie into the showing of the mens games.

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 19/02/2016 12:22:17    1826593

Rubbish. The largest attendance at a women's sporting event last year bar FA cup final was the all Ireland final. Surely that merits coverage on a national tax funded channel. Yes RTE show more mens gaa and soccer than any other sport. That's because they are by far the most popular sports in this country. Rugby 6 nations men obviously has justification for coverage. However, there is no justification for showing u20 women's or any other 6 nations. UNLESS they show even a token amount of sports such as u21 football and hurling or the women's soccer internationals. Both far better supported than the mentioned sports. No one is arguing that the men's 6 nations should not be televised. I rarely miss a game. However, even you have to question why women's rugby warrants such coverage.

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 19/02/2016 13:57:21    1826617

You are wrong there sceptical, the ladies gaelic football final had a few hundred more at it than the women's FA cup final making it the female sports event with the biggest attendance in Europe in 2015. A remarkable achievement for an amateur, native game on a small island.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 19/02/2016 16:11:05    1826675

I stand corrected.

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 19/02/2016 16:50:36    1826683

No worries sceptical, Mediaman has set the standard for accuracy with facts here so just thought that clarification was needed:) No doubt was it a sport with an international element to it then it would be repeated so frequently in the national media you couldn't make a mistake like that.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 19/02/2016 17:18:24    1826693

It's bizarre that it wasn't. Just think, truthfully, imagine if that stat had applied to a ladies six nations fixture. Would RTE have given it proper coverage? In the midst of all the empty bull about getting girls involved in sport Rte ignore a sport that has been doing that for decades in favour of a sport played by a tiny minority of the country. P

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 19/02/2016 18:35:15    1826709

It really is. I sometimes get the feeling that some people are embarrassed about the national games, believing that because they don't have the validation of an international audience they are somehow primitive, rather than embracing something that is unique and which the country should be hugely proud of. Just 2 weeks prior close to 17,000 were at the camogie final, another huge number when viewed against female sports attendances globally.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 19/02/2016 19:35:16    1826718

Surprised you didnt mention there were 3 womens finals played that day in Croke Park compared to the one match in Womens FA Cup, just for accuracy like. ..

RangersFan (Dublin) - Posts: 117 - 19/02/2016 19:46:25    1826721

I didn't Ranger but then when people say there were 82000 at the men's final they tend not to say there was a minor game and mini-7s game played on the day as well. If everything must be clarified then we should probably point out that a large number at the women's FA cup final got free tickets. Though considering Scotland were one of the teams playing at the gaelic football finals maybe the attendance wasn't all that impressive!

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 19/02/2016 20:51:07    1826727

Pretty disrespectful to the women of Waterford & Louth to compare their All Ireland victories to a half time mini 7's game

RangersFan (Dublin) - Posts: 117 - 20/02/2016 08:41:30    1826751

The 6 Nations is one of world sports biggest annual events...

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts:10899 - 19/02/2016 12:22:17

Could you possibly clarify that remark? It's slightly ambiguous.

extranjero (Wexford) - Posts: 375 - 20/02/2016 10:04:52    1826758

Rubbish. The largest attendance at a women's sporting event last year bar FA cup final was the all Ireland final. Surely that merits coverage on a national tax funded channel. Yes RTE show more mens gaa and soccer than any other sport. That's because they are by far the most popular sports in this country. Rugby 6 nations men obviously has justification for coverage. However, there is no justification for showing u20 women's or any other 6 nations. UNLESS they show even a token amount of sports such as u21 football and hurling or the women's soccer internationals. Both far better supported than the mentioned sports. No one is arguing that the men's 6 nations should not be televised. I rarely miss a game. However, even you have to question why women's rugby warrants such coverage.
sceptical (Cavan) - Posts:371 - 19/02/2016 13:57:21Perhaps it does merit coverage but when coverage is on other tv stations then RTE cant demand that they cover it. There is justification for showing u20 and womens 6 nations. IRFU tied in those games with their coverage of the mens 6 nations. RTE cant show other competitions in GAA as other stations have secured the rights.
U21 hurling/football gets little coverage as RTE cant show much more by law.

19/02/2016 12:22:17 ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts:10899
The 6 Nations is one of world sports biggest annual events...
20/02/2016 10:04:52 extranjero (Wexford) - Posts:37
Could you possibly clarify that remark? It's slightly ambiguous.average attendance is 70000 per game or so therefore its one of biggest in terms of attendance per game on average....

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 20/02/2016 12:15:40    1826770

Which of course I wasn't doing Ranger, just pointing out that when giving the attendance at a game not all other games on the programme must be referenced. Similar to a boxing card etc. There were over 31000 in the stadium for the senior ladies football final, more than at any other female sporting event in Europe in 2015.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 20/02/2016 12:22:06    1826771

Love it, Soma! :-)

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/02/2016 12:41:05    1826772

average attendance is 70000 per game or so therefore its one of biggest in terms of attendance per game on average....

A few weeks ago you said that match attendances were not enough to gauge popularity- you said that TV figures were far more significant. Of course, you probably don't remember that.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 20/02/2016 13:52:43    1826780

Its obviously not an accurate comparison - Mens All Ireland final would be sold out regardless , the minor and mini 7s have no affect on attendance figures. However having two other All Ireland finals on the same day significantly increases attendance figures. But you knew that.

Womens mini marathan is a bigger event

RangersFan (Dublin) - Posts: 117 - 20/02/2016 14:20:18    1826782

Ranger you strike me as someone who for some reason or other begrudges the success of ladies gaelic football. If you really think a game between Scotland and Louth at 11.30 has a significant impact on the numbers who attended the Dublin-Cork senior final you are entitled to that view but it has no basis in reality. Whether the women's mini marathon is a bigger event or not is neither here nor there, the fact is the best attended female sports event in Europe in 2015 was the ladies gaelic football final. Be proud that female sport is held in such high regard in Ireland by the general public at least rather than letting it upset you.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 20/02/2016 15:56:33    1826801

bennybunny,

"A few weeks ago you said that match attendances were not enough to gauge popularity- you said that TV figures were far more significant. Of course, you probably don't remember that."

It never discouraged him in the past! ;-)

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 20/02/2016 17:26:47    1826815

A few weeks ago you said that match attendances were not enough to gauge popularity- you said that TV figures were far more significant. Of course, you probably don't remember that.
bennybunny (Cork) - Posts:3087 - 20/02/2016 13:52:43 TV figures some of the highest as well. GAA is very different as its a sport to all extents/purposes limited to Ireland or irish people

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 20/02/2016 17:37:50    1826817