TG4 - Club Championships Coverage

[Owenmoresider]

The TG4 coverage has been brilliant although I have two suggestions, one of which is a MUST and the second merely a helpful idea for us slow-learners an dteanga:
1. The camera should be positioned opposite the main spectator area. For instance on Sunday last the stand at Newry was full but the camera was used from that position even though the main camera position is on the opposite terrace. So the ighlights suggested very few at the match wheres the attendance was over 5,000.
Your production values are diminished by not showing the spectators in the background which would be much more atmospheric than always looking at empty terraces. I know using the stand is the easy option but it does not do the games justice and if I was  in the GAA governing body I would insist on the preferred location being used. This was very pronounced in some of the hurling games this season.

Agree with that, hersindoors ALWAYS comments on it when i'm watching a match and the stand opposite to the camera is empty. "sher you must be the only person interested in this, there's no one there" ... I try to explain that there's in fact about 5000 people underneath the camera but she dosent believe me. I know TG4 try to show the crowd as often as possible but it looks bad when the stand you see during play is totally empty.

Its just cause she got to watch the first episode of Corrie in the nice warm living room and then you arr probably packing her off to a cold kitchen to watch the second episode while you watch the GA, admit it 

They showed the Down and Armagh finals live as well.

In saying that I'm not sure they are actually showing any ulster club football live at all which you would have to question.

Also given the ulster hurling final is on before basically any other provincial finals meaning there are less conflicts I hoped it would have been shown too but not to be...

Only because there was feck all else on at that stage and they didn't want to have to try and justify showing the galway quarter finals at the expense of finals on elsewhere.

They only showed the Galway county football final this year. They didn't show the hurling final. In fact I can never remember them showing anything other than the finals in Galway. Unless they did years ago.

Galway can have no complaints they ONLY show the football final
They seem to show it every year though

The fact that they are based in the Galway Gaeltacht might explain that IMO.

[GalwayBayBoy]

The TG4 coverage has been brilliant although I have two suggestions, one of which is a MUST and the second merely a helpful idea for us slow-learners an dteanga:
1. The camera should be positioned opposite the main spectator area. For instance on Sunday last the stand at Newry was full but the camera was used from that position even though the main camera position is on the opposite terrace. So the ighlights suggested very few at the match wheres the attendance was over 5,000.
Your production values are diminished by not showing the spectators in the background which would be much more atmospheric than always looking at empty terraces. I know using the stand is the easy option but it does not do the games justice and if I was  in the GAA governing body I would insist on the preferred location being used. This was very pronounced in some of the hurling games this season.

Agree with that, hersindoors ALWAYS comments on it when i'm watching a match and the stand opposite to the camera is empty. "sher you must be the only person interested in this, there's no one there" ... I try to explain that there's in fact about 5000 people underneath the camera but she dosent believe me. I know TG4 try to show the crowd as often as possible but it looks bad when the stand you see during play is totally empty.

Its just cause she got to watch the first episode of Corrie in the nice warm living room and then you arr probably packing her off to a cold kitchen to watch the second episode while you watch the GA, admit it 

They showed the Down and Armagh finals live as well.

In saying that I'm not sure they are actually showing any ulster club football live at all which you would have to question.

Also given the ulster hurling final is on before basically any other provincial finals meaning there are less conflicts I hoped it would have been shown too but not to be...

Only because there was feck all else on at that stage and they didn't want to have to try and justify showing the galway quarter finals at the expense of finals on elsewhere.

They only showed the Galway county football final this year. They didn't show the hurling final. In fact I can never remember them showing anything other than the finals in Galway. Unless they did years ago.

Galway can have no complaints they ONLY show the football final
They seem to show it every year though

Nobody has any complaints. I was just replying to someone saying they show quarter-finals in Galway when they don't.

Galway gets shown every year I imagine because there are more Irish speakers in Galway than anywhere else (and TG4 is an Irish language station first and foremost) and TG4 is based half an hour from Pearse Stadium.

[Bogball XV]

The fact that they are based in the Galway Gaeltacht might explain that IMO.

That i've worked out - I just wish someone would have a highlights programme with a bit from each provincial championship game each week. 

[Louth Exile]

Nobody has any complaints. I was just replying to someone saying they show quarter-finals in Galway when they don't.

Galway gets shown every year I imagine because there are more Irish speakers in Galway than anywhere else (and TG4 is an Irish language station first and foremost) and TG4 is based half an hour from Pearse Stadium.

I know that actually understand why they would do it, its normally one that is of interest to neutrals anyway, as this years was again. I'm just jealous, Louth final made the highlights programme this year, but when the mighty Joes won it last year they didn't even make the highlights programme. Thems the breaks.

[tayto]

Its just cause she got to watch the first episode of Corrie in the nice warm living room and then you arr probably packing her off to a cold kitchen to watch the second episode while you watch the GAA, admit it 

I've managed to ween her off corrie thank god, she just objects to me parking in front of the TV for a couple of hours of a sunday afternoon.

I'm sure they have the cameras in the easiest location to use, just think where ever possible they should try and have that opposite the open stand, not the closed or empty one, it give the impression to the casual observer that no one can be arsed turing up when in fact there's a decent crowd if you take into account the populations of the parishes involved.

[GAA Beo]

To clarify a couple of points made earlier.

At any venue where we can film across from the crowd we do this. Some venues are just laid out so that you have to shoot from behind the crowd. The camera gantry for example at places like Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Semple Stadium or Páirc na nGael are located in the same stand as most of the crowd congregate. These places are set up from a cabling perspective so that we can use only the gantry - there's a bit more flexibility with some regional grounds. There may be difficulties here also however because sometimes to face the crowd we need to build a gantry, and for several reasons this may not be suitable - pylons or poles in the way, pillars within old stands which impinge on the view, or even from an access and insurance standpoint this is not always possible. Whenever we can we face the crowd for the reasons outlined by others.

Galway are televised not because there is any pro Galway bias but because they figure in the province with least counties. TG4 has visited every county in the country for either live, deferred or highlight transmission. We also plan to visit each province in the interests of fairness. We have to balance being fair to provinces and giving the public a match that they will watch. It's not always feasible to provide county matches from lower profile counties, but we do take opportunities when the profile of the county has risen - Sligo and Monaghan finals were televised this year.

While every county supporter will want his/her county covered as often as possible, we can only do our best with the resources available. I see Ulster fans saying we don't visit them enough - note that we'll be back in January with the McKenna Cup when the Province will have exclusive coverage.

We always want to do more, but we do work within confined budgets, so get on to your local politicians if you want TG4 to fund the GAA programmes to include more games!

[tayto]

Thought as much, thanks for the low down GAA BEO! Keep up the good work!

[AZOffaly]

TG4 are legends for Club games. Themselves and Setanta are streets ahead of what RTE bothers to show.

[Hardy]

Indeed. And can you imagine RTÉ bothering to respond to points made here in the way Gaa Beo and Easytiger do?

[Louth Exile]

Fair play GAA Beo, keep her lit

[Aaron Boone]

How about an online poll on TG4's website to choose the following week's club game? Would Ballyhale v Birr have come out on top? Ballyhale are 4/11 favs to win so that suggests they'll have it in the bag midway through the 2nd half.

And yes the Monday highlights programme is too short. Even The Sunday Game goes on for two hours.

[Owenmoresider]

And yes the Monday highlights programme is too short. Even The Sunday Game goes on for two hours.

TG4's programme probably shows more of the games despite that.

[dodo]

How about an online poll on TG4's website to choose the following week's club game? Would Ballyhale v Birr have come out on top? Ballyhale are 4/11 favs to win so that suggests they'll have it in the bag midway through the 2nd half.

And yes the Monday highlights programme is too short. Even The Sunday Game goes on for two hours.

Turns out to have been an excellent decision to show the Birr match. A cracking game all through with some great hurling. Most enjoyable match I've seen on the TV since the Kerry vs Galway AI minor football semi-final.

[Aaron Boone]

So much for my tipping. I was also blowing about Adare going to beat Loughmore. That's goes to show why you never see a poor bookmaker.

[Leo]

To clarify a couple of points made earlier.

At any venue where we can film across from the crowd we do this. Some venues are just laid out so that you have to shoot from behind the crowd. The camera gantry for example at places like Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Semple Stadium or Páirc na nGael are located in the same stand as most of the crowd congregate. These places are set up from a cabling perspective so that we can use only the gantry - there's a bit more flexibility with some regional grounds. There may be difficulties here also however because sometimes to face the crowd we need to build a gantry, and for several reasons this may not be suitable - pylons or poles in the way, pillars within old stands which impinge on the view, or even from an access and insurance standpoint this is not always possible. Whenever we can we face the crowd for the reasons outlined by others.

Maith go leor, ach... I highlighted Pairc Esler where there is a purpose built gantry opposite the main stand. The ground is completely clear of poles, pillars, etc.  and tha t is clearly the best place to film from. I know you have budgets but it seems to me a case of - park the van behind the stand, a few minutes to run in the cable and just pop the camera in beside the press box and to hell with the result! As I've siad - you do great work but with a little extra planning and effort you can produce an even better one.