The BBC should be ashamed

[SammyG]

two Ulster Championship games at the weekend with 17,500 (Official attndance ) at both. It is by far the largest supported sport in the north and the coverage should reflect that.

The matches are either covered live on Setanta or highlights on the Championship on BBC or both, how much more coverage would you like?

[twotwocharlie]

pay the c***s nothin

[Donagh]

Well if we are to be on a par with soccer, I'd like to see:

1.   live television coverage of at least Ulster football semis and final
2.   live television coverage of Ulster hurling final
3.   live television coverage of Ulster club semis and final
4.   live television coverage of Ulster hurling final
5.   Sunday Sportsound to be broadcast on Radio Ulster FM
6.   A GAA roundup programme to go out during the week at an accessible time instead of a highlights programme
7.   fair and equal coverage of club results and highlights on the television news

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

I'd like to see them refer to it as Football and soccer as, errr, soccer.

That said, ye can't beat local radio stations for real football coverage.

[SammyG]

Well if we are to be on a par with soccer, I'd like to see:

1.   live television coverage of at least Ulster football semis and final
2.   live television coverage of Ulster hurling final
3.   live television coverage of Ulster club semis and final
4.   live television coverage of Ulster hurling final
5.   Sunday Sportsound to be broadcast on Radio Ulster FM
6.   A GAA roundup programme to go out during the week at an accessible time instead of a highlights programme
7.   fair and equal coverage of club results and highlights on the television news

How would that be give parity with 'soccer'?

Football gets 10 minutes on a Saturday teatime (when anybody interested is actually at a match), a brief mention on the news (usually only if there's something negative to report) and the Irish Cup Final live (and that will be moving to Sky under the new deal). That's it, the GAA already get considerably more than that so why would you need to increase the coverage to reach 'parity?

[thewobbler]

Donagh I don't see how anyone could argue that a substandard, uncompetitive product watched by little or no people doesn't deserve so much TV coverage, and at the same time request that the Ulster hurling final is shown live on the box (twice).

[Donagh]

Sorry wobbler the second one was meant to be the Ulster club hurling final which I'm sure would take in a big audience if broadcast. Take your point about the other one though.

Sammy, every NI soccer match is broadcast live on tv as is the cup final and you have a sports magazine during the week and live matches on Radio Ulster FM. The GAA as the most popular sport in the north by some distance, should have the same, and given the huge part the GAA has played in terms of providing community infrastructure, the BBC as a public service broadcaster should be acknowledging this by helping us promote the games.

[scalder]

Lads can you get RTÉ in every part of the North now and not just near the border?

[SammyG]

Sammy, every NI soccer match is broadcast live on tv as is the cup final

So now you've moved the goalposts to include intenationals  OK lets go with your ridiculous comparison,that's approx 4-5 a year live, how would showing 8 live GAA matches be 'parity'. And remember that the GAA had blanket live coverage before they sold the rights to Setanta, which is hardly the BBC's fault.

and you have a sports magazine during the week

Which covers football, GAA, rugby, ice hockey and anything else that's happening

and live matches on Radio Ulster FM.

When?

The GAA as the most popular sport in the north by some distance, should have the same,

By what measure is the GAA the most 'popular'.

Participation - it would be beaten by angling, golf, football, and probably rugby.
Attendance - it would be beaten by motorsports and if you leave out a few 'big' matches it would be at least equalled by football and rugby

and given the huge part the GAA has played in terms of providing community infrastructure, the BBC as a public service broadcaster should be acknowledging this by helping us promote the games.

I don't see how the BBC can't do much more to help 'promote' your games. Given that you sold the rights to a different company, the BBC actually give you loads of coverage.

[Donagh]

So now you've moved the goalposts to include intenationals  OK lets go with your ridiculous comparison,that's approx 4-5 a year live, how would showing 8 live GAA matches be 'parity'. And remember that the GAA had blanket live coverage before they sold the rights to Setanta, which is hardly the BBC's fault.

Simply on interest. There is a demand for club football and hurling which is reflected on the attendance figures e.g. you'd get a similar attendance at a club semis and finals as you would at the IFA cup final.

Which covers football, GAA, rugby, ice hockey and anything else that's happening

Easily 80% of it is devoted to soccer which does not reflect the relative support in comparison to GAA games.

and live matches on Radio Ulster FM.
When?

Saturday afternoons

By what measure is the GAA the most 'popular'.

Attendance figures and participation

Participation - it would be beaten by angling, golf, football, and probably rugby.
Attendance - it would be beaten by motorsports and if you leave out a few 'big' matches it would be at least equalled by football and rugby

Bollocks it would be beaten by any of those you mention for participation.
As for motorsports beating it on attendance, I've attended the NW200 on many occasions and I still don't buy into the 100k attendance myth. Soccer and rugby don't even come close when you take into account senior, intermediate and junior club championship attendances.

I don't see how the BBC can't do much more to help 'promote' your games. Given that you sold the rights to a different company, the BBC actually give you loads of coverage.

The rights to inter-county matches were sold, though we don't know how much the BBC offered. They could still broadcast the club championships.

[Stranworst]

mate of mine was PRO for QUB there and he used to be talking to Jerome Quinn about the BBC and their shit coverage of Sigerson etc, Jerome said that he tried and tried to get more coverage etc but that it was going right up to the top and was out of his hands though he was trying. Fai play to him though

[Donagh]

Jerome is still paying the price for daring to highlight the sectarianism at Windsor Park a few years back.

[Uladh]

There should not be parity of coverage with soccer.

The coverage of GAA should vastly outweigh that of soccer to reflect the public interest.

[SammyG]

Jerome is still paying the price for daring to highlight the sectarianism at Windsor Park a few years back.

Oh dear, not like you to spout Fearonesque bullshit. 

[Donagh]

Oh dear, not like you to spout Fearonesque bullshit. 

What do you mean? I thought this episode was pretty well known. Is this not also why he is despised on OWC?