RTE and FAI strike new deal

[GalwayBayBoy]

RTÉ Sport have won a four-year contract extension (2010-2014) for television, radio and online broadcasting rights with the Football Association of Ireland.

This contract extension guarantees RTÉ Television and Radio live coverage of all of the Republic of Ireland home internationals in the European and World Cup qualification rounds, up to and including World Cup 2014 in Brazil; and RTÉ.ie live simultaneous webcasting of these games.

In addition, RTÉ Television will have deferred access to all of the Republic of Ireland's home friendly internationals within the contract period, while RTÉ Radio will broadcast these matches live.

RTÉ Sport's commitment to the eircom League of Ireland will dramatically increase. From next season, RTÉ Television will broadcast a weekly one-hour highlights programme featuring reports and analysis of that week's action in the eircom League of Ireland. RTÉ Television's coverage of live eircom League of Ireland matches will also grow over the term of the contract, culminating with 33 live matches (one-per-week) in the final year of the term – the 2013 season.

RTÉ Radio will continue to broadcast live its popular eircom League of Ireland show on Friday nights throughout the duration of the contract, with other key RTÉ Radio programmes: Drivetime with Des and Saturday Sport, for example, continuing to offer high-quality coverage of the National League. In a brand new departure, RTÉ.ie will offer Irish soccer fans abroad the chance to watch eircom League of Ireland games in full on a deferred basis.

RTÉ Group Head of Sport, Glen Killane, said: "This contract win is testament to the quality of RTÉ Sport coverage of Irish soccer in the past, and our commitment to continue to serve, to the best of our ability, the legion of Irish soccer fans in this country in the future. It is a reflection of the calibre of our commentators, our contributors, and our editorial staff behind the scenes across RTÉ Television, Radio and RTÉ.ie. No other organisation can deliver these games to as wide an audience across such a variety of platforms. We are delighted to be bringing this wealth of Irish soccer coverage to fans leading up to and including the World Cup itself in Brazil in 2014, and supporting, to an ever-greater degree, the grass roots of Irish football – in the Eircom League itself."

John Delaney, Chief Executive, FAI, said: "This is a ground-breaking deal for the Eircom League of Ireland and will bring its profile to a new level with the introduction of a weekly one-hour prime-time highlights programme. The commitment to increase the number of live games to one per week during the course of the deal is another tremendous boost for the League."

[T Fearon]

With the take from the games at Croker this year, particularly the German match, on top of this TV contract, and the one they have with Sky (does this not conflict with RTE?) the FAI must be really flush currently. Hope they don't blow the cash on someone like Venables as the new manager. After all if English coaches aren't good enough to manage England, neither should they be entertained in Ireland

[ziggysego]

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[Rossfan]

the FAI must be really flush currently. Hope they don't blow the cash

You can put your house on it Tony -if it can be blown that FAI of yours are the bucks to blow cash.

[magickingdom]

the FAI must be really flush currently. Hope they don't blow the cash

You can put your house on it Tony -if it can be blown that FAI of yours are the bucks to blow cash.

no one better at making a small fortune, out of a big fortune than the fai