GAA doing a deal with SkySports

[IolarCoisCuain]

Well can someone spell out exactly what the players do get out of it

They get to play football. Playing football is fun. People like to have fun. Do you see the pattern here? It's not like playing football is like being a Community Welfare Office in Rathkeale, you know.

I love your romantic idealism. This is surely the case with Junior B Level You seem to conveniently forget that to play at County level players must make huge sacrifices

You reckon county men would play junior if only they could? Or that junior men don't want to play county because they fear the dread rattle of the chains? Come on now. If anyone finds it that torturous he ought to quit. Why in damnation would anyone do it if it's so awful?

[roney]

Are Sky involved in bringing the games to audiences outside of the UK and Ireland? It's a genuine question.

Sky would have to buy the rights to broadcast GAA games outside UK and Ireland and so far they haven't.
Afaiaa, worldwide rights are a still in the hands of the GAA and RTE
So far, Sky has just obtained the exclusive rights to broadcast 14 games in Ireland and the UK
In Ireland, those 14 games can only be legally viewed via sky sports subscription.

That's as I thought. It begs a question though. Ok, so Sky bring the games to England but nowhere else outside these two islands? There's a perception out there that the Sky inclusion is the thing which makes it global. That's just not true. The Channel 7 deal in Australia was possible without Sky. It has nothing to do with Sky, in fact.

In the US, the new RTE streaming service is the leader.

This lie that Sky are needed to bring the games to a global audience needs to be put to bed. It was spun as the reason for their inclusion but it's not accurate.

Why, then do Irish people have to pay? It's certainly not to do with the diaspora (outside of England) as the GAA spokepersons have tried to spin. we were told there was a trade-off which most people would accept. What is the trade off?

??

[BennyHarp]

Are Sky involved in bringing the games to audiences outside of the UK and Ireland? It's a genuine question.

Sky would have to buy the rights to broadcast GAA games outside UK and Ireland and so far they haven't.
Afaiaa, worldwide rights are a still in the hands of the GAA and RTE
So far, Sky has just obtained the exclusive rights to broadcast 14 games in Ireland and the UK
In Ireland, those 14 games can only be legally viewed via sky sports subscription.

That's as I thought. It begs a question though. Ok, so Sky bring the games to England but nowhere else outside these two islands? There's a perception out there that the Sky inclusion is the thing which makes it global. That's just not true. The Channel 7 deal in Australia was possible without Sky. It has nothing to do with Sky, in fact.

In the US, the new RTE streaming service is the leader.

This lie that Sky are needed to bring the games to a global audience needs to be put to bed. It was spun as the reason for their inclusion but it's not accurate.

Why, then do Irish people have to pay? It's certainly not to do with the diaspora (outside of England) as the GAA spokepersons have tried to spin. we were told there was a trade-off which most people would accept. What is the trade off?

??

Who said Sky where screening to Australia? I hadn't heard anyone say that?

[roney]

I never said that. What I am saying is the general perception is that Sky are providing a platform for the games abroad. It's not true whatsoever.

[Zulu]

I'd safely say there are more Irish in Britain than there are in Europe and Africa combined so it is being brought to the diaspora. By the way are we sucre you can't get the GAA if you have Sky in Europe? I've said this already but there is no justification for any hysteria. This is a 3 year deal which only takes 9 games from Irish viewers, most of them of limited national attractiveness. If, in 3 years time, we think this isn't great deal for the GAA we can always go back to free to air TV for everything but I'd be confident enough that people will be happy with the Sky input.

[roney]

As long as we agree that Sky does not provide coverage to anywhere outside of Ireland and the UK.

People need to be aware of that because an awful lot of people (eg Mickey Harte in the Irish News today) believe that this is the case.  It's not.

The reason for Sky is to provide the games to viewers in Britain. This is of course welcome but it comes at a price tag for the Irish viewer. People need to know what they are being asked to trade.

[Zulu]

Personally I'm not concerned about any misconceptions people have as it's up to everyone to educate themselves on what this deal actually is. The only important fact is this is a 3 year deal so we can all reassess when that is up to see who was right. If it turns out to be bad for the GAA then drop them but if it is good then lets see where we should go with Sky.

[roney]

Agreed, as long as we are clear.

SKY SPORTS DO NOT BROADCAST TO THE IRISH DIASPORA BEYOND THE UK. IF ANYONE SAYS SKY IS GOOD FOR THE GAA BECAUSE IT BRINGS GAA ABROAD, THIS IS NOT TRUE.

Up to everyone to educate themselves though (including Mickey Harte).

[BennyHarp]

Agreed, as long as we are clear.

SKY SPORTS DO NOT BROADCAST TO THE IRISH DIASPORA BEYOND THE UK. IF ANYONE SAYS SKY IS GOOD FOR THE GAA BECAUSE IT BRINGS GAA ABROAD, THIS IS NOT TRUE.

Up to everyone to educate themselves though (including Mickey Harte).

But it will bring the GAA to approx half a million Irish in Britain. Is it not good for them? I think by abroad they mean Britain.

[roney]

I totally think so too, Benny. As long as everyone knows and agrees that the GAA definition of disapora is Britain.

There was a bit of confusion before though. It was like Sky were the ones who were placating 'the people who we met as we travelled around the world' in the words of Pauric Duffy. When he said the world, at least we now understand it was england he meant. Close enough.

[BennyHarp]

I totally think so too, Benny. As long as everyone knows and agrees that the GAA definition of disapora is Britain.

There was a bit of confusion before though. It was like Sky were the ones who were placating 'the people who we met as we travelled around the world' in the words of Pauric Duffy. When he said the world, at least we now understand it was england he meant. Close enough.

Not just England - Scotland and Wales too. They also have the games available in Australia and the USA and in Europe via other deals, so Pauric Duffy was correct when he said the world. It's probably a bit of misunderstanding on your behalf to think he meant it's all about Sky. I fully understood what was meant and I'd say most people did as well. It took you to ask the question a few times on here to understand, but sure you are clear now and that's great news.

[sligoman2]

Out here in the USA, I paid $199 for the championship last year which is all games shown on tv3 and rte (I think).  The league package was $69.
The service was with premium sports / ustream.  I hope the rte /gaa deal is better otherwise they are not doing anything to expand the games in America.

Anyone know when and how We sign up for the rte/gaa package? I assume they will have single games on offer also.

[roney]

I totally think so too, Benny. As long as everyone knows and agrees that the GAA definition of disapora is Britain.

There was a bit of confusion before though. It was like Sky were the ones who were placating 'the people who we met as we travelled around the world' in the words of Pauric Duffy. When he said the world, at least we now understand it was england he meant. Close enough.

Not just England - Scotland and Wales too. They also have the games available in Australia and the USA and in Europe via other deals, so Pauric Duffy was correct when he said the world. It's probably a bit of misunderstanding on your behalf to think he meant it's all about Sky. I fully understood what was meant and I'd say most people did as well. It took you to ask the question a few times on here to understand, but sure you are clear now and that's great news.

Pauric was indeed correct when said the world. What he didn't explain (probably an oversight) was that the world could have been covered without the need for Irish people to pay for Sky. Them's the facts and it's good people actually now know them.

[roney]

Out here in the USA, I paid $199 for the championship last year which is all games shown on tv3 and rte (I think).  The league package was $69.
The service was with premium sports / ustream.  I hope the rte /gaa deal is better otherwise they are not doing anything to expand the games in America.

Anyone know when and how We sign up for the rte/gaa package? I assume they will have single games on offer also.

Finally, someone who we are talking about for the last week finally speaks up.

Sligoman, do you feel the joy?

It's interesting you're asking about the RTE streaming service. Everyone else in the country who backed this deal assumed you'd just be setting up the Sky and away you go.

Not so?

What exactly are Irish people paying subscriptions for again? It's not for lads like sligoman.

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

Well can someone spell out exactly what the players do get out of it

They get to play football. Playing football is fun. People like to have fun. Do you see the pattern here? It's not like playing football is like being a Community Welfare Office in Rathkeale, you know.

I love your romantic idealism. This is surely the case with Junior B Level You seem to conveniently forget that to play at County level players must make huge sacrifices

You reckon county men would play junior if only they could? Or that junior men don't want to play county because they fear the dread rattle of the chains? Come on now. If anyone finds it that torturous he ought to quit. Why in damnation would anyone do it if it's so awful?

Your line of argument is so naive I watched a documentary recently about Grand Prix racing in the late 60s/ early 70s, when guys were being killed on a weekly basis, but it didn't matter because on the one hand they were the gladiators, lauded by the fans, while in reality they were the bottom of the heap in terms of their needs etc.  But let's put the thing into a modern perspective, Paddy Bradley chooses to play professional soccer for Coleraine rather than amateur Gaelic football for Derry because there is less pressure!! Wake up and smell the coffee