GAA doing a deal with SkySports

[yellowcard]

Outside of the domestic audience I don't think the viewing figures were great. Purely from a business point of view I often wondered how it made sense to show an indigenous game to a global audience. Maybe if the spectacle was a lot better the viewing figures would have improved but sadly there was a lot more dirge than there were thrilling encounters. They came on board in a decade where gaelic football in particular has probably never been worse to watch as a spectacle. 

[RedHand88]

It's a shame, I enjoyed their punditry. Hopefully RTE step up their game now with the retirements.

[sam03/05]

Another product of not playing games in July August
There is no way GAA can compete with the soccer schedule in April May on sky

Can say what u want but with such a condensed season there is simply no way RTE will be able to show the amount of hurling and football games on offer
And come August there is nothing on tv to watch

[Sportacus]

Plenty of wans celebrating, but it's a time for reflection too.  If our product was great, Sky would be expanding, not withdrawing.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

No loss .

[clarshack]

It's a shame, I enjoyed their punditry. Hopefully RTE step up their game now with the retirements.

They won't.

[full moon]

Plenty of wans celebrating, but it's a time for reflection too.  If our product was great, Sky would be expanding, not withdrawing.

The quotes from Sky Ireland indicate Sky wanted to extend and expand the deal for many more years, but couldn't get the fixed games guaranteed they wanted.

[Eamonnca1]

"A factor in this decision has been the new shortened GAA season and it's knock-on impact on the number of games Sky Sports wanted to broadcast." - JD Buckley, Sky Ireland CEO"



The Sunday game to get some decent pundits now?

They didn't have great viewership ..  https://www.balls.ie/gaa/258965-the-gaas-sky-deal-196636

Quoth the article:

"Clare and Donegal will be putting forward motions at congress to make all Championship games free-to-air from 2017."

Strange thing to put into an article published in August 2022. Is it a typo? Is is supposed to say 2027? If so I'd be interested in seeing the wording, because if it doesn't specify which countries it applies to, it could effectively end GAA coverage outside of Ireland where nobody's going to show it free to air.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Plenty of wans celebrating, but it's a time for reflection too.  If our product was great, Sky would be expanding, not withdrawing.

The quotes from Sky Ireland indicate Sky wanted to extend and expand the deal for many more years, but couldn't get the fixed games guaranteed they wanted.

Feck sky. Been blocking us watching other sports up north for years

[full moon]

I have no real time for Sky as a company or Sky Sports. They have went downhill in recent years since Comcast took over. Sky Sports behaviour towards the Irish girls soccer team recently were another low point, attempting to bully one of the players on their channel. Lots of other politics stuff on their sports coverage too trying to push agendas.

Their GAA coverage was very good especially punditry and commentary, but they didnt enough matches or a good pick of them.

[full moon]

Plenty of wans celebrating, but it's a time for reflection too.  If our product was great, Sky would be expanding, not withdrawing.

The quotes from Sky Ireland indicate Sky wanted to extend and expand the deal for many more years, but couldn't get the fixed games guaranteed they wanted.

Feck sky. Been blocking us watching other sports up north for years

Interestingly the Indo is reporting BBC and BBC NI is expanding their coverage, maybe taking Sky matches and expanding their current coverage.

That could be better for Nordies and indeed all of us as in recent years BBC NI has the best punditry and coverage in my opinion. The lads involved all clued in and knowledgeable.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Plenty of wans celebrating, but it's a time for reflection too.  If our product was great, Sky would be expanding, not withdrawing.

The quotes from Sky Ireland indicate Sky wanted to extend and expand the deal for many more years, but couldn't get the fixed games guaranteed they wanted.

Feck sky. Been blocking us watching other sports up north for years

Interestingly the Indo is reporting BBC and BBC NI is expanding their coverage, maybe taking Sky matches and expanding their current coverage.

That could be better for Nordies and indeed all of us as in recent years BBC NI has the best punditry and coverage in my opinion. The lads involved all clued in and knowledgeable.

Sidebottom aside. Dose

[full moon]

"A factor in this decision has been the new shortened GAA season and it's knock-on impact on the number of games Sky Sports wanted to broadcast." - JD Buckley, Sky Ireland CEO"



The Sunday game to get some decent pundits now?

They didn't have great viewership ..  https://www.balls.ie/gaa/258965-the-gaas-sky-deal-196636

From what I understood from reading about these rights deals, Sky Sports weren't as bothered about viewing figures.

It was about stopping Irish customers from cancelling and keeping them on board. Possibly pubs too. That's the big target keeping subscriptions.

[Itchy]

A lot of ejits celebrating on social media but all it means are less games available on tv and no competition so RTE can continue to offer their shite coverage. Nothing to celebrate here.

[Saffrongael]

Joe Brolly will be happy anyway, even though with him it's all manufactured outrage