GAA doing a deal with SkySports

[AZOffaly]

Too soon. Expect a few fluff pieces when the games get more important..

[haranguerer]

So, we've had a few weeks of GAA on sky. Apart from a few tweets reported in the papers, has there been any indication of an increase in regular viewings within the UK. This was we were told the whole point, to grow viewership internationally.

Tweets aside I don't see anything in terms of interest on sports forums nor has the UK media picked up on it. 

Still too soon?

2 months?? Yes.

Start looking in a decade.

[thejuice]

Christ, I wasn't expecting it to be the national sport already, just curious if there had been any evidence of it generating interest beyond a few tweets.

[Zulu]

Lots of the clubs over here promote it to their membership and that will increase as the really interesting games start later in the summer. It will take time, probably years, to develop an audience outside of the Irish but it will increase IMO.

[Zulu]

Sky showing Tipp v Offaly next Saturday at 7pm. An odd choice considering it could well be the worst game of the weekend in either code. I presume fixing it at 7pm on Saturday evening was done after consultation with Sky?

[Jinxy]

That whole 'Let's see what the Brits think about us' stuff on Twitter is a bit cringeworthy.
Who cares if some lad in Kent reckons hurling is like a cross between quidditch and wrestling.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Sky: Tipp v Galway ave viewers 34,000 share 2.8%
RTE: Clare v Wexford ave viewers 203,000 share 25%
RTE: Dublin v Kilkenny ave viewers 385,000 share 36%

[Zulu]

That's a pretty big jump for Sky on the previous few games though, which averaged 18,000 I think. Only their first game reached those kinds of figures and it'll be interesting what the figures for the QF, SF and finals will be like her in Britain.

[thejuice]

That whole 'Let's see what the Brits think about us' stuff on Twitter is a bit cringeworthy.
Who cares if some lad in Kent reckons hurling is like a cross between quidditch and wrestling.

Those articles are rather useless and annoying. Which is why I'm asking for any more concrete indicators of interest.

But the UK is the target audience of this sky move so it would be good to know what the Brits think, and not just some need for validation from them.

[Eamonnca1]

That whole 'Let's see what the Brits think about us' stuff on Twitter is a bit cringeworthy.
Who cares if some lad in Kent reckons hurling is like a cross between quidditch and wrestling.

Tell me about it. I've been getting comments like that on my YouTube channel for years.

[NaomhBridAbú]

Sky: Tipp v Galway ave viewers 34,000 share 2.8%
RTE: Clare v Wexford ave viewers 203,000 share 25%
RTE: Dublin v Kilkenny ave viewers 385,000 share 36%

Its early days for SKY...same as when they took on soccer in the 90s. It will grow but the real benefit will be that BBC, RTE will all have to up their games....the standard of broadcasting of GAA is appalling, (with BBC its the poor camera work and lack of insight...adn RTE is the absolutely redundant analysis) - Sky should force them all to get better...

not wanting to antagonise a Galway man but are the other 2 games possibly "better" match ups?

[GalwayBayBoy]

Sky: Tipp v Galway ave viewers 34,000 share 2.8%
RTE: Clare v Wexford ave viewers 203,000 share 25%
RTE: Dublin v Kilkenny ave viewers 385,000 share 36%

Its early days for SKY...same as when they took on soccer in the 90s. It will grow but the real benefit will be that BBC, RTE will all have to up their games....the standard of broadcasting of GAA is appalling, (with BBC its the poor camera work and lack of insight...adn RTE is the absolutely redundant analysis) - Sky should force them all to get better...

not wanting to antagonise a Galway man but are the other 2 games possibly "better" match ups?

Well Dublin are because they are Dublin and have by far the biggest population.

All things being equal though I think Tipp v Galway would have attracted more viewers than Clare v Wexford were they on the same channel.

[Main Street]

Sky: Tipp v Galway ave viewers 34,000 share 2.8%
RTE: Clare v Wexford ave viewers 203,000 share 25%
RTE: Dublin v Kilkenny ave viewers 385,000 share 36%

Its early days for SKY...same as when they took on soccer in the 90s. It will grow but the real benefit will be that BBC, RTE will all have to up their games....the standard of broadcasting of GAA is appalling, (with BBC its the poor camera work and lack of insight...adn RTE is the absolutely redundant analysis) - Sky should force them all to get better...

not wanting to antagonise a Galway man but are the other 2 games possibly "better" match ups?

That's a theory.  Were TV3  not providing competition and raising standards?  Are the commentators or the pundits any better on Sky than they were on TV3? Possibly now you are paying a small fortune to listen to them, you have that purchaser's stockholm syndrome?

TV3's coverage of their package of GAA matches, by any standards of measurement was a resounding success.
Their viewing figures were on the up and up, in 2013 they had an average of 313,000 per game.
Now Sky have that package and  we have plenty of spin to fill in the gap between 30,000 and 300,000.

[armaghniac]

But sure while there might be 270000 less Irish watching it, what about all those British people? The GAA can't be seen to favour Irish people, except for fundraising and getting players and that kind of thing.

[NaomhBridAbú]

Sky: Tipp v Galway ave viewers 34,000 share 2.8%
RTE: Clare v Wexford ave viewers 203,000 share 25%
RTE: Dublin v Kilkenny ave viewers 385,000 share 36%

Its early days for SKY...same as when they took on soccer in the 90s. It will grow but the real benefit will be that BBC, RTE will all have to up their games....the standard of broadcasting of GAA is appalling, (with BBC its the poor camera work and lack of insight...adn RTE is the absolutely redundant analysis) - Sky should force them all to get better...

not wanting to antagonise a Galway man but are the other 2 games possibly "better" match ups?

That's a theory.  Were TV3  not providing competition and raising standards?  Are the commentators or the pundits any better on Sky than they were on TV3? Possibly now you are paying a small fortune to listen to them, you have that purchaser's stockholm syndrome?

TV3's coverage of their package of GAA matches, by any standards of measurement was a resounding success.
Their viewing figures were on the up and up, in 2013 they had an average of 313,000 per game.
Now Sky have that package and  we have plenty of spin to fill in the gap between 30,000 and 300,000.

TV3 wasn't available for me in Belfast, so SKY is a better option regardless - even though I hate Murdoch, but its not about my view. SKY have a serious pedigree in sport broadcasting...much better than anything else on the island. They changed the shape of football, rugby, snooker and darts....if they can do the same with GAA is up or debate, but their presence will make RTE get their act together....its noticeable that they have already chafed the presentation of some of their stats etc...the BBC in the meantime have Thomas Kane walking into the middle of the pitch with Oisin Mconville and then back to the sideline again, which is in itself a change of tact, but hardly life changing for the viewer. Certainly awkward for the two men.

Its a hard call on audiences - TV is about content, and SKY will never have the BEST GAMES (thats another debate, i know) and so will never be able to go like-for-like with RTE in terms of share of voice etc, but it will shake it up, and the GAA and the fans should be the winners in the long term.

Once the theme tune for the Sunday Game finishes, its all down hill from there - Brolly, Spillane? I'vehad enough...