The GAA director general has said the Association views the decision to offer Sky Sports exclusive coverage of All-Ireland games as a necessary payoff to spread the reach of gaelic games across the world.
A deal to offer exclusive broadcasting rights to a subscription based foreign broadcasting company was destined to be a contentious one for the GAA – more than it would be for any other Irish sporting organisation – and this afternoon’s announcement was greeted with a mix of excitement and disgust. Duffy says the GAA were prepared for hsotility towards the decision, but felt that the benefits of a vastly increased potential audience was worth leaving Irish fans being blocked from watching championship games.
“There’s a price to be paid for making them available worldwide and in a sense by making the games available in Britain we had to [give up] games in Ireland,” Duffy said.
“It’s a question of balance. So, OK , there’s a little bit of pain for people at home…but the Irish abroad for the first time will have access to our games like they’ve never had before.”
“The reality is that for the next 3 years we will show approximately 100 games in all competitions free to air.
“The only change is last year we broadcast 40 championship games free to air, this year it will be 31 free to air. In terms of reduction there are 9 games less. People at home here who haven’t Sky will lose out on 9 games. Against that, the Irish in Britain, the huge number of our players and supporter members who are out there, will see for the first time 20 games at home in their own sitting room."
“The huge number of Irish in Australia will be able to see all 45 games free to air on channel 7.”
Speaking to Off the Ball tonight, GAA director general Paraic Duffy said one of the central aims behind the GAA’s plan for selling this latest round of TV rights was a desire to spread the games to the Irish abroad and to better showcase hurling and football to a wider audience.
“Our agenda was to try and make the games available abroad and certainly in terms of Britain we felt that sky was really the only vehicle there to do that,” Duffy said.
“When you travel around our supporters and members outside Ireland was the demand, the appeal even, to make it easier to watch our games when you’re out of the country,” Duffy said.
Promotion of the sports was also a factor, with the belief that introducing the game to a wider audience, previously unaware of Irish sports, could see a growth in the game’s popularity.
“We think we have two fantastic games, hurling and football, and I think that, they’re games that if we get the chance to put them out there I think there’ll be an interest in them,” Duffy said.
“I think there’ll be a real interest in hurling. People when they’re exposed to our games for the first time will find them interesting.”
Listen to the full interview with Duffy via the player below, or download it on iTune
