Company at centre of GAA scoring row sees profits double to €4.5m

Profits at the firm at the centre of the summer controversy over the GAA’s malfunctioning score detection system last year more than doubled to over €4.5m.

According to accounts filed by Hawk-Eye Innovations Ltd with Companies House in the UK, the high-profile firm increased its accumulated profits from £1.63m to £3.78m (€4.56m) last year.

The abridged figures show that Hawk-Eye Innovations more than doubled its cash balance from £1.86m to £4.4m in the 12 months to the end of Mar 31, 2013.

Last August at Croke Park, an “error in the match-day set up” on the Hawk-eye system incorrectly disallowed a point for Limerick against Galway in an All-Ireland semi final minor hurling tie.

The system was stood down for the subsequent Clare-Limerick senior semi-final and re-introduced for the remainder of the championship without any further hiccup.

The system did correct a score initially given wide by the umpires in the All-Ireland hurling replay and award a point for losers Cork.

Reports suggest that it has cost the GAA €200,000 to have Hawk-Eye installed, though the cost has never been confirmed.

The firm enjoys a high public profile through its ball-tracking technology for tennis. The Premier League in the UK has also installed Hawk-Eye to provide goal line technology for the new soccer season.

The firm’s profit in 2013 took account of non-cash depreciation costs of £219,363.

Hawk-Eye has an annual involvement in over 100 events including the Wimbledon Championships, The Cricket World Cup, Davis and Federation Cups, World Championships snooker and the Indian Premier League cricket.

At Croke Park, the technology involves eight high-speed cameras with the ball position triangulated using four cameras covering each end of the stadium.