Sky deal with FAI 'cannot be changed'

THE Sky television deal for exclusive rights to Ireland's home soccer internationals cannot be changed by backdating legislation, the Football Association of Ireland has repeated.

The association said its legal advice remained the same - that legislation which prevents restrictions on the viewing of specially designated sporting events cannot be applied retrospectively - although management conceded the issue may end up in the courts or before the EU before it is resolved.

The deal, which is worth 7.6 million euro to the FAI over the next four years, met little opposition when it was discussed at the association’s annual general meeting in Dublin at the weekend, even though the controversy left the gathering without their traditional government guest to formally open the event.

General secretary Brendan Menton told delegates who questioned the non-appearance of a guest of honour that he had taken the decision not to invite anyone in light of the controversy over the Sky deal.

But he insisted the association continued to have a good working relationship with the ministers and government department officials.

One speaker from the floor was sceptical, pointing out that the organisation relied on grants yet had failed to give the Minster for Sport, John O’Donoghue, advance notice of the deal despite meeting with him shortly before concluding the contract.

“The Government is at loggerheads with us and the relationship is still the same? We are asking the taxpayers for money in grants and now we are turning around to the same people and saying you are going to have to pay for looking at us and the relationship is still the same?” said Paddy Trehy of the Dublin District Schoolboys League.

FAI treasurer John Delaney said it was always going to be impossible to achieve the ideal deal given the association’s dual responsibility to the development of football and the enjoyment of viewers.

He insisted at all times, the association had wanted to continue doing business with RTÉ but said the national broadcaster had left it with no choice because of its “unrealistic” offer.

“All the association wants is a realistic marketable value on our TV rights.” Mr Delaney said the game had changed dramatically in five years. The number of coaches had risen from two to 25 and the number of international matches played by the under-21, juvenile and women’s teams had increased from 46 to 92.

Sky were offering more than four times the 1.6m euro RTÉ was prepared to pay - a sum which was a third less than the broadcaster had paid in the previous four-year period.

He also said RTÉ had no interest in broadcasting Eircom League games which led to a “huge conflict” in the objectives of the negotiating sides.

Mr Menton said the upshot of the deal was that the value of television sporting rights has changed forever and changed for the benefit of sporting organisations.