IRFU attacks Ryan’s ‘cracked’ free-to-air plan

THE Irish Rugby Football Union has attacked plans by Communications Minister, Éamon Ryan which would require Six Nations and Heineken Cup matches involving Irish teams to be shown on free-to-air TV channels.

The IRFU yesterday warned the controversial proposals would threaten the future of Irish rugby as the loss of bargaining power over TV rights could cost the rugby authorities €12m a year.

IRFU chief executive Philip Browne predicted the plans, if confirmed, would lead to “a very quick spiral of decline” for Irish rugby after several years of major success at international and provincial level. He claimed such a decline would see Ireland become a second-tier rugby country and see “the end of the game’s mass appeal”.

Mr Browne explained the performance of the national team and the provincial sides would be “terminally damaged” through the loss of top players to English and French clubs which would result from a fall in revenue and consequent drop in salaries. “The irony is that Minister Ryan’s proposal would destroy both the sport and the very cultural events the minister believes he would be protecting,” said Mr Browne.

He also accused the Green Party politician of gambling with the future of Irish rugby and described his plans as “absolutely cracked”.

The IRFU chief executive claimed any cuts in income would be borne disproportionately by the professional game. Any suggestion that sponsorship could fill the €12m loss in revenue was nonsense, said Mr Browne.

He also highlighted how the move could impact negatively on the IRFU’s joint approach with other rugby authorities and their dealing with broadcasters on the sale of TV rights.

Fine Gael communications spokesman Simon Coveney criticised the minister for adopting a populist stance without recognising that existing structures for promoting rugby on TV were working.

However, the minister last night urged his critics not to rush to judgement and allow the consultation process to continue. “I am respectful of the IRFU but still strong in my own convictions,” said Mr Ryan, who expressed concern about a situation where children could only watch their sporting heroes in pubs.

Mr Ryan recently extended the deadline for receipt of submissions on the proposed list of events to be designated free-to-air by one month until July 4.

Under EU legislation, member states may require certain sporting and cultural events deemed “of major importance to society” to be shown on free-to-air TV stations. The current list includes the All-Ireland hurling and football finals, Ireland’s home and away games in the qualifying rounds of the European Championship and World Cup, as well as the opening games, semi-finals and finals and any Irish games in the finals of such tournaments.

Other events are the Irish Grand National, the Irish Derby and the Nations Cup in show jumping, the summer Olympics and Ireland’s games in the Rugby World Cup finals.

Ireland’s games in the Six Nations championship are currently only designated as free-to-air on a deferred basis, although such matches are currently broadcast live as RTÉ has the rights to show them until 2012.

In addition to the Six Nations and Heineken Cup, Mr Ryan has also proposed extending the list to include the provincial finals in the All-Ireland hurling and football championships and the Cheltenham festival in horse racing.

“I believe these events are part of what we are and should be available to all Irish viewers on a free-to-air basis,” said the minister.

The majority of submissions to a current online forum hosted on the Department of Communication’s website about the free-to-air proposals are opposed to the minister’s plans.

However, a similar exercise carried out earlier this year showed a majority of submissions from members of the public in favour of making Six Nations and Heineken Cup matches freely available on terrestrial TV.