GAAGO defends service amid criticism from politicians and AgeAction

Two recent blockbuster encounters in the Munster senior hurling championship, Cork versus Tipperary last weekend and Clare versus Limerick the weekend before, were only available on GAAGO. Picture: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

The GAA is coming under increasing pressure to stop using streaming service GAAGO for top games, with Tánaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin saying they should be free to air.

GAAGO launched nine years ago as a subscription-based service offering live GAA games to audiences worldwide, outside of the island of Ireland. The platform, a joint venture between RTÉ and the GAA, was expanded last year after Sky Sports' nine-year broadcasting deal came to an end.

Two recent blockbuster encounters in the Munster senior hurling championship, Cork versus Tipperary last weekend and Clare versus Limerick the weekend before, were only available on GAAGO.

Speaking in Cork, Mr Martin, the leader of Fianna Fáil, said his "personal view" for a "long, long time" has been that fans shouldn't be subjected to a paywall.

"We want more and more people to see hurling being played like it was on Saturday with Cork and Tipp and last week with Clare and Limerick — it’s something that should be reviewed.

“I think the games should be free to air…. and it’s the game of hurling that has lost the most because the game of hurling at its best is simply a classic. 

"Irrespective of one’s preference for any one code or sport, everyone loves to watch a great game of hurling.”

GAAGO chief Noel Quinn said that "there's been a lot of positive reaction" to the service.

GAAGO is broadcasting 38 GAA games exclusively this season, with a 'season pass' costing €79. It is accessed on PCs, laptops, or  smartphones, and can be cast to a television. The pre-Christmas season pass was priced at €59. Care-giving locations can watch for free using complimentary login codes distributed by county PROs.

'Invisible barrier'

Nat O’Connor: 't is really important that everybody can take part in GAA. It is part of the fabric of society.'

Nat O'Connor, senior public affairs and policy specialist with Age Action, claimed this is creating an “invisible barrier” for elderly GAA fans who have no online access or cannot afford the streaming service.

“It's an invisible barrier that people don't have the technology or the wherewithal to access these games online and it's not a small issue," he told Newstalk.

“Our concern would be that it is really important that everybody can take part in GAA. It is part of the fabric of society. For many people they have been loyal followers of the GAA all their lives.

“It is not a small issue. Three in ten older people would not be using the internet at all and another three in ten who would be using the internet have basic skills. They would not be up to doing financial transactions online.”

Fine Gael TD Alan Dillon, a former Mayo captain and two-time GAA All-Star, called for a proposal to be brought forward at GAA Congress to scrap the platform.

“Over the last two weekends, two Munster hurling matches, both high-quality games, were broadcast live only on GAAGO. People were forced to pay for it or miss out," he said.

“This is extremely unfair and goes against the ethos of the GAA as an inclusive, volunteer-led, and community-based organisation.

“What was supposed to be a means of connecting the Irish diaspora with their local teams is fast becoming an exclusive and expensive platform which disproportionately impacts older viewers.”

'Positive reaction'

At the launch of the 2023 Tailteann Cup competition, new GAAGO chief Noel Quinn said he hopes people judge the platform on the multi-year deal that is in place, rather than the first couple of weekends.

“We're fully aware of some people saying that Munster hurling is behind a paywall. But we've literally tripled the number of games made available to those who are prepared to pay the €1.55 per game, if they bought it at the season pass rate.

"And there's been a lot of positive reaction to it. In terms of promotion of hurling, RTÉ will broadcast 15 hurling championship matches over the course of the championship. They have a couple of big Munster double headers coming up.”

A spokesperson for Sports Minister Catherine Martin said the management of the broadcasting of its games is a matter for the GAA "which has commercial deals with domestic broadcasters as well as streaming games on its own GAAGo platform". 

"Revenue from both sources is ultimately invested back into the games the GAA promotes, from grassroots to elite level. A challenge for the GAA, and other sports organisations, is how to strike the best balance between revenue generation and making its games available to viewers, particularly those cohorts who might not have the technical competence to engage with a streaming service."