GPA unhappy over Sony football game

THE Gaelic Players Association said yesterday it was disappointed a new Sony GAA computer game had gone to market without consultation with players.

The Sony PlayStation’s Gaelic Games: Football went on sale in shops around the country yesterday after several years of planning.

However, the GPA said the question of players’ image rights was never resolved.

“We are very disappointed that the product came to market, in other countries around the world there has been agreements,” Dessie Farrell of the GPA said, adding other games such as FIFA World Cup featured the images of soccer stars.

“An inferior product has gone to market because of the lack of discussions.”

Unlike computer games based on other sports there were no image rights agreed and the players are not based on actual inter-county Gaelic players.

“For some reason that hasn’t happened and we feel it possibly discriminates against amateur players,” he said.

The PlayStation game, which is on sale for around €60, includes the moves unique to the sport from hand passes to full commentary from radio legend Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh.

Players can pick any county team including London and New York in their full colours, and can play in any of 11 stadia including Croke Park, Casement and Semple stadiums and Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

The game is also produced in bi-lingual format with Irish and English user options.

Mr Farrell said the monetary gains were not the issue and any money gained from image rights could have benefited all of the players.

He said the players had been treated with disdain over the game.

A team of 20 experts spent two years photographing stadiums, copying team kits and recording and replicating movements of players to bring the game to computer screens.