RTÉ wait on television coverage verdict

RTÉ hope for better news from the GAA with regard to their spread of live television coverage of championship games over the next few years when the second round tenders are revealed in the next week or so.

And, this will be followed a short time later by the announcement of the six major companies who will share the sponsorship of the All-Ireland senior hurling and football championships. In this regard, the Association’s Commercial and Marketing director Dermot Power revealed yesterday that they are ‘at the stage’ of final contracts with the six companies chosen to spearhead their first multi-sponsor deal.

On the television front, while TV3 may have stolen a march on RTÉ in terms of outbidding them for one of the ‘packages’ in the first round of television and radio contract negotiations announced in early November, the belief is that there is no question of the national broadcaster conceding their dominant position in Gaelic games coverage. However, Setanta, along with TV3, are expected to be involved in the final shake-up before what Power described as the final piece of the jigsaw is finalised – the granting of international rights.