GAA cut number of televised games to boost attendances

GAA chiefs have moved to address drops in attendances at provincial championship games by opting to cut the number of live televised matches by an annual figure of 20% for the next four years.

Under the GAA media rights package for 2011-2014, announced yesterday, RTÉ’s number of televised games will fall annually from 40 to 31, TV3’s quota is slightly reduced from 10 to nine, while the other major talking point sees commercial radio station Newstalk breaking RTÉ Radio’s stranglehold by securing the live broadcast rights for second choice championship games.

The GAA decision is not a surprise with Director General Páraic Duffy voicing concerns about the effect blanket coverage was having on crowds at championship ties.

RTÉ will continue to be the primary rights holder but along with their nine senior ties during the summer, TV3 have also secured live coverage of the All-Ireland minor hurling and football finals and station bosses have not ruled out retaining the traditional Irish language commentary for those games.

The arrival of Newstalk into the live GAA broadcast market is a hugely significant development and while the finer details of the agreement have yet to be hammered out, it is projected that the station will broadcast 15-20 live games.

“We’re absolutely thrilled and we believe it’s a ringing endorsement for all the work that we’ve been putting inm,” stated Newstalk sports editor Ger Gilroy. “It’s fantastic now that for the first time ever you can hear a live championship game on a national station other than RTÉ.

Gilroy revealed that Dave McIntyre, who commentates on Premier League and Heineken Cup games, will be the station’s GAA commentator with their match analysts likely to be drawn from the station’s regular contributors like Daithi Regan, Jamesie O’Connor, Bernard Flynn and David Brady.

TG4 is set to retain its coverage of Sunday afternoon National Hurling and Football League games, while the Irish language station are also to produce new midweek packages of live Wednesday night games from the provincial U21 football championships, the Sigerson Cup and the Fitzgibbon Cup.

Setanta will continue to have the rights to Saturday night National League clashes.