‘Criminal’ to make all games free to air, says John Hynes

Galway GAA secretary John Hynes believes it would be “criminal” for all televised inter-county games to be made available free to air.

Galway chiefs are seeking clarification on the St Joseph’s O’Connell Boys motion, to be debated at Congress this weekend, which is calling for an end to the broadcasting of GAA games on subscription TV stations.

At a meeting of the Galway County Board on Monday night, club delegates questioned the wording of the motion, which, if passed, would enact a new rule whereby “all televised inter-county championship games shall be available on free to air TV”.

Galway officials will support the motion if it is reworded so that the broadcasting of GAA games on non-subscription channels is confined to Ireland.

“The motion as it is would mean games were free-to-air in England, free-to-air in Australia, free-to-air outside of Ireland. We have put a provisor, in that it read free-to-air in Ireland,” explained Galway secretary John Hynes.

“The motion will have to be clarified because it is very significant. What are the consequence of the motion, as it is, to the GAA business GAAGO? What is the implication if every game is to be televised free to air live? It would be criminal. If it is free-to-air in Ireland, we will support it.”