TG4 to submit bid for GAA senior championship rights

There is  doubt that Sky Sports will return to the negotiating table at this juncture, while Virgin Media are not expected to be in discussions either.

EXPANSION: TG4 is seeking to expand its already extensive Gaelic games coverage. Picture: Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

TG4 will submit a bid to purchase a GAA senior championship media rights package later this week.

The Irish language TV station has confirmed it is seeking to expand its extensive Gaelic games coverage to include the competition’s blue riband events.

It currently has the largest rights tranche for the Allianz Leagues as well as several other agreements such as the All-Ireland minor and U20 championships and has a highlights show on a Monday night.

The packages made available by the GAA last month are eight provincial and All-Ireland games in both codes that are predominantly played on Saturdays and a six-game suite that comprises two All-Ireland quarter-finals, a Munster senior hurling championship game and three other championship fixtures.

RTÉ are not pursuing either per se but as partners with the GAA in GAAGO they will have interest in the pay-per-view streaming service regaining what it had been showing before the rights were put out to tender. There is also doubt that Sky Sports will return to the negotiating table at this juncture, while Virgin Media are not expected to be in discussions either.

As co-owners of GAAGO, it was within the GAA’s powers to release the packages which had commenced last year and due to run until 2027. The new deals are for two years.

It had been reported that the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission advised the GAA to release the packages but both Croke Park and RTÉ insisted they had not.

TG4, who showed their first live GAA game 25 years ago next month, are said to have shown interest in televising live senior championship games when they were all made available in 2022. However, the GAA maintained that was not articulated during negotiations. They said: “It is our understanding that TG4 did not have the financial resources to make an additional bid.” 

Industry sources don’t expect TG4 will claim both sets of rights but there is anticipation that they may be able to make a competitive offer for one of them possibly the six-game contract and GAAGO will retain the larger suite.

Last year, the GAA made €2 million from streaming. In total, the GAA accrued €12.845m in media coverage in 2023, down from €16.578m the previous year when Sky Sports were involved.

Broadcasters were asked for expressions of interest in the packages by August 12 and those who did have until this Monday to submit tenders. The process is expected to be completed by next month.