Burns confirms GAA's buy-out of GAAGO from RTÉ

President confirms that rebranded 'GAA+' will replace streaming service as he also tells Congress of new rules on funding for All-Ireland finalists' team holidays and updates on integration of Ladies GAA and Camogie associations

FRESH START: GAA GO sideline position before the GAA Football All-Ireland Senior Championship Preliminary Quarter Final match between Donegal and Tyrone at MacCumhaill Park in Ballybofey, Donegal. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

GAA president Jarlath Burns has confirmed the association’s new in-house media platform as GAA+.

Replacing GAAGO, the announcement at Congress in Donegal this afternoon confirms the GAA have bought RTÉ out of its share of the streaming service.

Burns revealed the move will ensure there is more content on the pay-per-view service including midweek programmes. It will make its live debut in the opening weekend of the championships in April.

“Why are we doing this?” asked Burns. “To be strategic, to be a leader in Irish sport, to leverage global trends, to future proof the value of our broadcast rights in a quickly evolving media world, to further embrace the digital age and meet our members’ demands.

“Our growing in-house expertise allows us to pursue this project entirely on our own in the domestic and international markets, but I would like to acknowledge and thank RTÉ for their collaboration and partnership over the course of the last decade.

“Their know-how and experience were vital in establishing proof of concept for what was a new venture and a first in Irish sport. We look forward to working with them as traditional media partners for many years to come – as part of a mutually beneficial relationship that stretches back to the first European Sports broadcast on 2RN in 1926.

“This latest development represents a major step forward for us in managing and utilising our own rights and when you consider the seismic changes in the media landscape over the last decade, this has to be welcomed.” 

Burns also revealed that the €150,000 each All-Ireland finalist now receives towards a team holiday will be contingent on them engaging with the media.

“Access to post-finals team holiday funding will be linked to measured media access around the national launches of our All-Ireland championships and games in the knockout phases of our All-Ireland series. Failure to assist will impact on the funding available for team holidays for winning teams," he told delegates.

“I believe and hope that this will be the start of a different conversation around media engagement, our games, and our fantastic role models and ambassadors in particular, many of whom I know are more than willing to assist us in this endeavour. We have a duty to promote our games, and nothing does that better than showcasing and celebrating the fantastic people who play them.” 

Burns highlighted the importance of the work being done by the GAA’s demographic committee to highlight the depopulation beyond the east coast of the island.

“It is unconscionable that we would be the generation who preside over the permanent demise of rural Ireland. The role that we play in Irish life and especially in rural life gives us a power and influence that we should use to ensure that rural Ireland is not allowed to die.” On the subject of the integration of the GAA, Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Associations, Burns warned external funding will be required to make it a possibility. He also said some parts of the organisations might not be combinable.

“It strikes me that some elements of the three operations as they are currently configured are not ‘integrate-able’ if I can use that term. And if this is the case, we have to ask the question honestly, should we interfere with processes which currently do what the three organisations need them to do? Other areas are more straight forward.

“What is indisputable is the fact that we will need assistance externally in terms of finance if we are to attempt to merge three bodies where a stark imbalance exists in areas as important as facilities and general operations before an agreed level of outputs can be reached.” 

Burns also revealed they have a capital strategy almost ready to submit to Government: “We have a plan to finance this which is at an advanced stage and we are meeting the Government next week to present it to them and if this plan comes together, it will create financial support which will fund a proper 10-year infrastructure strategy which will not only prepare the GAA for integration – but will future proof us for the next 30 years and I am really confident that this will happen.” 

The Armagh native also expressed exasperation at how slow the Casement Park project has progressed. 

“The only football that is being kicked around Casement Park is a political one and this is not where we want to be!," Burns said. “Whilst we are all getting impatient about Casement Park, we urge all of the parties to come together to ensure that we can have a stadium in Ulster that will be modern, fit for purpose, future-proofed and capable of serving the needs of our Association. As president, and on behalf of all the members of our Association, we will accept no more empty promises.”