IRFU warn of lost TV revenue, but minister not for turning

A SENIOR IRFU official last night warned that proposals to designate the Heineken Cup and the Six Nations as free-to-air television events in Ireland could, if successful, lead to ‘a lost generation of players’.

IRFU spokesman Karl Richardson estimated that the union could lose up to €12 million per annum if legislation from Communications Minister Eamon Ryan is passed.

The GAA’s provincial SHC and SFC finals along with All-Ireland quarter-finals and semi-finals in both codes and the Cheltenham Festival are on the list of events designated of major importance to society in Ryan’s document.

Such events cannot become pay-per-view thus lessening potential revenue streams for governing bodies.

However it is rugby and the potential financial fallout which has created the most controversy since the process began. Though the Six Nations is currently a free-to-air event, the IRFU fear their hands would be effectively tied in future broadcast negotiation deals if this proposal becomes law.

Richardson said: “We had an open and frank discussion with the Minister yesterday.

“We again, as part of a group between the ERC, Six Nations and the IRFU underlined our concerns. By closing a market which is uninhibited leaves a real danger to the incomes which are generated. That could put us in danger of losing 10 to €12m per year which could hamper how we develop and progress the sport.

“We will have lost a generation of players (if the legislation is passed). Where do you take []from? Do you take it from the grassroots developing the next Brian O’Driscoll or do you take it from the professional game where it could allow players to leave? By limiting our ability to put our best foot forward in terms of guaranteed uninhibited marketplace for games it is going to put us at a severe disadvantage and that has repercussions.”

However the Minister, who has increased the consultation period on the matter until July 4 was sticking to his guns last night.

He told Newstalk’s Off the Ball: “We had different views but share in the interest of trying to develop Irish rugby and see its continued success.

“I firmly believe that that success will come by furthering the spread of the sport out into the whole Irish population. What has happened is the sport has grown from patches of real strength to being everywhere.”

And the Minister insisted that ensuring the games were available to the largest possible audience with continue that growth.

He reasoned: “The success of this game is based on the fact that it is watched by a large number of people. The sponsorship income, the ticket income, the whole range of different incomes could be threatened if you box a sport off into a pay-per-view audience only and you then lose the audience. That is the biggest threat to income and the revenue. I have no problem with Sky showing it (the Heineken Cup) but what I want is for it to be available as well here on a free to air.

“I don’t see a loss of income. I see the bigger threat of loss of income in the medium to longer term if you turn a sport into a very small narrow audience, those who can afford to watch it, and then you miss out on the much bigger wider audience.

“That is the biggest threat to the sport. Yes we need a generation of new players but you will get them from 10 or 11-year-olds watching that sport or watching that game, and just thinking ‘I want to be the next Brian O’Driscoll’. If you don’t allow those 10 or 11-year-olds watch that game you will find that sport withering over time.”