GAAGO is excluding people

There is huge anger out there with the way in which RTÉ and the GAA are broadcasting many of this year’s championship hurling and football games, says Tipp TD Alan Kelly.

The Labour TD added: “The decision to put the Tipp/Cork and Limerick/Clare games on the GAAGO platform ensured that many people were not able to watch two absolute classic hurling matches.

“This was particularly the case for many elderly people who would not have the ability to stream the games. This is very upsetting for many people who quite naturally thought they would be able to watch them on RTÉ. Furthermore, in areas of the country where there isn’t stable broadband it would be very difficult to stream satisfactorily the games.

“Not alone are GAA supporters missing out on these games but the GAA are missing the opportunity to promote their games. It seems that hurling in particular has taken a big promotional hit this year. As Donal Óg Cusack has pointed out, by next weekend four of the biggest Munster hurling games will have been on GAAGO.

“It seems that the GAA and RTÉ haven’t heeded supporters concerns as it turns out that four of the biggest opening games in the next round of the Gaelic football championship will now be on GAAGO as well.

“I appreciate that there is a need for a good standard streaming service and that the partnership between the GAA and RTÉ in creating GAAGO is a good fit. It is especially good for supporters worldwide who can access games.

“However, the fact is that the volume of matches that are being streamed on GAAGO is excluding people who have supported the GAA all their lives and this is not acceptable. In fact it is disrespectful and is going to have to change or else the GAA will lose supporters potentially to other sports.

“I know there is a cost to covering games so one solution I’d put forward is that GAAGO channels be put on the Saorview platform and that they become an option which citizens could opt in or out of when renewing their licence for something like €5 or €10. This would be similar to the sky platform where you can add or take away different packages depending on your preferences. This would at least allow supporters to be able to watch the games on their TV without having to stream and still provide an additional revenue to the GAA and RTÉ.”