Sports events 'must be on free TV'

[Green]

Sports events 'must be on free TV'

Press Assoc.

Broadcasters will be banned from making viewers pay to watch rugby's Heineken Cup and the Cheltenham horseracing festival under Government plans.

Communications Minister Eamon Ryan said he was designating the events as of "major importance to society" in a move that would ensure they are free-to-air.

Other sporting fixtures that would have to be broadcast free of charge under the proposal include the GAA senior football and hurling provincial finals as well as the All-Ireland senior football and hurling quarter and semi-finals. Heineken Cup rugby games involving an Irish team will also be barred from pay-for-view channels.


Taken from http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20100430/tu ... cd776.html

[Dave Cahill]

Bye Bye Connacht.

[ronk]

Bye Bye Connacht.

Depends. I haven't noticed whether this means it has to be shown live or would delayed coverage be enough.

[Scott]

Bye Bye Connacht.

Depends. I haven't noticed whether this means it has to be shown live or would delayed coverage be enough.

Live. And not just the final but all group stages

http://www.independent.ie/national-news ... 58965.html

[Dave Cahill]

Bye Bye Connacht.

Depends. I haven't noticed whether this means it has to be shown live or would delayed coverage be enough.

RTE already have delayed coverage rights for the Irish teams (and highlights for the rest, which of course, they barely use)

[ronk]

I can't say I'm happy with this. Despite being able to show full matches on a delay RTE are showing an extended highlights package at semi-final level. And after the Premiership too. If RTE aren't taking it seriously enough then there isn't a strong case for stating the importance of this match.

That said, I might well drop Sky Sports if RTE were going to show ALL the Irish HC matches, but the financial implications for Irish Rugby (I could care less about Sky) are somewhat troubling.

The other issue is that RTE gaining HC rugby would almost certainly lead to them torpedoing their ML coverage. I can't see them showing both properly.

[Scott]

[quote="ronk"]I can't say I'm happy with this. Despite being able to show full matches on a delay RTE are showing an extended highlights package at semi-final level. And after the Premiership too. If RTE aren't taking it seriously enough then there isn't a strong case for stating the importance of this match.

That said, I might well drop Sky Sports if RTE were going to show ALL the Irish HC matches, but the financial implications for Irish Rugby (I could care less about Sky) are somewhat troubling.

The other issue is that RTE gaining HC rugby would almost certainly lead to them torpedoing their ML coverage. I can't see them showing both properly.[/quote]

I can't see them showing ONE properly. Agree the biggest worry is the impact on Irish Rugby the lost revenue will have. All round bad idea in my opinion

[future international]

The IRFU has issued a statement on the matter, with its Chief Executive Philip Browne saying: "The IRFU notes Minister Ryan's announcement earlier today regarding his proposal to include the RBS 6 Nations Championship and the Heineken Cup as designated 'free-to-air' events.

"At this juncture we do not feel it appropriate to make a detailed comment, other than to say that Ireland's ability to compete at the highest levels, both internationally and at European club level, has brought tremendous enjoyment and pride to the country as a whole and has been built on rugby's ability to invest major financial resources in our teams.

"We will obviously engage actively with the Minister and his Department as part of the consultative process to ensure any proposals being brought forward would not lead to a weakening of our teams' abilities to compete, and so strike at the very heart of the game in this country."

[ronk]

RTE do not have the programming resources or schedule flexibility to want or need 4 matches 6 weekends a year +knockout. That's assuming Connacht qualify this year. RTE wouldn't have any say in when the matches are scheduled.

It would be a mistake to roll this out, especially before digital terrestrial TV has rolled out and before we've seen that RTE can actually manage decent Magner's League coverage. When there's a market for full regular deferred coverage and RTE can cover the ML then it will be a different issue. But RTE are already showing highlights packages. All this might do is discourage Sky from even showing Irish provincial matches if their Irish market dries up.

[ronk]

Most of the other FTA events are shorter in scope and less regular. This would be a big change in the original intention of the act.

[Terraceman]

All this might do is discourage Sky from even showing Irish provincial matches if their Irish market dries up.

Thats my biggest concern with this. Leinster and Munster by virtue of their success got all 6 of their pool game shown live this year. If Sky were to suspect that RTE would take all the main Leinster and Munster games they may very well decide to limit the amount of Irish games they show. We have had ideal kick off times this season and all 6 games were shown. You wouldn't know what RTE would do with it, as has been pointed out they won't have much say in the scheduling.

[suisse]

Bye Bye Connacht.

What about Ulster? Maybe 3 games lives for them per group campaign, and the rest available on demand by the red button. One weekend, Leinster host Clermont, Munster in Leicester, will RTE give a f%~k about Ulster at home to Ospreys on a wet Friday.

If all games are shown via TV3 AND RTE maybe this will work

[Dave Cahill]

Bye Bye Connacht.

What about Ulster? Maybe 3 games lives for them per group campaign, and the rest available on demand by the red button. One weekend, Leinster host Clermont, Munster in Leicester, will RTE give a f%~k about Ulster at home to Ospreys on a wet Friday.

If all games are shown via TV3 AND RTE maybe this will work

Ulster games don't come under this. The list only applies to the 26 counties. Sky will use their position to ensure that 'their' exclusive games are in the prime slots, with Munster and Leinster relegated to the less popular times.

Another thing to note is that RTE will end up either having to actually provide the pictures or paying for their provision, as Sky will not spend money on games that won't be profitable for them (without exclusivity the volume and value of the ad buys will be reduced drastically)

[Windeos]

Bye Bye Connacht.

What about Ulster? Maybe 3 games lives for them per group campaign, and the rest available on demand by the red button. One weekend, Leinster host Clermont, Munster in Leicester, will RTE give a f%~k about Ulster at home to Ospreys on a wet Friday.

If all games are shown via TV3 AND RTE maybe this will work

Ulster games don't come under this. The list only applies to the 26 counties. Sky will use their position to ensure that 'their' exclusive games are in the prime slots, with Munster and Leinster relegated to the less popular times.

Another thing to note is that RTE will end up either having to actually provide the pictures or paying for their provision, as Sky will not spend money on games that won't be profitable for them (without exclusivity the volume and value of the ad buys will be reduced drastically)

What about Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are they not part of Ulster and the 26 counties??

[munster#1]

Bye Bye Connacht.

What about Ulster? Maybe 3 games lives for them per group campaign, and the rest available on demand by the red button. One weekend, Leinster host Clermont, Munster in Leicester, will RTE give a f%~k about Ulster at home to Ospreys on a wet Friday.

If all games are shown via TV3 AND RTE maybe this will work

Ulster games don't come under this. The list only applies to the 26 counties. Sky will use their position to ensure that 'their' exclusive games are in the prime slots, with Munster and Leinster relegated to the less popular times.

Another thing to note is that RTE will end up either having to actually provide the pictures or paying for their provision, as Sky will not spend money on games that won't be profitable for them (without exclusivity the volume and value of the ad buys will be reduced drastically)

not sure they would go this far, after all munster and leinster have a bigger audience than just ireland. it also depends on the team they are playing against, i can't see sky putting a munster v toulose group match on at 8:30 0n a sunday.

as a munster fan, munster may benifit massively from this, money aside, since sky have taken over, friday evening kick offs have become the norm for home games. which have proven to be a disaster.

[Terraceman]

ince sky have taken over, friday evening kick offs have become the norm for home games. which have proven to be a disaster.

Whats wrong with Friday nights? Definitely better than early afternoon slots. I would have thought that after Saturday evenings it would be the best time to have a match. Sky will still decide when each match is on at the end of the day, an Irish v English team would get a good slot but I could easily see them loosing the prime times that we have got in the last few years.

[munster#1]

ince sky have taken over, friday evening kick offs have become the norm for home games. which have proven to be a disaster.

Whats wrong with Friday nights? Definitely better than early afternoon slots. I would have thought that after Saturday evenings it would be the best time to have a match. Sky will still decide when each match is on at the end of the day, an Irish v English team would get a good slot but I could easily see them loosing the prime times that we have got in the last few years.

not too bad for me personally as i live on the clare side of limerick, so i have no trouble getting to the ground, but if i was on the dublin or cork side, it would take a long time to get to TP for a friday night match. the work traffic is still around, then you add in the fans travelling to the match, and you end up with a massive bottle neck

[fourthirtythree]

18,000+ makes very little difference to Dublin traffic. Sometimes match days are easier than a normal Saturday afternoon. Mind you a normal Saturday afternoon can be dire.

TP wants to sort out its traffic problem.

[Dave Cahill]

What about Cavan, Donegal, and Monaghan are they not part of Ulster and the 26 counties??

They are, but NI where Ulster are based and registered as a business in NI and comes under the perview of the UK government under EU broadcasting regulations and the EBU.


M#1, friday nights might not be the most desirable for attending supporters, but they're not a concern for television companies (almost the opposite in fact) - friday nights are however the prime tv slot, sky call it the champions slot. It garners the highest revenue from advertising and in viewing figures, so the clubs prefer them from a revenue perspective.

[Terraceman]

ince sky have taken over, friday evening kick offs have become the norm for home games. which have proven to be a disaster.

Whats wrong with Friday nights? Definitely better than early afternoon slots. I would have thought that after Saturday evenings it would be the best time to have a match. Sky will still decide when each match is on at the end of the day, an Irish v English team would get a good slot but I could easily see them loosing the prime times that we have got in the last few years.

not too bad for me personally as i live on the clare side of limerick, so i have no trouble getting to the ground, but if i was on the dublin or cork side, it would take a long time to get to TP for a friday night match. the work traffic is still around, then you add in the fans travelling to the match, and you end up with a massive bottle neck

Completely forgot about that actually!Take it for granted that I can get to the RDS no problem for any time.