The GAA today announced that RTÉ has secured the rights for comprehensive GAA Championship coverage across television, radio and RTÉ.ie for the next three seasons, guaranteeing free-to-air coverage up to and including 2010.
Today’s announcement ensures that the public will enjoy quality coverage of our national games across all of RTÉ’s media platforms.
RTÉ has secured:
- four live television packages for the GAA Championships
- the Sunday night television highlights package
- all available live national radio rights in both the English and Irish language
- rights to simulcast televised matches on RTÉ.ie throughout the island of Ireland.
RTÉ partnered BBC Northern Ireland to ensure that viewers throughout the island of Ireland will have free-to-air coverage of the Ulster Championships.
Today’s announcement means that the RTÉ audience will, over the next three years, have access to:
- 120 live Championship games on RTÉ Television
- Highlights of every Championship game each week on RTÉ Television’s The Sunday Game
- Live and exclusive Championship coverage on RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta
- Extensive RTÉ News coverage on RTÉ One and RTÉ Two television, RTÉ Radio 1, RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, RTÉ.ie and RTÉ Aertel
- All televised Championship matches, highlights and video clips on demand on RTÉ.ie throughout the island of Ireland.
'Public service in its essence'
Cathal Goan, Director General, RTÉ, said: 'In a highly competitive media marketplace, it is of vital importance that the GAA Championship rights, a central part of Irish cultural life, have been retained by Ireland’s Public Service Broadcaster. RTÉ made a significant investment to secure these rights and ensure that the public will continue to enjoy high quality coverage of our national games across all RTÉ services. The provision of such comprehensive GAA coverage across all of RTÉ’s media platforms is public service in its essence. This new agreement further builds on the proud shared history between RTÉ and the GAA and we look forward to continuing to develop our partnership into the future.'
'Dedication to delivering quality Gaelic Games coverage'
Glen Killane, Group Head of Sport, RTÉ, added: 'The awarding of these rights to RTÉ is testament to our commitment to ensure that Gaelic Games are showcased to the best possible standard across RTÉ television, radio and RTÉ.ie. We are passionate about what we do and our dedication to delivering quality Gaelic Games coverage is unstinting. In a new development, I’m particularly delighted that RTÉ’s partnership with the BBC has ensured that fans throughout the island of Ireland will enjoy Ulster Championship games free-to-air. The awarding of these new rights to RTÉ enables us to continue to deliver and enhance our Championship coverage for the next three years for the public throughout the island of Ireland to engage with and enjoy.”
Nickey Brennan, President of the GAA, stated that he was very pleased that the negotiations in regard to Television and Radio Rights had now concluded. The President said that the GAA’s relationship with RTÉ went back many decades and that he was very happy that the national broadcaster continues to be the Association's primary media partner.
The President stated: 'RTÉ Radio and Television coverage of Gaelic Games has been part of the fabric of Irish society for generations and I look forward to this relationship being maintained with quality coverage over the next three years.'
In a statement issued by the GAA, it was confirmed that RTÉ has achieved live television rights for all the GAA’s Championship games with the exception of a ten game package that has been awarded to TV3.
The TV3 package gives the station rights to transmit ten games of their choice live, exclusive of RTÉ’s first choice selection of 20 games. In total, RTÉ will have rights to transmit 40 games live.
Meanwhile, the live rights to the Allianz National Leagues and Club/Cup Championships have been awarded to TG4 and Setanta Sport respectively.
TG4 will have the rights to Sunday afternoon League games and Club and Colleges games, with Setanta transmitting floodlit games on Saturday nights and four Sunday afternoon League games.
A range of highlight packages have been awarded to RTÉ, TG4, Setanta Sport and the BBC and a 'Clips' package has been awarded to UTV.
Regarding radio rights, RTÉ has been awarded exclusive live national radio broadcasting rights and Today FM has been awarded 'score' update rights.
Nickey Brennan stated that BBC will have the right to access any Ulster Championship games which are broadcast live by RTÉ and that the overseas rights have not yet been awarded.
He concluded by saying that to give all the agreements effect the necessary contract documentation will have to be formally signed in the coming weeks.
