The GAA have announced their media rights arrangements for the next five years, with notable changes to the radio rights.
RTÉ Radio 1 has successfully secured full and exclusive live radio rights for all GAA games including inter-county league and championship action while RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta will again broadcast all-year long as Gaeilge.
Newstalk have not been awarded rights to any live games, but instead join Today FM in having score flash rights. The GAA’s existing local radio agreement continues with 20 stations around the country.
GAA fans and commentators have reacted to the news with disappointment.
Notwithstanding the reason or reasons behind the #GAA's Newstalk decision, their standard of Gaelic games coverage is excellent.
— John Fogarty (@JohnFogartyIrl) December 9, 2016
Sad to hear it confirmed that Newstalk have lost their GAA rights. They will be sorely missed come the summer.
— Malachy Clerkin (@MalachyClerkin) December 9, 2016
Newstalk did fine job on GAA Championship and provided strong alternative to RTE approach. Would love to know GAA logic to rights' decision.
— Kieran Cunningham (@KCsixtyseven) December 9, 2016
@KCsixtyseven couldn't agree more, McIntyre best commentator on both TV and radio. Newstalk will be a huge loss, hard to understand
— Noel McGrath (@nm25000) December 9, 2016
Huge blow for Newstalk in the fact that they have lost the rights for the Radio Coverage
— Conor McKenna (@conormckenna98) December 9, 2016
RTÉ will now have rights to every game #GAA
RTÉ television has retained access to 31 senior championship games each year including all provincial hurling and football finals, both All-Ireland hurling and two All-Ireland football quarter-finals, and the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals in both football and hurling.
Sky Sports have retained rights to 20 games, 14 of them exclusive, including two All-Ireland football quarter-finals.
In a departure from the previous media rights deal, the GAA has retained its clip rights for all games with plans to leverage them across its own platforms as part of a wider digital content strategy. GAA Football Championship sponsors eir will also have access to these rights in addition to access to the GAA archive. Sky Sports will have clip access for their 14 exclusive games.
Partnerships with Premium Sports (North America – Commercial Premises) and Premier Sports (Britain) have also been renewed.
Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Aogán Ó Fearghail said: “We are pleased to confirm media rights arrangements that will keep our games to the fore across the airwaves, both at home and overseas, for the next five years.
