RTÉ denied live Ryder Cup rights

Ruu_Old

Have the government no backbone at all?

Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey has announced that RTÉ will not be able to screen live coverage of September's Ryder Cup at the K Club.

Agreement has been reached only for extensive delayed coverage, with live coverage remaining solely on Sky Sports in Britain and Ireland.

European Tour executive director George O'Grady has welcomed the decision.

"We remain committed to working with RTÉ to honouring the agreement reached for extensive delayed coverage, on a preferential basis, that has been in place since the autumn of last year," he said.

"In addition, RTÉ Radio will be in a position to provide full live coverage.

"We acknowledge the fact that the 2006 Ryder Cup fell within the period under review and the obligation of the Minister to include the event in the assessment by his Department of those events that should be listed as free-to-air.

"We were happy to participate in the consultation process and believe that the correct decision has been reached.

"It is the responsibility of all of us involved in the European Tour and Ryder Cup to work with the Irish Government and its agencies to ensure that the 36th staging of this great event brings enormous credit to Ireland.

"We are committed to the realisation of that objective and with our televison partners we will project Ireland to a massive worldwide audience."

Mr Dempsey announced that the current list of designated events would continue.

"In considering the proposal to designate the Ryder Cup it was clear to the Government that it met some of the criteria, but not all.

"The Government was also mindful of the fact that it was decided not to designate it as 'free to air' at the time of the first designation of event in 2003.

"This would have created a reasonable expectation that it would remain outside of the remit of 'free to air' for 2006."

gilroyb

No backbone? What reasonable reason do you have for thinking the government should steal these rights from Sky?

Sky paid for them, there are 5 requirements an event needs to pass to make it onto the free to air list, the Ryder Cup failed 4 of them.

The government isn't just there to make everything free and waste money on useless things.

Ruu_Old

stealing from Sky? lol

The Ryder Cup in Ireland is certainly not a waste of money thank you very much.

Culchie

RTE have the right to do a deal with SKY and share the rights if they so wish.

They put on the poor mouth all the time .... we're paying €155 per year for a licence, let's see if they try and bargain with Sky.

I think they will, advertising rates will be at a premium.

BolBill

Murdochs big brown paper envelope did the trick, the government are spineless cnuts.

Dr. Dodger

Thats a real shame alright. It should just be mandatory that big sporting events such as this one that are held in Ireland are televised on the national stations.

J.R.HARTLEY

gilroyb wrote:

The government isn't just there to make everything free and waste money on useless things.

you might want to explain that to the government sometime

gilroyb

Ruu wrote:

stealing from Sky? lol

Touche.

gilroyb

I never said the Ryder Cup is a waste of money. I said the government getting involved in making it free would waste money. People are giving out about Sky paying a bag of money to gain these rights, but where does this bag of money go? It supports golf in Ireland whereas if it wasnt paid and RTE were showing it 'for free', then money is lost from the sport.

Marshy

Dr. Dodger wrote:

Thats a real shame alright. It should just be mandatory that big sporting events such as this one that are held in Ireland are televised on the national stations.

The Ryder Cup wouldnt be a big sporting event without Rupert and the like. Its because of their marketing and the hype that surrounds it that has made it what it is.

J.R.HARTLEY

Marshy wrote:

The Ryder Cup wouldnt be a big sporting event without Rupert and the like. Its because of their marketing and the hype that surrounds it that has made it what it is.

that couldn't be more wrong, where was murdoch for the 60 odd years before sky bought in, the golf when shown of terestrial tv was more accessible than it is now, anyone who thinks that the ryder cup wasn't big before sky doesn't know what they are talking about.

Marshy

J.R.HARTLEY wrote:

that couldn't be more wrong, where was murdoch for the 60 odd years before sky bought in, the golf when shown of terestrial tv was more accessible than it is now, anyone who thinks that the ryder cup wasn't big before sky doesn't know what they are talking about.

The 60 years to which you are referring were a failure, America beat the then GB&I team 19 times out of the first 23 stagings.The event was a complete mismatch. That was until the rest of Europe were added.

It soon became all about the money, in 1989 the rights to the cup were sold to a US cable network and since then NBC have hopped on the bandwagon also, hyping it completely. Sky ultimately joined in and the Ryder Cup belongs on such stations now.

Running Bing

gilroyb wrote:

Sky paid for them, there are 5 requirements an event needs to pass to make it onto the free to air list, the Ryder Cup failed 4 of them.

Just out of interest what are these rewuirements?

J.R.HARTLEY

Marshy wrote:

The 60 years to which you are referring were a failure, America beat the then GB&I team 19 times out of the first 23 stagings.The event was a complete mismatch. That was until the rest of Europe were added.

It soon became all about the money, in 1989 the rights to the cup were sold to a US cable network and since then NBC have hopped on the bandwagon also, hyping it completely. Sky ultimately joined in and the Ryder Cup belongs on such stations now.

so according to you the ryder cup was pointless for 60 years,seemingly for the reason that we didn't win too much, well the US must think it's pointless now then having lost so many recently(99 is the only win i can think of in over 10 years) it makes you wonder how it ever got past the first few, it makes you wonder how players like nick faldo write about it being a dream come true to be playing the ryder cup. (long before skys tv money existed.)
no sport belongs solely on one station, that sky mantra of exclusive rights is BS

Marshy

My point is not that it was pointless but that it lacked competition and therefore interest amongst the public and the media wasn't nearly as great as it is now. In the 80s when the US met their match the TV corporations pounced on it. The event is an adapted for television invention in its current state and hence I think it belongs in the world of Rupert etc.

Thorbar

Will the BBC have live coverage of it?

J.R.HARTLEY

Thorbar wrote:

Will the BBC have live coverage of it?

nope sky only

The jock

I dont care if its on tv or not as ive got a pass for every day

swingking

I'm going to be working in the K club during the Ryder Cup


:D

growler

Initially I thought it was a great idea for RTE to show this, but I very much doubt RTE would be willing or able to provide the same level of coverage as Sky will. Would RTE devote entire days to golf on either channel and risk upsetting all the kids / housewives who do watch daytime tv ? doubt it. Would they have had to provide their own cameras and equipement..if so they probably couldn't even come close to the resources Sky are prepared to throw at it.

I think for golf fans in ireland wanting to watch it they will be far better served by Sky than by RTE.