The Sunday Game / GAAGO [Split from RTE thread]

Tomaldo

Is anyone from GAA/Go or GAA+ on Boards? I tried to subscribe earlier to watch the Dublin Derry game, but it said "not available in the Island of Ireland", apparently 'cos it was on the BBC iplayer, which I can't access. Why are they refusing my money?

icdg

As far as I am aware no official representative of any broadcaster posts in these forums.

There are rules attached to posting as an official representative.

The game was free on GAAGO (as, for the moment, it is still called) to anyone with an existing account. I was able to watch it no problem and I am based in ROI.

They may not be taking new subscriptions at the moment, though.

icdg

I should add though that there was a good reason they wouldn’t have been taking new subscriptions- there was huge doubt as to whether GAAGO had any domestic rights this season when that package was put up for auction, and even when that was settled, there was the matter of the ownership structure needed to be settled.

Those questions are now done, so hopefully once they finalise their 2025 pricing they can reopen subscriptions. I don’t think it will change the conversation mind, and it seems that apart form their ownership structure, the only thing different between GAAGO and GAA+ will be the name.

Its unfortunate this has impacted these league games which are BBC host broadcasts and being put on the iPlayer - I thought that these games were supposed to only involve fixtures when Northern Ireland based counties were at home - last night was in Croke Park and a Dublin home game. These are not part of the GAAGO package and effectively being broadcast for “free”. You’d think in the circumstances, they’d have removed the requirement to log in and just made it free to anyone with an ROI IP.

icdg

A week out from the start of the Championship, this is worrying:

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41601085.html

Even if the RTE Board signed off last night, then the relevant regulatory consents now need to be obtained. What hope those will go through in a week, or even three weeks?

Even if you remember GAAGO last year didn’t broadcast its first fixture till 21st April, they don’t have any subscribers as they removed the subscription options from their website and all existing subs have effectively expired. I wonder if there’s any contingency plan if GAA+ isn’t in place.

icdg

Not sure if the sale is actually completed give the above, but they’ve gone ahead with the rebrand today and subscriptions are back open as well as announcing the fixture list.

https://www.gaaplus.ie/championship-2025

As for what’s different from a subscriber/viewer POV, well they have a new logo and garish colour scheme. Aside from that, not much.

AJB39

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123314201#Comment_123314201

A new name but I presume we’ll still have the annual outrage from politicians once they start airing Leinster and Munster Hurling Championship matches.

icdg

Digging through the website it seems the sale isn’t actually completed yet.

There is a comment that GAA+ in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland is now operated by the Gaelic Athletic Association and outside Ireland it is operated by GAAGO Media. This distinction will be moot once the sale goes through though.

https://help.gaaplus.ie/support/solutions/articles/77000579575-who-owns-gaa-

Widescreen

I’m surprised there is no furore about the most attractive hurling match this weekend not being on terrestrial tv, Tipperary v Limerick. Absolute disgrace.

Just confirms that GAA+ is nothing to do with expats, but just a money making racket off the back of fantastic sportsmen who get nothing apart from some adulation and some free sports gear. Limerick politicians very quiet on this one.

Widescreen

And also arguably the biggest Gaelic football match up outside Dublin Kerry takes place on GAA+ tonight Cork v Kerry, Munster Football S/F, what’s going on lads/lasses!?!?

icdg

No sign of the Saturday Game yet this season. I think it took till May to appear last year so not saying it won’t yet make an appearance this season.

The Sunday Game has had its run time restored to two hours after being cut to 90 minutes last year. Alas nothing appears to have been done with the now tired format. To me part of the problem is too much talking and not enough action - MOTD with a fairly similar format seems to get this balance just right but The Sunday Game leans too much towards the talking.

Haven’t yet had a chance to see GAA+.

brick man

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123378964#Comment_123378964

You missed it last Saturday kilkenny v galway on RTE 1 3.15pm

icdg

I mean the evening highlights show?