The FAI how outdone themselves now.....

gandalf · 05-07-2002 5:32pm #1

...by giving Sky the exclusive rights to all the home games. Nice way to reward the fans after the Saipan mess.

What a pack of muppets.

Gandalf.

leeroybrown · 05-07-2002 5:40pm

http://www.rte.ie/news/2002/0705/rte.html

http://www.fai.ie/NR/exeres/52F4A865-88EE-401B-8E7B-AD6723F9F575.htm

Fécking backstabbing bástards.

Crucify them!!!!

repeat after me

Crucify them!!!!
Crucify them!!!!
Crucify them!!!!
Crucify them!!!!

...

PiE · 05-07-2002 5:45pm

*shakes head in disbelief*

They must be the single most anti good-PR football association here in ze vorld.

gandalf · 05-07-2002 5:47pm

Well I was planning on going to some League Games this season, however this has now changed that. They can now go and f**k themselves !

Gandalf.

mike65 · 05-07-2002 6:44pm

Amazing, just when they needed some good PR.

RTE will make hay with this "you see we needed a €50 hike in the licence fee" etc etc. The pubs will love it though, they'll make a killing. RTE might'nt even get the away rights...and how much did the rights cost? I thought I heard €7-8million over 4 years which is a piddling amount. Just as bad as Sky having live rights is the thought of TV3 doing thier own presentation of the "as live" action which they will proberly want to tack on to the start and finnish. Bleugh! :mad: Who's commentry will we hear on TV3?

Mike.

zAbbo · 05-07-2002 7:01pm

****in ****s

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 05-07-2002 8:04pm

I'm sure publicans all over Ireland are licking their lips.

--
I presume it will be on the normal Sky Digitial subscription (ie. SS 1/2/3 and not PPV !?

Thanx 4 The Fish · 06-07-2002 12:10am

Well if it has anything to do with Mr Murdoch than all stones will be duly squeezed and the Irish soccer fans will be left bleedin.....

Crucify them!!!!
Crucify them!!!!
Crucify them!!!!
Crucify them!!!!

Hell yes...

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 12:49am

Aye, 'tis come to pass that all soccer from here on in will be played in the sky. So now if young kids want to watch football and their parents can't afford Sky Sports, they must go to the pub or a club to see an International match. That idiot from Waterford who's one of the FAI's head henchmen said "football had become a social occasion now and people went out to pubs and clubs to see match's". Well my youngfellow who's only 6 loves football, but I wouldn't bring him to a pub to watch it. They go on about trying to break the link between alcohol and sport and yet this is what an FAI official recommends.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 12:52am

The deal cost sky 7 and a half million euro for 4 years and will probably make 100 million from the deal. Where's the soccer mad "tea-shock" now. He was going to spend billions on a stadium and yet wouldn't help RTE out to make up the 7 million. I think the team should refuse to play until all this corruption in the FAI is sorted out. They've stolen the only bit of magic that kids had and sold it to SKY, they've hijacked a nations pride and joy and sold it to line their own pockets. As only 20% of homes have sky sports I think they have killed the game forever in Ireland. If anyone doubted Roy Keanes actions before the world cup they should now question their doubts.

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 06-07-2002 7:14am

Originally posted by Blindpew
I think the team should refuse to play until all this corruption in the FAI is sorted out.

Maybe that could have been levelled in th past at the likes of Bernard O'Byrne and his dodgy credit card expenses, but the current crop are simply incompetent not corrupt.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 8:30am

Well all I know is that in any organisation where loads of money is floating around there's corruption. This deal was signed and sealed while RTE still thought they were negotiating. 7.5 million is not a fortune, more is probably spent on dumb american sit coms.
They indicates to me that someone got a brown goodie bag. If it weren't for Roy Keane the team would still be flying Ryan air and the FAI officials would still be eating prawn sandwichs aboard concorde.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 8:31am

The FAI don't give a damn about the fans or about football. If they did they would have been down on their knees in front of Roy Keane begging him to stay in Japan. He upset their cocktail trolley and they waited their chance to get him back. I think its a reflection of Ireland today. Everything is sold for pieces of silver,
and the gulf between rich and poor is broadened even more.

pro_gnostic_8 · 06-07-2002 8:49am

. [/B][/QUOTE]

Originally posted by Blindpew
Where's the soccer mad "tea-shock" now. He was going to spend billions on a stadium and yet wouldn't help RTE out to make up the 7 million.

I honestly think it would be a mistake if the Government bought out the Sky/FAI deal. That would reward the FAI's contemptuous treatment of the Irish soccer public and it would set a hell of a precedent for the future. Down the road, any sporting body (GAA e.g.) might make a similar deal for an outlandish amount in the knowledge that the taxpayer would bail it out and return the coverage to the public domain.

Maybe an alternative idea would be for the Government to deduct 7 million from their grant to the FAI. This would be a sweet irony and show this shower of winkers that there is no profit to be had in depriving the soccer public of the pleasure of watching the team.

pro_gnostic_8 · 06-07-2002 8:59am

RTE are guilty of many things, but I think it is unfair to criticise them on this occasion.

Up to moment when the news broke, RTE was engaged in good-faith negotiations with the FAI. I believe their spokesman when he said that RTE was as shocked and surprised as anyone when the announcement was made. The FAI behaved cynically and disgracefully.

Originally posted by Blindpew
Well all I know is that in any organisation where loads of money is floating around there's corruption. This deal was signed and sealed while RTE still thought they were negotiating. 7.5 million is not a fortune, more is probably spent on dumb american sit coms.
They indicates to me that someone got a brown goodie bag.

I agree with ya. I'm inclined to think there is something very suspect here also. This fiasco has a stench about it.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 9:58am

I'm not saying they should buy the deal from sky but it must be illegal to close a deal in that manner, especially over something as important as national pride. Maybe there could be an FAI tribunal . This deal should be frozen pending an investigation.
If this goes ahead it will be GAA next year. Soon it will be the news. If selefield were to blow up in two years time, you'd have to wait an hour to catch it on TV3 if you didn't have sky.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 9:58am

I think also the players could call a meeting among themselves and show solidarity with all the skyless fans. Niall Quinn could refuse to stand in front of a goal unless he was veiwable on a terrestial Irish level playing field. Sky used to be the limit, now they've gone over that limit and angered an entire nation.
They can stick their sataelite dishes up their arses.

irishgeo · 06-07-2002 10:38am

i have to wonder what the FAI are doing. They must have the worst PR man in history.

RTE are in trouble now. With the huge amount of ad revenue they are going to lose etc.

The Irish team success has gone to the FAIs head and they are the worst bunch of people ever.

I cant wait for the review.

Poor RTE. After getting Eammon back as well.We will miss his comments but what he said about the FAI is true.

I wonder will SKY hire eammon.

What about the law saying certain Events had to be shown on terristeral. LIke in england. The FA Cup etc. What did we protect.

I bet the Dept of Communications or what ever it is will step in.

Mossy Monk · 06-07-2002 10:43am

i don't blame Sky for this. it is those incompetant back stabbing bastards at Merrion Square i blame. why did they sell out (again!!) to the fans. not everyone has Sky Sports and a pub is not an ideal environment for children. i don't know if they already have one but the government should have a system where certain events have to be available live on terrestrial channels. they do this in the UK. it is an absolute disgrace what the FAI have done. they should be sacked

snake_eyes · 06-07-2002 10:45am

I think this is one thing the FAI aren't totally to blame for. There is a going rate for these sort of rights. RTE paid them up untill now. They now refuse to even equal the amount they paid for the last deal. I think the FAI would be doing all the small clubs a huge disservice to take it up the ass from RTE. The national broadcaster should be doing its duty and paying the going rate. If its all the FAIs fault how come only RTE wouldnt even pay for the secondary rights - to show the full match an hour after the final whistle.

pro_gnostic_8 · 06-07-2002 10:56am

Originally posted by Blindpew
I think also the players could call a meeting among themselves and show solidarity with all the skyless fans.

I can't see that happening. This is the same group who wouldn't show solidarity with their Team Captain out in Saipan in his protest against FAI incompetency.

This lot are not going to rock the boat of their FAI masters over an issue such as this.

pro_gnostic_8 · 06-07-2002 11:12am

Originally posted by snake_eyes
They now refuse to even equal the amount they paid for the last deal. If its all the FAIs fault how come only RTE wouldnt even pay for the secondary rights - to show the full match an hour after the final whistle.

Maybe I've got it wrong, but, my understanding was that RTE was in negotiation with FAI up to the last minute while it seems the deal had already been done with SKY.
Like a previous post suggested, were there brown envelopes circulating around Merrion Square?

Whatever the background, I'm so angry over this you wouldn't believe it. Thing is, tho', what can I do in protest?. Like, I still want to support the team and see the home games, but it will stick in my gut to have to pay SKY for the priviledge. Is there anything we can do to show our anger?

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 11:24am

If the government had granted RTE a license increase they might have been able to afford to bid. I wouldn't mind paying more money to a national TV station, but I won't pay money to an English company to watch the Irish National team.

anthonymcg · 06-07-2002 11:49am

Can anyone say "boycott the first home game"? We should show the FAI what the fans think of them and him them where it hurts em, in their pockets. I know a full boycott would be hard to achieve but I reckon the ordinary fans, normally standing or seated in north and south ends should stay away. Also, the schoolboy contingent should also boycott it. This is unheard of in Europe that a non-terrestrial channel has been given sole rights to show the live games. The FAI has once again proven the presence of greed and incompetency which goes right to the core of their organisation. We cannot let this lie.

DS · 06-07-2002 11:53am

Originally posted by snake_eyes
If its all the FAIs fault how come only RTE wouldnt even pay for the secondary rights - to show the full match an hour after the final whistle.

If the government had granted RTE a license increase they might have been able to afford to bid. I wouldn't mind paying more money to a national TV station, but I won't pay money to an English company to watch the Irish National team.

RTE didn't even have the chance to outbid Sky. They were in negotiations right up until the night before. They then received the news via TV3's News at 5.30 yesterday. They can't be blamed in the slightest.

irelandforever · 06-07-2002 12:47pm

Its an absolute disgrace. Is this how they repay the fans? Only 20% of the irish public has access to sky sports. Was it not bad enough that there incompatance resulted in the roy keane affair now they do this. I think everyone should boycott the next home game

KdjaCL · 06-07-2002 1:29pm

Well some have said it only way to make a protest is a boycott of home games.

Kdja

zAbbo · 06-07-2002 1:35pm

Ayone wanna do something about this, say set up an online site etc.

just use a free .tk addy and the hosting can be sorted out by like minded folk among boards.

Dustaz · 06-07-2002 1:46pm

While i agree that the FAI are an utter shower of money grabbing idiots and have sold out the irish public, there are a number of inaccuracies being bandied about here.

For a start it wasnt long ago that TV3 had the exclusive rights to our home games. This isnt the first time that RTE have been outbid because they refused to believe an organisation would have the temerity to accept a higher bid than that of the national broadcaster.

This is unheard of in Europe that a non-terrestrial channel has been given sole rights to show the live games.

This is also nothing new in europe. In England where they have laws to ensure that sporting events that are in the national interest remain on Terrestrial Television (Wimbledon, World Cup, Grand National etc), Sky have the rights to englands rugby team and soccer teams home games. So were not the only country to go through this.

Contrary to belief, RTE dont spend this on american sitcoms, they dont spend anywhere near that amount on imported programmes, which is why TV3 are able to prise programmes like Coronation St so easily from them.

Anyway, having said all that, Doesnt the Government have a similar provision to the brits in terms of keeping sporting events in the national interest on terrestrial TV? The FAI could have a field day saying 'Oh, this money is for the grassroots of the game, theres nothing stopping us' and they would be 100% right if there is no such provision (theyd be lieing - wheres the ads for the start of the eircom league for example?)

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 06-07-2002 1:56pm

We have to apply through the EU Dusty.

In order to envoke the "event of national and cultural" importance provision and hence request a mandate that an event air on terestial TV.

The last time the issue was raised was in re:Síle DeValera and the Irish- English Rugby match in Twickenham which was being showed only on SKY and hence not anywhere live on Irish TV.

AFAIK, they didn't apply for that as there are a finite number of times with which you can apply, but I think they are only "event - based" and not whole qualifying campaigns.

--
BTW, I think the Dutch home matches are only available on Digital/Satelite.

Thanx 4 The Fish · 06-07-2002 2:07pm

Maybe an alternative idea would be for the Government to deduct 7 million from their grant to the FAI. This would be a sweet irony and show this shower of winkers that there is no profit to be had in depriving the soccer public of the pleasure of watching the team.

Cracking idea, that might just teach them to conduct themselves a bit better in the future.

ehalpin · 06-07-2002 2:26pm

FAI,

Football Assocation of Ireland

or

F**kin Assholes of all Ireland

Let the Fans Decide

pro_gnostic_8 · 06-07-2002 6:57pm

Could someone who knows for definite please tell me this? Who elected these a**holes or did they elect themselves? Is the FAI governing committee a democratically elected body or is it a self-serving plutocracy?
Reason I ask is because yer man Delany from Waterford (the Treasurer), is the son of Joe Delany who was the Chief Executive of FAI until he was fired about 5 years ago. Brendan Menton (General Secretary) previously held Delany's position of Treasurer. It's like a royal dynasty up there in the Square.

Who The F*** do these creeps think they are? Someone ought to let them know that they are only guardians of a national institution for a period of time and have no right whatsoever to sell-out the same to the highest bidder.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 9:13pm

That guy from Waterford in the FAI was sacked years ago when he worked for Guinness's. He was in charge of distributing tea shirts and umbrellas and other such crap that Guinness give out.
The cops searched his house and found his attic to be insulated with Guinness freebies.
I'll bet he has SKY digital now and if his attic was checked today
the missing footballs from Saipan would be located.

klong · 06-07-2002 9:31pm

The FAI are moving out of their present HQ as they feel its too small. How much of the 7 million from SKY will go to this replacement HQ I wonder?

Heard on the radio today that SKY will only need to sign up another 4,000 customers to make a profit from this deal. Shouldn't take them too long.

snake_eyes · 06-07-2002 9:50pm

Originally posted by Blindpew
Niall Quinn could refuse to stand in front of a goal unless he was veiwable on a terrestial Irish level playing field.

Why is it people that have no interest in soccer in ireland suddenly jump on the bandwagon when there is an opportunity to give out about the FAIs commitment to Irish soccer?

Any real fan knows Niall Quinn has retired.

snake_eyes · 06-07-2002 10:06pm

Originally posted by Discharger Snake

RTE didn't even have the chance to outbid Sky. They were in negotiations right up until the night before. They then received the news via TV3's News at 5.30 yesterday. They can't be blamed in the slightest.

They were in negotiations into the night.....wasn't that their chance to make the reasonable offer you say they never got a chance to make?

Anyway its probable that TV3 were the second highest bidders anyway so all this talk of RTE is silly. They were never going to even outbid TV3. TV3 have been outbidding them for loads of stuff in the last few years.

I'm sure RTE made it clear they were only willing to pay a fraction of the real value.

Its also possible Sky said they would withdraw their ( substantially higgher ) bid unless the FAI accepted the deal quickly.

vorbis · 06-07-2002 10:31pm

I blame them for this mess. First they mess up with Keane and now this. This is how they repay all the fans who spent thousands in supprting the team. Screw them some more !! At the least they could have brokered a joint deal with TV3 and RTE so that the matches were still free to air. Now we have to buy a british service to watch our home matches !! They're worse than the politicans in terms of greed.

Blindpew · 06-07-2002 11:28pm

Why is it people that have no interest in soccer in ireland suddenly jump on the bandwagon when there is an opportunity to give out about the FAIs commitment to Irish soccer?

I am well aware and thankful that Niall Quinn is retired. I just thought as he seems to have so much say in what the team decides that he might be the one to organise the protest.
You can't honestly say that stopping 80% of kids in the country watching live soccer is helpful to the game. Sending Roy Keane home from the world cup was also unhelpful. Money is the only thing the FAI is committed to.
In regards to TV3 screening the match when its over I think its ridiculous.
Even if you turn off the radio when a match is on you are going to equate car horns blowing with a win and silence with a loss. So showing the match an hour after its over is not the same thing and would not have the same attraction as live football.

Dustaz · 06-07-2002 11:48pm

Blindpew, youve obviously had your eyes closed for the last 3 years or so. This is exacly the way the english have it. All their qualifying matches are shown live on sky with delayed transmission on terrestrial television.

By the way, i dont know where you live, but do they beep thier horns if we beat teams like lithuania?:P

Blindpew · 07-07-2002 12:03am

An Irish win is an Irish win, be it against Lithuania or Holland, Andorra or Italy. Car horns are always beeped on such occasions.
The sight may be gone from me eyes but I still can distingush beeps of victory.
What the English do in their own country is of little consequence. They have a crap team anyway and no cares if they win or loose. They're more interested in the colour of David Beckhams knickers and watching the queen on parade than they are in football.

mike65 · 07-07-2002 3:38pm

Originally posted by Blindpew
What the English do in their own country is of little consequence. They have a crap team anyway and no cares if they win or loose. They're more interested in the colour of David Beckhams knickers and watching the queen on parade than they are in football.

Another plonker newbie....:rolleyes:

Mike.

Bateman · 07-07-2002 6:17pm

Fans livid
Alan Hunter of the Irish Football Supporters Association described it as "the saddest day for Irish soccer". He said that fans are "livid" about the FAI's decision.

Right, for a start, has anyone ever heard of this group, or this Hunter minnow? Thought not. I mean, the Irish Football Supporters Association? I can honestly say I've never heard of them (from going to league and international games).

People who are talking about the FAI killing the game forever should cop on to themselves. If this deal is seen to be a mistake then its only the latest in a long series of mistakes that began long before the Roy Keane saga (when most people finally realised just how shambolic the FAI are).

I must agree with comments made pointing out how pathetic RTE were in not even matching the amount they previously paid for the rights, RTE can shove their Bill and Eamon up their holes. I for one won't be crying for Eamon "cheer for Cameroon, Germany, and Saudi Arabia" Dunphy, or Bill "hundred grand a year" O Herlihy. The amounts of money these people are on has a lot to do with why RTE can't pay the going rate for football.

This is unheard of in Europe that a non-terrestrial channel has been given sole rights to show the live games

No, its perfectly normal.

Someone ought to let them know that they are only guardians of a national institution for a period of time and have no right whatsoever to sell-out the same to the highest bidder.

Why don't you, if you feel so strongly?

First they mess up with Keane

Go back under your Premiershít rock if you think this is the "first" FAI fúckup.

Even if you turn off the radio when a match is on you are going to equate car horns blowing with a win and silence with a loss

We're talking about qualifiers now, a lot less fuss than the actual WC, unless you live near Landsdowne this won't really be an issue.

They're more interested in the colour of David Beckhams knickers and watching the queen on parade than they are in football.

The Enlgish don't have to take an interest in their football, Irish people do a good enough job of that for them. And for a country that sustains the Premiership (with a little help from the Irish sheep), and 3 lower divisions, you are showing ignorance with that comment, and if it were me, Gandalf would have me done for racism.

Xcom2 · 07-07-2002 6:22pm

I dont have sky digital and if i did there is no way I would pay for sky sports(an extra 10 footie games a year for 15euro+ a month).My signal from tv3 is at best erattic and on a good night i can just about make out what I am watching.Should the FAI not of made it clear to tv3 that everyone should be able to see the delayed coverage.

Bateman · 07-07-2002 6:31pm

I dont have sky digital and if i did there is no way I would pay for sky sports (an extra 10 footie games a year for 15euro+ a month

I think Sky Sports show more than 10 football games a year.

Xcom2 · 07-07-2002 6:52pm

I meant 2 or 3 Spurs games and Ireland qualifers.That is all I would look at.

Bateman · 07-07-2002 7:07pm

Well then your're not worth much to the FAI, are you? How relevant are Spurs games for the interests of Irish football?

Wise up this is a brilliant deal.
To those who say it's a sell-out, I ask one question: Who is the FAI for? It's for the soccer people in Ireland - the international teams, the Eircom League clubs, the senior and junior leagues, the youth teams, the guys who week in, week out bring their kids around to the games.

That the FAI have failed some of these people along the way is neither here nor there. The FAI does not exist for the armchair afficiondas whose only interest in football is to watch Ireland if and when there is a big game.

These guys contribute nothing to the game in Ireland.
The FAI's role is to maximise their revenue to provide the resources to promote the game. Simple as that.
Ask yourself one question: If you were offered a deal three times that offered by someone else, would you take it?
Of course you would.
Anne Doyle was on RTE saying what about the children of Ireland who have been deprived of seeing their heroes.
Ignore this kind of puerile emotional blackmail.
It is indeed unfortunate that kids won't be able to see the games live, but everyone knows someone who has Sky. People will adjust.
The real scandal as far as the children of Ireland are concerned is the fact that so much talent is going to waste because there is no structure there to facilitate the development of the game in large swathes of this country.
If the money is spent wisely, and knowing the FAI that is a big if, it could be the best deal Irish football has ever got.

Xcom2 · 07-07-2002 7:34pm

Well then your're not worth much to the FAI, are you?

So can I just throw away the 3 shirt's the scarf and the programmes?

That the FAI have failed some of these people along the way is neither here nor there. The FAI does not exist for
the armchair afficiondas whose only interest in football is to watch Ireland if and when there is a big game.

I was only at Landsdown road twice last year,sorry but my armchair got in the way.

These guys contribute nothing to the game in Ireland.

Can I have my money back then?
EU200 should do it!

The FAI's role is to maximise their revenue to provide the resources to promote the game. Simple as that.

So could they start by sacking some of the knobend's that appear to be in charge.

It is indeed unfortunate that kids won't be able to see the games live, but everyone knows someone who has Sky.
People will adjust.

Yes it is indeed unfortunate that children will have to go to pub's to watch their heroes.

Blindpew · 07-07-2002 9:17pm

I admit I don't have a great knowledge of soccer but I did enjoy watching Ireland playing on television. I don't think I could justify or afford to pay 500 euros a year though to sky to watch what I had previously seen for nothing. For people who already have sky this makes no difference, but for a lot of people this means no more live football. I wouldn't be interested in seeing matchs already played.
I was only joking about Beckhams knickers and the English and hope I didn't offend anyone.

mike65 · 07-07-2002 10:20pm

Fair enough, Blindpew...

Mike.

cournioni · 07-07-2002 11:39pm

Originally posted by Blindpew
Aye, 'tis come to pass that all soccer from here on in will be played in the sky. So now if young kids want to watch football and their parents can't afford Sky Sports, they must go to the pub or a club to see an International match. That idiot from Waterford who's one of the FAI's head henchmen said "football had become a social occasion now and people went out to pubs and clubs to see match's". Well my youngfellow who's only 6 loves football, but I wouldn't bring him to a pub to watch it. They go on about trying to break the link between alcohol and sport and yet this is what an FAI official recommends.

Something tells me that they are looking to get more advertising money from Guinness by doing this. By driving people to pubs it will mean people will drink more. Yes thats right then people will be drinking Guinness and then they will be asking Guinness for more advertising money due to more sales. Seems like a bit of an evil money raising plan to me that can keep going and going.

The FAI how outdone themselves now.....

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