RTE next season

**Macy** · 05/11/2013, 8:52 AM

How far are the FAI willing to push this? In my view they are that desperate for money they won't take a hit to keep the coverage. All money in, essentially for the league, just gets swallowed up by the FAI who then deem how much crumbs to throw at the clubs. If the FAI leave us with no highlights package, with the reduced (from promised) prize fund, losing a club a year, it's time for the clubs to split and control our own destiny again, and get a bit of weight back in the FAI.

btw there's probably not much more coverage on the hour long MNS, as there was on the half hour eL weekly. Too much talk not enough action.

**harps1954** · 05/11/2013, 9:27 AM

Originally Posted by Macy

How far are the FAI willing to push this?

The FAI don't have the big stick of the International games coverage to beat RTE with any more in relation to the TV deal. In the past, the FAI forced RTE to show at least some domestic coverage as part of the deal for International match rights. However, these rights are now sold centrally by UEFA and RTE has already got the rights to show Ireland games for the next two campaigns up to 2018. What 'powers' the FAI had with RTE are now gone. From being in a position of strength when dealing with RTE in the past, the FAI will now have to go begging to them to keep domestic football on RTE going forward. Unlikely we'll see MNS back again next season and the 'live' games will probably only be FAI Cup semi-finals and final and maybe 2 or 3 league games (if that) towards the end of the season.

I'm not bothered if RTE show any live games to be honest, but a half-hour highlights package just showing the goals from the games would be ideal. Something on a Sunday night about 10.00pm would be great. No need for a host or studio guests, just 30 minutes of action from the six Premier games. Take a look at what the SPFL produce themselves (you'll see it on BT Sport and Sky Sports) and also the EPL's Premier League Review. Just action from the games with voice-overs or commentary. Would do the business.

**Macy** · 05/11/2013, 1:05 PM

Well Delaney was talking up the TV money they're getting, so they could contribute towards the costs of MNS like they did under the existing deal. If they wanted to, and didn't just want to hide behind the excuse of the TV deal.

Also, if they can't get RTE to play ball, for whatever reason, they could pay for a professional camera at every game, get highlights edited down and set up a youtube channel, like the Celtic League rugby have, the UCI etc. They could also support clubs with live streaming of matches - camera costs, equipment costs and the like. Just because RTE might not be willing, doesn't mean that the FAI have enough of an excuse of washing their hands of highlights in some form. Indeed, a youtube channel should mean they can even cover first division games.

They made it known they turned down circa €2 million a year to keep MNS. They've made it known (if I heard it right on the news at one) they're getting circa €40 million from the centralised TV deal. The FAI have the money to keep MNS going and/or come up with alternatives. Actually they should do both - put the money into camera people to provide RTE with footage as part of the deal, but the club/ league/ FAI keep rights so they can do the online stuff too.

**Sheridan** · 05/11/2013, 1:19 PM

RTÉ's issue isn't with the cost of producing MNS (which is minuscule), but the damage to its viewership and advertising revenues caused by broadcasting it in prime time. There are also ideological motives behind their desire to get rid (GAA lobby being one).

**blueblood** · 05/11/2013, 1:33 PM

It depends who you ask about the fai re MNS. RTE will contradict what the FAI say the 4m the turned down.

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/11/2013, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

RTÉ's issue isn't with the cost of producing MNS (which is minuscule), but the damage to its viewership and advertising revenues caused by broadcasting it in prime time. There are also ideological motives behind their desire to get rid (GAA lobby being one).

This is exactly it. Don't forget too that MNS took up Against the Head's traditional 7pm slot last night, which must have caused a few tears in the Nugent household. RTE are still driven by ratings and advertising revenue, and the LOI just doesn't bring in the numbers of the English Premier League/GAA or the class background of ATH's viewers.

**Dodge** · 05/11/2013, 4:51 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

This is exactly it. Don't forget too that MNS took up Against the Head's traditional 7pm slot last night, which must have caused a few tears in the Nugent household.

MNS started at 8, and Against the Head was "promoted" into that 8pm slot when MNS moved to 7. 8pm is far more lucrative than 7pm in TV land

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/11/2013, 4:59 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

MNS started at 8, and Against the Head was "promoted" into that 8pm slot when MNS moved to 7. 8pm is far more lucrative than 7pm in TV land

Weird, Against the Head is back at 7 next week. Ryle must be devastated.

**A face** · 05/11/2013, 6:28 PM

Is there any other country being affected by the new UEFA deal in the same way we are? Surely there aren't many but are there any worth comparing us with?

**Macy** · 05/11/2013, 7:40 PM

Of course its the cost of production that's rte's issue. 7-8 is generally a filler slot on rte2, with cheap imports, usually repeats.

Whatever the fai lose in a bargaining position with centralised rights, they make up with cold hard cash. The more I think about it, the more I think the centralised contract will be used as an excuse. They could produce the programme themselves and sell it to either rte or tv3, even if it was at a loss.

**IrishRossi** · 05/11/2013, 7:41 PM

surely one of the channels will hopefully uptake on a highlights program next season

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/11/2013, 7:58 PM

Originally Posted by Macy

Of course its the cost of production that's rte's issue. 7-8 is generally a filler slot on rte2, with cheap imports, usually repeats.

It would be a bit of both as buying rights for a US comedy is cheap as chips for a market this small, but still shows like that will pull in more viewers. Only going on guesswork too, but I'd say RTE have a hard time selling ads for MNS. There is a commonplace perception that LOI fans are of a lower class than those who watch other sports and even the EPL. Bear in mind that most of the people who work in advertising are from a very distinct social stratum.

**Ezeikial** · 05/11/2013, 8:44 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

There is a commonplace perception that LOI fans are of a lower class than those who watch other sports and even the EPL.

Do you agree or disagree with this perception?

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/11/2013, 9:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

Do you agree or disagree with this perception?

Is that a dig at Shamrock Rovers? :P

I think in Dublin anyway, anyone could tell you that LOI fans tend to be more working class than the average Man U fan, and I think we all know how the upper strata of Irish society view working class people.

**Eminence Grise** · 05/11/2013, 9:41 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I think we all know how the upper strata of Irish society view working class people.

Through a telescope, one presumes.

**Ezeikial** · 05/11/2013, 9:45 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Is that a dig at Shamrock Rovers? :P

You're a gas man - I rarely disguise my Rovers digs in case the "working class" Hoops don't get the rub.

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I think in Dublin anyway, anyone could tell you that LOI fans tend to be more working class than the average Man U fan, and I think we all know how the upper strata of Irish society view working class people.

Perhaps the advertising fraternity view working class people as......eh working class?
(The well-established National Readership Survey (NRS) demographic profiling places unskilled Working Class category D as having the 2nd lowest disposable income of the 6 categories)

**Charlie Darwin** · 05/11/2013, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by Ezeikial

You're a gas man - I rarely disguise my Rovers digs in case the "working class" Hoops don't get the rub.

It was a joke, my Biblical friend.

Perhaps the advertising fraternity view working class people as......eh working class?
(The well-established National Readership Survey (NRS) demographic profiling places unskilled Working Class category D as having the 2nd lowest disposable income of the 6 categories)

You mean the JNRS and, yes, I'm well aware of how it categorises groups of people. It's a bit of an assumption already that LOI fans are part of the unskilled demographic, but obviously you're aware of that.

You're missing the point slightly. LOI fans are, in my experience, less well-off than the average EPL fan. So are GAA fans. GAA attracts huge advertising and sponsorship revenue even when ratings are low as a lot of research has been done on their spending habits and advertising can be well-targeted. There is not the same sophistication of understanding of the spending habits of LOI fans, and there exists a common understanding that LOI fans are the urban working classes who are difficult to target with advertising. That's understandable to some degree but is nevertheless a failing on the part of advertisers.

**mrtndvn** · 05/11/2013, 10:42 PM

Does anyone know how to check the ratings of the shows that RTE broadbast? Be interesting to see 7pm Monday v Tuesday -> Sunday.

**IrishRossi** · 05/11/2013, 10:54 PM

im looking for that myself but can only find the top 20 in the rating for 2012 and only 3 sporting events in it @ 2: is Euro 2012: Republic of Ireland v Croatia
@6 is All-Ireland Football Final
@ 8 is All-Ireland Hurling Final
@10 is London 2012 Olympics

http://www.rte.ie/mediasales/televis...rogrammes.html