Lets Try get the F.A.I Cup Final on there as a point of principle

http://www.rte.ie/sport/athletics/20...ts_review.html



The Government is to review the list of sporting events that have to be covered free-to-air because they are of major importance to society.

Under the review, Communications Minister Eamon Ryan is inviting the public to make submissions on events that should be added to the list.

Currently, the list comprises:

- The Summer Olympics
- The All-Ireland Senior Football and Hurling finals
- Ireland's Quallifying games in the European Football Championship and World Cup
- The opening games, semi-finals and the final of the European Football Championship Finals and the FIFA World Cup Finals Tournament
- Ireland's games at the Rugby World Cup Finals Tournament
- The Irish Grand National and the Irish Derby
- The Nations Cup at the Dublin Horse Show

The 'deferred coverage' list currently contains just one event; Ireland's games in the Six Nations Rugby Championship.

Announcing the review, Minister Ryan said: 'There are certain events which should fall outside the solely commercial remit - these are events that are much more than matches or ceremonies. They are part of what we are as a nation and their enjoyment should be available to all.

'I would urge interested members of the public to submit their ideas, which I can promise will be noted with great care.'

The public have until 8 May 2009 to make submissions.

Fully agree, lets not give them an excuse.

Funny how they don't leave an email address to contact them on though

Agree about the FAI cup final.Also i think any boxing world title fight involving an Irish man or woman(K.Taylor etc) should be on it too.How long will it be before Sky Sports hijacks Bernard Dunne's fights the way they did with Steve Collins??
Can we get Karioke King as a protected event too?:rolleyes:If "60" had been on the protected list it wouldnt have been cancelled:p

I hate starting posts with the Daily Mail-esque, 'It's a disgrace...' but really, it's a disgrace the FAI Cup Final is not on that list already.

Agree with this. Out of principle we have to try to get it onto the list. Wouldnt shock me if they just ignored the suggestion though.

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Originally Posted by eamo1

Agree about the FAI cup final.Also i think any boxing world title fight involving an Irish man or woman(K.Taylor etc) should be on it too.How long will it be before Sky Sports hijacks Bernard Dunne's fights the way they did with Steve Collins??

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that would seriously damage the boxers main potential source of income!

a boxer really is on the gravy train when they sign a 6 or 10 fight with the likes of sky. then they go on to hammer taxi drivers (oh sorry... audley :D:D) and no-hopers for the first few fights and then have maybe one or two credible opponents... i doubt that any promoter or fighter would be clamoring to support your proposal!

back on topic the FAI Cup final should definitely be on the list, and lets face it the 6 nations too...

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Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

Fully agree, lets not give them an excuse.

Funny how they don't leave an email address to contact them on though

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There's a forum for this purpose on the Department's website.

Also...

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In electronic format to broadcast@dcenr.gov.ie

· In hard copy to Major Events Coverage, Broadcasting Policy Division, Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, 29 – 31 Adelaide Road, Dublin 2.

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http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Broadcasting...ing+events.htm

bhs

I don't understand the objective of that sports list. I still remember when RTE offer pitance for the FAI International rights that lead to Sky Sports taking them at market value.

Seems to me that list just ensures RTE get sports events at cheap prices given TV3 can't compete for most of them.

In electronic format to broadcast@dcenr.gov.ie



Email sent :ball:

Great idea.

Email sent.

I'm actually against any sporting fixtures being kept "sacred"

Interesting that there's about 14-16 football games protected and yet only 2 GAA games

The nations cup at the Dublin horse show is a joke. Do they seriously think that people would complain about that?

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Originally Posted by Dodge

I'm actually against any sporting fixtures being kept "sacred"

Interesting that there's about 14-16 football games protected and yet only 2 GAA games

The nations cup at the Dublin horse show is a joke. Do they seriously think that people would complain about that?

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People who matter would.

The Tour of Ireland should be protected!

Interestingly it doesn't say Irish games in the World Cup and European Championships should be.

FAI cup thread is on the forum now. Add your replies to support this. You don't even have to supply an email address to register. I'm not advocating using multiple accounts BTW. :D

Sorry guys, but am I the only one who thinks that while fair enough, as a point of principle, the FAI Cup should be protected, but when is there going to be a bidding war between RTE and Sky or Setanta for it...?

The time doing it could be spent doing something a bit more constructive, but that's just my little opinion.

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Originally Posted by gufcfan

Sorry guys, but am I the only one who thinks that while fair enough, as a point of principle, the FAI Cup should be protected, but when is there going to be a bidding war between RTE and Sky or Setanta for it...?

The time doing it could be spent doing something a bit more constructive, but that's just my little opinion.

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There may never be a bidding war. But its not inconceivable that Setanta would buy the rights to all FAI cup matches. And if that were to happen, the final would only available to those with Setanta which would be a shame, and we would be sorry that we did not do something about it when we had the oppurtunity.

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Originally Posted by pete

Seems to me that list just ensures RTE get sports events at cheap prices given TV3 can't compete for most of them.

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Spot on in my opinion.

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Originally Posted by sullanefc

There may never be a bidding war. But its not inconceivable that Setanta would buy the rights to all FAI cup matches. And if that were to happen, the final would only available to those with Setanta which would be a shame, and we would be sorry that we did not do something about it when we had the oppurtunity.

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I wouldn't - Setanta's coverage leaves halfheaRTEd in the dust.

But in principle I'd agree that it should be designated given what else has been.

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Originally Posted by Tis-smeee

The Government is to review the list of sporting events that have to be covered free-to-air because they are of major importance to society.

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Of course "free-to-air" sport is great for the consumer, who can choose to watch (or not watch) at no additional cost, and like all "freebies" its a natural and obvious shout to look for more of it (and maybe thats reasonable). But the FAI cup final has hardly set the sporting world alight in recent years, either in actual attendance or TV viewer figuers.

While the cup final is important to me as a LOI football supporter, it is stretching credibility a tad to suggest that it is "of major importance to society".

If there is a demand from subscription stations who are willing to pay for the rights (and therefore push up the market value through competition), is it not the case that the league benefits through the potential increased revenue?