Televise the Euro Qualifiers

[weecountyman]

RTE do have representation of other sports but while TV3 is ratings driven and Setanta also, TG4 has a public obligation and last season covered the LOI very well, from what I saw, including the Shamrock Rovers-Bohemians end of season match. They could follow at least one of the clubs, RTE would get decent figures covering Shamrock Rovers and Setanta could get good numbers with Bohs, but one question that should be asked, do Sky or one of the continental providers hold rights for Irish teams?

[Murfinator]

I think you could say RTE have an obligation to give priority to local games and teams over others but as I said ratings are still the most important factor in deciding what gets aired and what doesn't which is way games in less popular sports get little or no broadcast coverage despite being of national significance.

What I'm saying here is it isn't only LoI teams that aren't broadcasted frequently on RTE, it isn't being victimised as some posters would have you believe. RTE lost the rights for the Heineken Cup as they weren't willing to pay, I don't think they ever had the Celtic League rights, Setanta do, in recent years they've lost a lot of GAA rights, TV3 have some exclusives, Setanta have access to all the games although not live. So regardless of your chosen sport you're not going to be fully satisfied with what RTE show thanks to their budget limitations. The only saving grace with GAA is that it is of no interest to foreign broadcasters so it'll always be available on terresterial tv unlike soccer and rugby.

[A N Mouse]

No.

IIRC RTE have the CL rights and its open bid on the Europa Cup.

RTE have CL and Setanta/TV3 have Europa league. But these centralised rights are from the group stages (possibly final qualifying round) on. Clubs are still free to negotiate rights to their home fixtures for the preceding rounds. However the broadcaster is obliged to show teams from their own country first.

[osarusan]

I think you could say RTE have an obligation to give priority to local games and teams over others but as I said ratings are still the most important factor in deciding what gets aired and what doesn't which is way games in less popular sports get little or no broadcast coverage despite being of national significance.

What I'm saying here is it isn't only LoI teams that aren't broadcasted frequently on RTE, it isn't being victimised as some posters would have you believe. RTE lost the rights for the Heineken Cup as they weren't willing to pay, I don't think they ever had the Celtic League rights, Setanta do, in recent years they've lost a lot of GAA rights, TV3 have some exclusives, Setanta have access to all the games although not live. So regardless of your chosen sport you're not going to be fully satisfied with what RTE show thanks to their budget limitations. The only saving grace with GAA is that it is of no interest to foreign broadcasters so it'll always be available on terresterial tv unlike soccer and rugby.

I agree with you when you say that there is no victimisation of the LOI in RTE not showing games, as there are other other sports which get even less exposure on TV.

Whether ratings are all that determines what RTE show and don't show is something I'm not sure about. I'd be surprised if they didn't have commitments to broadcast things which get lower ratings but are considered "important".

The agrument that any RTE decision not to show LOI games or LOI teams in Europe is based on budget constraints is madness though. It would cost next to nothing to broadcast a game from Dalymount, for example.

[CarrickFan]

I think you could say RTE have an obligation to give priority to local games and teams over others but as I said ratings are still the most important factor in deciding what gets aired and what doesn't which is way games in less popular sports get little or no broadcast coverage despite being of national significance.

What I'm saying here is it isn't only LoI teams that aren't broadcasted frequently on RTE, it isn't being victimised as some posters would have you believe. RTE lost the rights for the Heineken Cup as they weren't willing to pay, I don't think they ever had the Celtic League rights, Setanta do, in recent years they've lost a lot of GAA rights, TV3 have some exclusives, Setanta have access to all the games although not live. So regardless of your chosen sport you're not going to be fully satisfied with what RTE show thanks to their budget limitations. The only saving grace with GAA is that it is of no interest to foreign broadcasters so it'll always be available on terresterial tv unlike soccer and rugby.

And it never will be...judging by crowds last summer its becoming of little interest to the Irish public also..

[Ceirtlis]

The year gone by was actually the first in a good number of years where they didnt show a game. The thing I found strange though was that Austrian and Romanian tv showed games from Dublin and they didnt even pay to piggyback the coverage. I would say that the sports department are very sore about the budget on MNS, they were moaning about it before, and decided absolutley no more money was going to the LOI this year.

[marinobohs]

I agree with you when you say that there is no victimisation of the LOI in RTE not showing games, as there are other other sports which get even less exposure on TV.

Whether ratings are all that determines what RTE show and don't show is something I'm not sure about. I'd be surprised if they didn't have commitments to broadcast things which get lower ratings but are considered "important".

The agrument that any RTE decision not to show LOI games or LOI teams in Europe is based on budget constraints is madness though. It would cost next to nothing to broadcast a game from Dalymount, for example.

fair point there, crowds at AIL rugby games are tiny yet the league gets extensive coverage. Likewise club GAA games are not usually major crowds yet TG 4 (part of the RTE stable) give them massive coverage.

while I would not critisise RTE or any broadcaster for showing "minority" sports it is a bit rich for them to quote ratings when it comes to LOI

[sheao]

Why just RTE?

Why not hassle TV3 and Setanta to get on board?

Setanta showed Pats away game against Hertha Berlin in the uefa cup last season . Yeah but your are right, all the Irish stations should be trying to show LOI teams in european action as they are representing the country no matter how good or bad they are.

[Acornvilla]

Setanta showed Pats away game against Hertha Berlin in the uefa cup last season . Yeah but your are right, all the Irish stations should be trying to show LOI teams in european action as they are representing the country no matter how good or bad they are.

id say theres a good chance we will see rovers games on rte becase of the clubs history and shiny new home and all that

[weecountyman]

Marinobohs, I disagree on tiny crowds at AIL games and not major crowds at GAA club matches, both would make our LOI 1st Division, and some Premier, clubs very jealous. Plus advertising revenues come into play too, there are/were bigger companies interested in plugging products via rugby and GAA and local soccer. Plus the viewing figures for TG4's (from what I've read) GAA club finals coverage is more than respectable.

I wonder about the budget for MNS as it seems to be a fairly tight run ship, with minimal coverage of the LOI (Premier only) and a tight time slot. I don't know if there's any truth in the claim that Roddy was on a hundred grand a year from RTE, because then Rico would be on the same. If that was the case then the show might look a bit rich. Con Murphy (in spite of his allegiance :-) ) is a stalwart for radio and Tony O'Donoghue likewise for TV. So I don't know why RTE would complain about the show, unless the wages were mental.

[Schumi]

Marinobohs, I disagree on tiny crowds at AIL games... would make our LOI 1st Division, and some Premier, clubs very jealous.

Really? Any AIL games I've been at have had first division sized crowds at them at best.

[marinobohs]

Marinobohs, I disagree on tiny crowds at AIL games and not major crowds at GAA club matches, both would make our LOI 1st Division, and some Premier, clubs very jealous. Plus advertising revenues come into play too, there are/were bigger companies interested in plugging products via rugby and GAA and local soccer. Plus the viewing figures for TG4's (from what I've read) GAA club finals coverage is more than respectable.

I wonder about the budget for MNS as it seems to be a fairly tight run ship, with minimal coverage of the LOI (Premier only) and a tight time slot. I don't know if there's any truth in the claim that Roddy was on a hundred grand a year from RTE, because then Rico would be on the same. If that was the case then the show might look a bit rich. Con Murphy (in spite of his allegiance :-) ) is a stalwart for radio and Tony O'Donoghue likewise for TV. So I don't know why RTE would complain about the show, unless the wages were mental.

disagree, heiniken Cup or that Celtic League games only rugger matches I have seen with antway decent crowd similarly a lot of GAA club games do not cause traffic dissruption.

I would be amazed if Roddy orc any panelist was on that kind of money at MNS - what a waste. I like Com Murphy (despite .....) and tony O'D but personally would prefer 1st Div highlights to a load of guff from Roddy or Rico (money better spent). Still finding its feet to be fair and a lot better than 2 minute "highlights" at 10.30 on a sunday night (sometimes showed only some of the goals in the "featured match" )