RTE next season

**Jofspring** · 27/02/2014, 3:45 PM

Originally Posted by Sheridan

What does that have to do with anything, though? The top level of domestic rugby is pushed fanatically across all platforms.

The top level did a lot to help themselves in the first place though in fairness. All the LOI has done is disappoint year after year. I honestly think the coverage we get when you think of viewership and crowds actually going to games is about all we deserve until we get the crowds and interest up ourselves.

**Neish** · 27/02/2014, 4:23 PM

Originally Posted by Jofspring

The hardcore rugby fans that follow AIL would say they get little to no coverage at all and in fairness their crowds aren't much worse than the LOI. I big local derby in limerick can easily pull between 3,000-4,000.

Yeah one or two games, from what I have seen the rest would be lucky to have a few hundred at them regardless of form(granted I only been to 2 or 3 live domestic rugby game and I take the figures from what I have seen on tv)

Agree with you, that the FAI & individual clubs need to promote themselves more

**Macy** · 27/02/2014, 5:35 PM

Not getting the points about watered down coverage really - MNS went out of their way to cover anything but the league anyway, so the only further dilution is whatever they do on the champions league. It'll be rubbish as long as the same focus is on talk rather than bloody football highlights.

Time doesn't really bother me - 7-8 is busy with the children's bedtime, so I always watched MNS on the rte player anyway.

**legendz** · 27/02/2014, 6:47 PM

Clubs should be allowed put highlights on their websites if they wish and even stream live commentary.

**NeverFeltBetter** · 27/02/2014, 6:56 PM

Is there a national league in the world that does that (while also having an agreement with a tv channel?)

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/02/2014, 7:07 PM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Is there a national league in the world that does that (while also having an agreement with a tv channel?)

The SPL does it

**NeverFeltBetter** · 27/02/2014, 7:38 PM

Fair enough. I'd love to see such a model work here, but are RTE within their rights to block it?

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/02/2014, 7:46 PM

If their contract with the FAI empowers them to, yeah. I'm not sure exactly what grounds RTE stopped LOI fan groups from broadcasting games but it seems they had the power to do it.

**Macy** · 27/02/2014, 8:04 PM

That was part of a bigger agreement though. Its clearly a weaker outcome in terms of content and timing, so should the fai be conceding exclusivity? Probably not, but they probably did!

**legendz** · 27/02/2014, 8:09 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

If their contract with the FAI empowers them to, yeah. I'm not sure exactly what grounds RTE stopped LOI fan groups from broadcasting games but it seems they had the power to do it.

Seems unfair for the limited coverage they provide. I know clubs across the water stream live commentary and show highlights of their games on the following days. If Rte are doing a poor job of promoting the league, clubs should lobby at least against restrictions on them promoting their games through highlights and live commentary if they wish.

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/02/2014, 8:25 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Seems unfair for the limited coverage they provide. I know clubs across the water stream live commentary and show highlights of their games on the following days. If Rte are doing a poor job of promoting the league, clubs should lobby at least against restrictions on them promoting their games through highlights and live commentary if they wish.

Yeah but I think the clubs are grateful for the limited coverage they get. Taking control themselves is probably a task the clubs aren't willing to take on.

**legendz** · 27/02/2014, 8:41 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

Yeah but I think the clubs are grateful for the limited coverage they get. Taking control themselves is probably a task the clubs aren't willing to take on.

I agree with Macy first of all that the FAI should not be conceding exclusivity. The deal does not seem good enough.

Some clubs are, some clubs are not. I think it's Shelbourne who used to show decent highlights of their games? I've listened to Shamrock Rovers live commentary on some games. I think that was blocked? I think the option should be open to club's or it's supporters if they wish to take it on.

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/02/2014, 8:50 PM

I don't think they have ceded exclusivity, given there are games on Setanta, but perhaps Setanta buys the rights from RTE. I don't know.

**legendz** · 27/02/2014, 8:55 PM

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

I don't think they have ceded exclusivity, given there are games on Setanta, but perhaps Setanta buys the rights from RTE. I don't know.

If they haven't ceded exclusivity, why were some groups stopped broadcasting games?

Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

If their contract with the FAI empowers them to, yeah. I'm not sure exactly what grounds RTE stopped LOI fan groups from broadcasting games but it seems they had the power to do it.

What I'm getting at is groups should be able to broadcast games if they've permission from their clubs. Also Shels TV type match highlights, which I think used to be shown a few years back, should not be blocked.

**Charlie Darwin** · 27/02/2014, 9:02 PM

The agreement with RTE might be for first refusal and that any game the FAI sells is on the same terms as RTE are bound by. I'm purely speculating because I don't know the details of the contract, but hypothetically RTE could argue that it's either implicit or explicit in their contract that anybody showing games should have to pay x amount and a fan group showing games for free is unfair. I'm sure they're also going to argue that Rovers or Shels supporters showing games or putting up highlights reels is going to detract from the audience for MNS. God knows, really.

**TheBoss** · 28/02/2014, 1:02 AM

I am not sure what deal is between RTE and FAI, but from this press release in 2007, the current deal is up sometime this year.
Link

Their Sky Sports contract also ends in this year.
Link

So, why not include a LOI rights package along with the Ireland internationals, possibly with Sky Sports. Like, they have to show LOI games if they want Ireland matches, I don't see an issue in doing this, cause Sky Sports are likely to renew the deal due to high number of Irish subscribers they have in Ireland and the high numbers of Irish living in the UK, plus if Irish people see that games are on Sky Sports, they might take the league more seriously as Sky Sports are covering them.

**Charlie Darwin** · 28/02/2014, 2:03 AM

Originally Posted by TheBoss

I am not sure what deal is between RTE and FAI, but from this press release in 2007, the current deal is up sometime this year.
Link

Their Sky Sports contract also ends in this year.
Link

So, why not include a LOI rights package along with the Ireland internationals, possibly with Sky Sports. Like, they have to show LOI games if they want Ireland matches, I don't see an issue in doing this, cause Sky Sports are likely to renew the deal due to high number of Irish subscribers they have in Ireland and the high numbers of Irish living in the UK, plus if Irish people see that games are on Sky Sports, they might take the league more seriously as Sky Sports are covering them.

The deal was until the end of the 2013 season as far as I know. I believe the FAI were courting Sky back in the day, but the ruling that Ireland games have to be covered on terrestrial TV scuppered a lot of that. Like RTE, Sky's main interest in the LOI was as a package along with international games. Even if Sky did get LOI coverage, it wouldn't be at favourable times for viewers or fans. The 3pm Saturday slot will be taken up by Pro 12 rugby next year.

**legendz** · 28/02/2014, 7:35 AM

Ireland's qualifiers are now part of a UEFA centralised tv rights package. FAI stand to make more from that deal.

**Raheen** · 28/02/2014, 7:47 AM

Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter

Is there a national league in the world that does that (while also having an agreement with a tv channel?)

Aye, in France. Orange.fr stream all Ligue 1 games while both Bein Sport and Canal Plus show them live. Bizarrely, at times all three show the same game concurrently.

**Dodge** · 28/02/2014, 9:29 AM

Originally Posted by legendz

Ireland's qualifiers are now part of a UEFA centralised tv rights package. FAI stand to make more from that deal.

Yep, and as a result the FAI can't include LOI football in any negotiations for competitive games.

People are off their rocker if they think Sky sports will send 6 camera crews to LOI grounds each week just so they can show ROI friendlies