Clubs have shown that they are capable of doing an excellent job of streaming games. IF there were any financial resources directed to WatchLoI they should go to the clubs to do their own thing. In principle trying to share the wealth was a good thing but was it really expected to make any significant money!? As mentioned it takes longer to establish a service than part of a season. I'd watch any game crowd or not so liked the service and would like to have the continued option to see away Dundalk games that I cant get to even when crowds are back. One major positive of clubs doing their own streaming is less having to hear Dundork, nails on a blackboard!
That figure of an average of 2600 watching EACH games isnt at all bad even if 11k subscribers fell short of the target. Im not sure how they expected significant overseas numbers or how they gauged that market, ex-pat fans (no pun intended) may have known about the service and used it but how could any figures be guesstimated - maybe from RTE Player figures? With the approximate €7mil loss made by RTE in general, spending 300k on a fringe service isnt going to make sense when clubs can manage things themselves by and large and for much less. Its not as if there were pundits on the WatchLoI platform. Its not directly related but clubs worry about lost gate income when games are on TV so imo club provided streaming helps mitigate against that thinking which is anecdotal rather than there being concrete figures of the impact of such a trend. Streaming by clubs could be jointly marketed and branded and with the FAI assisting with 'signal costs', throw in some adds?. I dont know whats involved so maybe naïve but the Dundalk preseason coverage was excellent, with in match replays, commentary and punditry. Any 1st Division coverage I saw were also top notch. Why not utilise the many film + TV/media course students and if organised provide course credits so costs are reduced and would have their own equipment etc.
Its a worthwhile effort in its infancy but the baby shouldnt be thrown out with the bathwater (apologies at this dreadful pun too). Going forward and even when BCD ends there is still the summer season angle to push when other leagues have finished if an international market is hoped for.
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