Galway chief slams capital-based coverage

[terry9]

Galway United Chief Executive Officer Nick Leeson has criticised the coverage policy of the country’s television networks, insisting that it is unfair on clubs outside of Dublin and could create a system of imbalance in the eircom League.

Leeson, who made headlines worldwide as the “rogue trader” who broke Barings Bank in the 1990s, was appointed to the top job at Terryland Park earlier this year.

And the Englishman feels that television coverage of eircom League games this season by RTE, TG4 and Setanta Sports is unfairly prejudiced against clubs from outside Dublin.

In his column in Friday’s Irish Daily Mirror, he wrote: “There have been nine matches screened either live or by deferred coverage this season by the three aforementioned broadcasters in the league and the FAI Cup.

“Nine matches. Guess the location of all nine matches? Dublin. Clearly it is wrong and it is wrong for a number of reasons.

“Reason number one is the fact that, in case RTE, Setanta and TG4 have failed to notice, Cork City are actually top of the league – getting the best crowds in the country.

“Derry City are second, Drogheda are fourth and Longford are sixth. Surely, at the very least one of these teams, deserved to have a game shown from their home ground?

“Yet instead we have seen Shamrock Rovers – who incidentally are bottom of the table – on three occasions. St Pat’s, who are also having a bad season, have had three games screened live from Richmond Park. It doesn’t make sense.”

He continued: “There is an imbalance created by sending cameras to certain clubs. Money is given to those clubs whose home games are screened. Now while the sum is not huge - €5,000 for every live game and just €2,000 for every deferred game – that money is handed in its entirety to the home side.

“Something has to change. We can’t have games just screened from Dublin – even if those clubs were in first, second, third and fourth positions in the league. As it is, they are third, fifth, ninth and last.”

hit the nail on the head.

[Rory H]

Galway United Chief Executive Officer Nick Leeson has criticised the coverage policy of the country’s television networks, insisting that it is unfair on clubs outside of Dublin and could create a system of imbalance in the eircom League.

Leeson, who made headlines worldwide as the “rogue trader” who broke Barings Bank in the 1990s, was appointed to the top job at Terryland Park earlier this year.

And the Englishman feels that television coverage of eircom League games this season by RTE, TG4 and Setanta Sports is unfairly prejudiced against clubs from outside Dublin.

In his column in Friday’s Irish Daily Mirror, he wrote: “There have been nine matches screened either live or by deferred coverage this season by the three aforementioned broadcasters in the league and the FAI Cup.

“Nine matches. Guess the location of all nine matches? Dublin. Clearly it is wrong and it is wrong for a number of reasons.

“Reason number one is the fact that, in case RTE, Setanta and TG4 have failed to notice, Cork City are actually top of the league – getting the best crowds in the country.

“Derry City are second, Drogheda are fourth and Longford are sixth. Surely, at the very least one of these teams, deserved to have a game shown from their home ground?

“Yet instead we have seen Shamrock Rovers – who incidentally are bottom of the table – on three occasions. St Pat’s, who are also having a bad season, have had three games screened live from Richmond Park. It doesn’t make sense.”

He continued: “There is an imbalance created by sending cameras to certain clubs. Money is given to those clubs whose home games are screened. Now while the sum is not huge - €5,000 for every live game and just €2,000 for every deferred game – that money is handed in its entirety to the home side.

“Something has to change. We can’t have games just screened from Dublin – even if those clubs were in first, second, third and fourth positions in the league. As it is, they are third, fifth, ninth and last.”

hit the nail on the head.

he is right...a member of gufc is right

[Conor H]

Of course he's right Cork are top of the league and haven't been shown at home in the league at all this year.They should really balance out the coverage of teams-will they show the big meeting between Derry and Cork in August?This friday's game on Setanta is Bohs v UCD but Bohs were on last friday surely the game between Harps and Shams would even be better.

[terry9]

wouldnt do any harm showing some div 1 games.

[De Town]

wouldnt do any harm showing some div 1 games.

yes it would, we want to attract crowds, not drive them away.

[pete]

I'm sorry but i'm biased against showing 1st division games.

The best teams should get more coverage which is why its unfair to havwe the dublin bias.

At least in the Setanta Cup teams were shown on merit.

[BohDiddley]

Leeson is right about spreading it around the premier division, especially the top teams. I think that the schedules take time to respond to the changing fortunes of teams -- hence the misplaced obsession, CL and Setanta apart, with Shels.
Showing Div 1 games would be madness.