2023 TV Fixtures.

**EatYerGreens** · 20/02/2023, 4:39 PM

Originally Posted by placid casual

It needs a foreign TV investment although how that would work I've no earthly idea. Get BE-IN sports on the phone maybe?

The absence of such a broadcaster already, in a country where penetration of Sky Sports is high, is all the answer you need. No-one from outside wants to broadcast our league, as the numbers and interest levels just aren't there. Hell - no-one from inside Ireland really wants to do it either.

We can kid ourselves that if a game was shown on a different night then every single person who's ever gone to an LOI game would tune into it and make it a broadcasting success, but that's just unreaiistic.

**EatYerGreens** · 20/02/2023, 4:40 PM

Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

Those MediaLive figures are for adults only. All individuals is the metric most people use - Cork v Bohs had an average of 66,000 viewers.

Presumably the adults figure is what advertisers are interested in ?

**Loifan_76** · 20/02/2023, 4:51 PM

TV ratings are estimated from a sample. In Ireland the sample is 1100 homes, which is pretty small. When you're seeing low viewing figures in the tens of thousands, they're probably in the margin of error as its based a handful of people from the sample tuning in. I wouldn't worry too much about it going up or down between games, probably doesn't mean much.

Just adding some context. The rating process is explained here: https://www.tamireland.ie/the-tv-measurement-system/

**WeAreRovers** · 20/02/2023, 7:26 PM

Originally Posted by EatYerGreens

Presumably the adults figure is what advertisers are interested in ?

All depends on the advertiser and what they are selling to whom - figures are broken down into gender, age, class etc so media buyers can spend clients money wisely.

Hence the idea that ‘all individuals 4+’ is the best metric to see the fullest picture.

**Martinho II** · 20/02/2023, 7:59 PM

Would Premier Sports not bid to show our LOI considering they are the replacement for Eir Sport especially with the premiership.? I just dont get it at all.

**legendz** · 20/02/2023, 9:10 PM

With LoI football established on Friday nights, the live TV game has to be on a different day. Clubs are reluctant for a different kickoff time that might impact on gate receipts. The end result is the status quo.
If clubs value live TV coverage, a compromise has to come from both clubs and a TV broadcaster. Monday nights are used throughout the season. Considering other sports that are broadcasted on weekends and European club football midweek, Monday evening is one stand out choice for the live TV game.

**culloty82** · 20/02/2023, 9:13 PM

Or perhaps Sunday evenings at either 5 pm or 7pm, when GAA matches have generally finished?

**nigel-harps1954** · 20/02/2023, 10:41 PM

Until clubs are compensated for live TV coverage, or a broadcaster actually pays for a proper TV deal, then it should stay on Friday night at the clubs regular kickoff time.

**legendz** · 21/02/2023, 4:49 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Until clubs are compensated for live TV coverage, or a broadcaster actually pays for a proper TV deal, then it should stay on Friday night at the clubs regular kickoff time.

How does the league grow the product with the status quo? It's not in RTE's interest to grow the product so that they have to pay more for it.
The league would want to market LOITV as best they can but also have a standalone fixture of the week. They could lead into that standalone fixture with some analysis and review of the games already played. If it gained traction, a "proper TV deal" might come about.
I want to watch Kerry FC on a Friday night. If Pat's v Derry is the standalone fixture of the round, it'll be great to be able to watch it live. In the absence of a "proper TV deal", the league must take more control of growing the product.

**JC_GUFC** · 01/03/2023, 3:15 PM

The reality is it's advertising revenue and not viewing figures that dictate the amount of coverage the league gets. Obviously consistently higher viewing figures would allow a broadcaster to charge more. Unfortunately the whole of Irish football is not really attractive to companies at the moment - look at the senior team struggling to bring in a sponsor.

Look at the companies that sponsor rugby - Bank of Ireland, Aviva (Insurance), Vodafone - big corporate brands who have big advertising purses. This is why RTE are happy to show the rubbish URC stuff because the advertisers will still pay and why Against the Head hasn't been knocked on the head.

Similarly GAA is sponsored by Bank of Ireland, Allianz (Insurance) and eir amongst others.

I don't think TV coverage really is that big a deal anyway - to be fair to Declan McBennett he's right when he calls out the stadiums looking sh** doesn't help. A packed Turner's Cross looked good when I watched the game back and that does look appealing to audiences but then when you see Oriel Park or some of the other less appealing grounds you could play the World Cup final there and it would look bad.

In saying that I'm surprised that TG4 don't make a move, or as someone has said Sky, to show something during the summer.

**legendz** · 01/03/2023, 5:12 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

, or as someone has said Sky, to show something during the summer.

Sky would see some of the stadia as a distraction to the viewer. If the league wants to present as professional, more stringent stadia criteria might have to apply for the Premier Division.

**JC_GUFC** · 01/03/2023, 5:18 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

Sky would see some of the stadia as a distraction to the viewer. If the league wants to present as professional, more stringent stadia criteria might have to apply for the Premier Division.

Sky have shown live games at Warrenpoint and Carrick up North which would make most Division 1 grounds look good!

But I do think the time has come for grounds to be up to a certain standard. Clubs won't do anything about it until they must. How many years can Drogheda claim they're relocating for?

**Martinho II** · 01/03/2023, 9:33 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

Sky have shown live games at Warrenpoint and Carrick up North which would make most Division 1 grounds look good!

But I do think the time has come for grounds to be up to a certain standard. Clubs won't do anything about it until they must. How many years can Drogheda claim they're relocating for?

This brings back memories of the time our LOI clubs got a windfall from the sky money think it was the mid 90s which begs the question back then why did our clubs not invest in their stadiums more?

**outspoken** · 01/03/2023, 10:13 PM

Originally Posted by JC_GUFC

The reality is it's advertising revenue and not viewing figures that dictate the amount of coverage the league gets. Obviously consistently higher viewing figures would allow a broadcaster to charge more. Unfortunately the whole of Irish football is not really attractive to companies at the moment - look at the senior team struggling to bring in a sponsor.

Look at the companies that sponsor rugby - Bank of Ireland, Aviva (Insurance), Vodafone - big corporate brands who have big advertising purses. This is why RTE are happy to show the rubbish URC stuff because the advertisers will still pay and why Against the Head hasn't been knocked on the head.

Similarly GAA is sponsored by Bank of Ireland, Allianz (Insurance) and eir amongst others.

I don't think TV coverage really is that big a deal anyway - to be fair to Declan McBennett he's right when he calls out the stadiums looking sh** doesn't help. A packed Turner's Cross looked good when I watched the game back and that does look appealing to audiences but then when you see Oriel Park or some of the other less appealing grounds you could play the World Cup final there and it would look bad.

In saying that I'm surprised that TG4 don't make a move, or as someone has said Sky, to show something during the summer.

McBennett is full of bull. A lot of GAA matches that are shown usually feature empty stands behind the goals. TG4 show club and ladies matches that are played in run of the mill club grounds. I do believe we should prioritise showing games from certain grounds but his excuses are wearing thing. It's time to move away from relying on RTE and trying to make LOI TV a success which the FAI are failing miserably at.

**dundalkfc10** · 02/03/2023, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by outspoken

McBennett is full of bull. A lot of GAA matches that are shown usually feature empty stands behind the goals. TG4 show club and ladies matches that are played in run of the mill club grounds. I do believe we should prioritise showing games from certain grounds but his excuses are wearing thing. It's time to move away from relying on RTE and trying to make LOI TV a success which the FAI are failing miserably at.

Totally agree RTE don't care never will care. I can't understand why they still haven't asked TnaG to show games (maybe they have and they said no)

**nigel-harps1954** · 02/03/2023, 3:02 PM

Sky is the obvious choice for summer months. Especially the last two or three years since BT Sports started taking more and more contracts off them.

They have big numbers of Irish customers, and already a sponsor of the womens national team, and showing a handful of games in summer months when RTÉ have gone off on their GAA buzz should be a handy cheap option for them to show a bit of football.

**outspoken** · 02/03/2023, 4:31 PM

Originally Posted by dundalkfc10

Totally agree RTE don't care never will care. I can't understand why they still haven't asked TnaG to show games (maybe they have and they said no)

tbf TG4's head of sport has said they arent going to fill the void between RTE showing games at start and end of season, they cant build a storyline that way.

**legendz** · 02/03/2023, 4:47 PM

Originally Posted by dundalkfc10

Totally agree RTE don't care never will care. I can't understand why they still haven't asked TnaG to show games (maybe they have and they said no)

Do the league and LOITV care? Shamrock Rovers v Derry is on Friday night when the rest of us are supporting our own clubs. It'll be difficult to build a product if the league's finest silver are not being shown at a different time.

**Jamesie** · 02/03/2023, 7:40 PM

Originally Posted by Martinho II

This brings back memories of the time our LOI clubs got a windfall from the sky money think it was the mid 90s which begs the question back then why did our clubs not invest in their stadiums more?

The Sky 'windfall' was the cheapest floodlights money could buy for them that didn't have them. That's it. We now had floodlit grass banks