Taoiseach believes GAA ‘wrong’ to show championship games behind paywall service

Taoiseach Simon Harris with Fine Gael’s Cork County Councillors, local election candidates along with Ireland South European candidate John Mullins pictured at Corrin Mart, Co Cork. Pic Daragh Mc Sweeney/Provision

Jack Joy
© Corkman

Taoiseach Simon Harris believes that the GAA should review its decision to show certain championship games behind the paywalled GAAGO streaming service, stating that the organisation has “got this wrong”.

Speaking on the matter at a doorstep event in Co Cork on Friday, the Taoiseach said that the GAA must listen to its grassroots members who are upset that matches, including Saturday’s Munster Championship fixture between Cork and Limerick, are being broadcast only via GAAGO.

“It’s always been a grassroots organisation and I think the grassroots are really disappointed, really frustrated, at matches that the kids want to watch, that the family want to watch, are being put behind a paywall,” the Taoiseach said.

“The GAA really need to listen to their grassroots, that’s always been their strength from the bottom up. I think they’ve got this wrong.

“My colleague, Senator Tim Lombard, has asked if the GAA would come into the Oireachtas and I think that's entirely appropriate, and that they tease through and discuss this.”

The Taoiseach was speaking to the media after meeting with Fine Gael county councillors, Local Elections candidates and European candidate John Mullins from Cork at Corrine Mart in Fermoy.

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Today's News in 90 seconds - 10th May 2024

Speaking on RTÉ, Dónal Óg Cusack said none of the Joe McDonagh or Christy Ring Cup matches are amongst the 38 championship games being shown on GAAGO this summer.

The former Cork senior hurling player said: "No less than seven Tailteann Cup games will be featured. Why? Because football is more important? Who knows.

“The senior hurling championship involves 34 matches, the football championship is 64 matches. For some reason, those 34 hurling games have to be squeezed into the cracks between the football schedule.

"The All-Ireland hurling final has to be done and dusted before the football showpiece. Why?

"It is commonly acknowledged that hurling needs oxygen. This weekend the people charged with promoting the game have given up that opportunity in order to sell subscriptions for a commercial entity. A commercial entity that does hurling in Ireland very little service.

“With this evidence of a glaring leadership vacuum and the sport's visibility at stake, Hurling Nation asks where does the Government of Ireland stand when it comes to supporting not just the sport but a cultural cornerstone?”

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