‘GAA did a better job of promoting rugby’ – Tom Dempsey thinks ‘hurling is being driven into the ground’ by GAAGO
Wexford legend has branded it as “absolutely scandalous” that marquee championship ties are only available behind paywall
Anger: Tom Dempsey
Tom Dempsey, an All-Ireland winner with Wexford, reckons “hurling is being driven into the ground” as another weekend will pass without a live game on terrestrial television.
Dempsey has branded it as “absolutely scandalous” that marquee hurling championship ties like this coming Saturday’s Munster SHC clash between Cork and Limerick are only available on GAAGO.
“We were promised it was all going to be reviewed and it’s worse this year,” Dempsey told the Irish Independent.
“What kind of marketing department would be keeping this from the general public?
“I don’t know whether it’s RTÉ or the GAA, but somebody needs to be held accountable. They said they were going to review all of this, what were the results of that review?
“Where were they published? We were told this was going to be reviewed. They were talking about it in the Dáil and the Seanad, but it’s actually worse this year.
“Hurling needs help and we’re not getting it. It’s just not being promoted. The diamond in our sporting crown that’s unique to us and we’re not promoting it.”
Given that GAAGO is a pay-per-view streaming service that relies on strong broadband, Dempsey insists that access is difficult for many people, including the elderly.
The 1996 All-Ireland SHC winner also feels that the GAA and RTÉ have a lot to answer for in terms of why hurling is not being put front and centre like other sports.
“I have absolutely no problem with rugby in Croke Park, but the GAA did a better job of promoting rugby than their own sports last weekend,” Dempsey added. “I would love to see Croke Park open to all sports, but we’re not promoting our own games at all. Hurling is being absolutely driven into the ground.
“We’ll end up that it’ll be an underground sport, like the hedge schools, if we’re not careful.
“I’m going down to train young lads tonight and want them to have seen their heroes on television. That gives me such a benefit in promoting the game to youngsters.
“I want them to be taking a free like Lee Chin or Patrick Horgan or TJ Reid, but they’re just not seeing it. It’s really going to run hurling into the ground compared to the other sports.
“I’ve nothing against League of Ireland, but you could have six or seven thousand at a match and they’ll have it on television, whereas you have nearly 40,000 at Clare and Cork and it’s not on television. Who’s making the decisions on this?”
