Taoiseach says GAA needs to ‘listen to grassroots’ as row over GAAGO rolls into another summer
Taoiseach says GAA needs to ‘listen to grassroots’ as row over GAAGO rolls into another summer
TAOISEACH SIMON HARRIS has said that he fully supports the call by Senator Tim Lombard that GAA President Jarlath Burns comes before the Seanad to hear of concerns about the the number of hurling games being shown on GAAGO.
Tomorrow night, the Munster Senior Hurling championship game between Cork and Limerick is to be shown on the pay per view service.
This is the second weekend in a row where no Munster or Leinster hurling championship game will be shown on terrestrial television.
Speaking during a visit to Corrin Mart in Fermoy Co Cork, Harris described the GAA as an “incredible organisation”. However, he warned that they need to listen to the “grassroots” when it comes to the issue of pay walls for big matches.
“It has always been a grass roots organisation. And I think the grass roots are really angry, disappointed and frustrated that matches that the kids want to watch, and the family want to watch, are put behind a paywall,” Harris said.
“The GAA really need to listen to this. They need to listen to their grassroots. That has always been their strength from the bottom up and I think they have got this wrong and I think they need to reflect,” he said.
“My colleague Senator Tim Lombard, who is here with me, has asked that the GAA would come in to the Oireachtas and I think that is entirely appropriate. And that they tease through and discuss this issue.”
He added that the Government supports the GAA and sees “huge value” in the organisation.
“Communities right across Ireland (also) do but they have gotten this wrong. So many people tomorrow will want to watch that Munster final. And it being behind a paywall isn’t what people who support the GAA in every community want to see. They really need to reflect on that.”
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Micheál Martin has previously said all GAA matches should be televised on free-to-air channels amid criticism of GAAGO.
The GAAGO site provides coverage of GAA fixtures, originally aimed at international viewers, allowing them to pay to watch the games online.
Following an expansion of its coverage in October 2022 after the GAA’s broadcasting deal with Sky Sports ended, its has now also become popular for games which are not broadcast on free-to-air channels in Ireland.
Martin has previously said that his “personal view” for a “long, long time” has been that fans should not be subjected to extra charges to watch GAA matches online.