GAA announces its media rights arrangements for the next five years

Having confirmed the end of its nine-year agreement with Sky Sports yesterday, the GAA has today announced its live, highlights and on-demand media rights arrangements for the next five years (2023-27 seasons inclusive).

Negotiations with television, streaming and radio partners in recent weeks have now concluded and up to 200 games will be broadcast each year under the new agreement.

Following the successful expansion of GAAGO’s streaming footprint during the pandemic, exclusive championship games will be made available on the platform in Ireland and overseas from the 2023 season onwards.

RTÉ television will continue to show 31 championship games across the island of Ireland and the BBC retains its Ulster SFC rights. BBC will also simulcast with RTÉ the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals in addition to broadcasting at least one of the finals on the wider BBC TV network annually.

RTÉ will televise the Joe McDonagh Cup final, both Tailteann Cup semi-finals and the final for the next five years. Additional streaming details from these competitions will follow in due course.

A new sharing arrangement between RTÉ and TG4 will see an increase in the number of Saturday night free to air Allianz League games broadcast, while TG4 will continue to broadcast Sunday afternoon and non-regular round Allianz League games. BBC will also stream up to 10 Allianz League games involving Ulster teams per season.

TG4 and RTÉ will continue to provide coverage of the AIB GAA club championships, and TG4 has also retained the rights to the Electric Ireland GAA Minor Championships, Eirgrid GAA Under 20 Football Championship, O’Neills.com GAA Under 20 Hurling Championship and the Electric Ireland GAA higher education, Masita GAA post-primary and winter provincial competitions.

RTÉ will broadcast at least nine live camogie matches per annum, continue their Sunday night highlights show and introduce a second highlights offering. TG4 will also carry Monday night highlights and other GAA programming as per previous years.

GAAGO will continue to stream matches to the diaspora worldwide and the EU pilot with Galician media outlet TVG is also planned to continue.

The GAA's media partners have also been awarded enhanced digital in-game and post-match digital highlight clip rights, complementing the outputs of GAANOW’s online offering since 2018. GAANOW will continue to provide historical GAA content online alongside Premier Sports in Ireland, who have acquired whistle-to-whistle full archive match rights.

On radio, RTÉ and Raidió na Gaeltachta retain exclusive national live rights, while Bauer Media will continue to provide radio score-flash updates on Today FM and Newstalk. BBC Radio Ulster and 24 local IBI radio stations nationwide have also retained their rights.

PROFILE

Commenting on the arrangements, GAA president Larry McCarthy said: “I would like to acknowledge the successful media partnerships we have had and continue to have as we strive to give our games the profile they deserve.

“Maximising exposure of our games and seeking a fair commercial value for them for the betterment of the association as a whole lay at the heart of our approach to a five-year arrangement that provides certainty and security for all parties involved.

“Maintaining our strong commitment to the Irish language was another cornerstone of negotiations.

“I am pleased that even more of our games will be accessible to members and supporters around the globe and we look forward to working with all of our partners to give our games and activities the highest profile possible.”

PROCESS

The GAA agreement with Sky Sports, which commenced in 2014, was brought to an end by 'mutual agreement', both parties confirmed yesterday.

“Despite our participation in the broadcast rights bidding process, lengthy negotiations and a strong willingness on both sides to continue our partnership, Sky and the GAA have been unable to reach a renewal agreement,” said Sky Ireland CEO, J.D. Buckley, in a statement released by Sky Sports.

He added: “A factor in this decision has been the new shortened GAA season and its knock-on impact on the number of games Sky Sports wanted to broadcast.”

Mr. Buckley highlighted the broadcasting giant's 'significant investments' in the GAA and said that both parties are committed to identifying potential future partnership opportunities.