The GAA has concluded its negotiations over the next three years broadcasting of the All Ireland Hurling and Football Championships. Here are ten things to help you understand what the new landscape will look like.
Sky Sports GAA Image
1. RTE Sport will broadcast the majority of matches in the Championships, including the All Ireland Hurling and Football Finals and Semi Finals, all four Hurling Quarter Finals and two of the Football Quarter Finals, as well as all eight Provincial Finals.
2. Sky Sports will broadcast 20 live games for the first time.
3. These will include the All Ireland Finals in both codes, all four semi finals in both codes, and the two football quarter finals including those involving the Champions of Leinster and Ulster.
4. It will broadcast four Provincial matches, eight qualifiers and those two football quarter finals exclusively live, making 14 in total. The other six will be shown jointly with RTE.
5. Sky will include detailed coverage on Sky Sports news including a midweek highlights programme.
6. RTE will continue to show the Sunday Game.
7. Channel 7 in Australia will show matches free to air in that market.
8. RTE and the GAA will jointly show matches via digital platforms in Europe, Africa, Asia and the United States.
9. Part of the deal will be discounted subscription to the Sky Sports Channels for GAA Clubs.
10. The deal wil last for three years with the first Live Sky match taking place from Nowlan Park, Kilkenny on June 7th featuring Kilkenny and Offaly in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.
Join us tomorrow morning from seven for detailed analysis of the many aspects of the deal and tune into RTE Primetime tonight where Rob Hartnett from Sport for Business will be in the audience debating the pros and cons of the deal.