GAAGO – the new online streaming service soon to be launched by the GAA and RTÉ – is to be the third commercial partner completing the sponsorship line up for the 2014 All Ireland Football Championship.
The service will be subscription based but will not be available in Ireland where the vast majority of matches will be covered under the new broadcast deal involving RTÉ and Sky Sports.
“GAAGO™ is a new brand that will require significant levels of exposure and awareness, and sponsorship of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship will provide both in a most effective way,” said GAA Director General Paraic Duffy.
The deal sees the new brand replace Ulster Bank who ended their six year association with the All Ireland Championships at the end of last year’s campaign.
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GAAGO will share billing alongside Eircom and Supervalu in football. Etihad Airways, Centra and liberty Insurance fill the three sponsorship spots for the All Ireland Hurling Championships.
In total there are 21 brands with a national commercial sponsorship arrangement with the GAA.
GAAGo will be available outside of Ireland and will offer live and on-demand GAA games starting during the 2014 Championships. Subscribers will be able to view the games online on any internet-enabled device including mobile phones, tablet devices and laptops. Full details of the service will be announced in early May.
“We are delighted to be working with the GAA to bring such an innovative service to GAA supporters around the world,” said RTE Director General Noel Curran.
“GAAGO™ will serve a need that we know exists and will showcase our national games on the international stage.”
Revenues
No financial figure has been put on the value of the sponsorship. In 2013, commercial revenues made up 32% of the Association’s revenues and while there is no published breakdown of how that divides between broadcast fees, sponsorship and other commercial deals, the figure will rise in 2014 as a result of additional events at Croke Park and the new broadcast deal.
When that was announced earlier this month there was a major row over the coverage afforded the arrival of pay per view by various programmes on RTÉ but that difference of opinion has now been put to rest with the announcement of the new sponsorship.
Sport for Business will have more over the coming days and weeks on the launch of GAAGo and the preparation of all the sponsors as they prepare for the 2014 All Ireland Championships.
