I’m game for GAAGO

IN theory, GAAGO should be positive. It allows for a multitude of games to be shown throughout the season, when, previously, just a few could be shown each weekend on free-to-air television, while a couple of more were shown on Sky.

People had their issues with Sky as it was an additional cost on a household.

Completely understandable.

But, a good chunk of households had or have Sky, while most pubs also do, giving people options to watch games.

Since Sky stopped showing GAA, GAAGO has taken over showing games additional to RTÉ’s television coverage.

GAAGO, which is co-owned by the GAA and RTÉ, will exclusively stream 38 championship games in 2024. That’s 38 games that may not have ever been shown on television.

Like I said, in theory this should be a great thing. However, there have been criticisms of it, many of which are valid.

Firstly, it’s an online service. No matter how good the output and the commentary and the interviews and coverage, you can’t guarantee that everyone that wants to watch the game will be able to.

Broadband issues plague certain areas of the country, and that will prevent people being able to watch games. Secondly, the elderly can have difficulty accessing internet services. Some are simply not au fait with technology and they may not have some one to assist them in getting the games to work. It wouldn’t be ideal for them to watching a game on a phone screen, but casting on to the television is another issue.

And, thirdly, aside from that, it could be cost-prohibitive for people.

Advocate for the elderly Paddy O’Brien spoke to news reporter Amy Power about the issue last week. “The GAA belongs to the people,” he said. “It belongs to the Irish people, but they’re putting everything out of reach of elderly people, of people who can’t go online, and a very high percentage of elderly people have no idea what online even means.

“People who gave their lives at club level, who are now retired, who are now classed as elderly, although they put years and years into working for the GAA in a voluntary capacity, this is how they’re being thanked — and I think it’s appalling,” he told her.

The GAAGO debacle is especially important in Cork this year, given that the platform will show three of their four group Munster Senior Hurling Championship games: Against Waterford on April 21, 2024, against Clare on April 28, and against Limerick on May 11.

Meanwhile, the footballers — should they beat Limerick in their opening game of the Munster Championship — would have their semi-final game on April 20 shown on the streaming service.

In total, as part of GAAGO’s 38-game schedule, 22 Sam Maguire football, nine Liam McCarthy hurling, and seven Tailteann Cup football matches will be streamed.

Their early bird pass for people who want to have access to all 38 games is €69, rising to €79 after December 31. Broken down, that’s reasonable. Some of those 38 games will run simultaneously, and there will be games that people have no interest in, but it is still a reasonable offer.

As someone who watches a lot of games, and who has decent broadband, I’ll be signing up.

Their interviews and coverage of the bigger games that are shown on the platform are really good, to be frank, and their pundits and panellists are strong.

This year, they’ve announced a new midweek review and preview show, which is something that’s missing from television coverage in my opinion.

Often, on The Sunday Game, there are games that get overlooked and talking points that don’t get full exploration, due to time constraints and the nature of a live broadcast. However, in tandem with that, a midweek show will be a great asset moving forward.

GAA president Larry McCarthy said recently at the GAAGO launch at Croke Park: “It’s like any new system, it has to be given time to bed in and this will bed in eventually. People will get used to it, that some games are going to be on RTÉ and some games are going to be on GAAGO.”

I have to admit, I think he’s probably right.