Minister for Sport Catherine Martin received a series of bitter complaints about the GAAGO service and the unavailability of high-profile games on free-to-air TV.
In correspondence to her department, members of the public accused both RTÉ and the GAA – who jointly operate the subscription service – of trying to “bleed” cash from them.
One email said the GAA was getting nearly €30 million in Government funding and that they were “absolutely disgusted” more games were not available.
“Now these so-called treasures want to bleed more money from the people of Ireland. How has this happened?” they wrote.
Another labelled the GAA the ‘Greedy Athletic Association’ and said the association’s revenues each year were staggering.
A message said: “That these organisations now exclude large swathes of the population who fund them will be a bittersweet pill for those fans and players who've dedicated their lives to [the sports].”
'Fuming'
One person said it was deeply unfair that people were expected to pay a licence fee and then pay RTÉ on the double for a subscription service.
Another said they were “fuming” and that both the broadcaster and the GAA received very significant support from the taxpayer.
They wrote: “Irish people have supported this national game down through the ages and it just seems very unfair to me that they can't see it played at the highest level.
“I've always admired the way the GAA have supported inclusion and keep fit programmes for people but this is just greedy!”
One person said their mother was in a nursing home and loved to watch matches, especially when her beloved Mayo were playing.
An email said: “We are in the fortunate position that we could afford to pay for a streaming service. However, the Wi-Fi in the nursing home is inadequate and would not be sufficient to satisfactorily stream a live match.
“It is most disappointing that a lifelong fan will no longer be able to enjoy one of the few pleasures that remain for her.”
'Buttering both sides'
Another accused the GAA of “buttering both sides of their bread (with jam and cream on top)”, saying the minister needed to get tougher on the association and on RTÉ.
One email said it beggared belief that on one particular Saturday, a Munster rugby game was available on both RTÉ and TG4 while a hurling match went untelevised.
“It gives the impression that rugby is more important than our national sport of hurling, which needs to be sustained,” they complained.
Not all were so critical of the arrangement saying it was standard with many other sports that people paid to watch them.
“The largest sporting event in Ireland is taking place this weekend at the North-West 100 motorcycle races, with many competitors from north and south taking part,” said an email in May.
“RTÉ will not be covering any of it and never has (let alone Skerries races!) At the end of this month I will pay money to watch the Isle of Man TT races, and will do so also for coverage of weightlifting.”
Asked about the representations they received the department said over the course of this season, 31 live GAA championship matches would be shown free to air, the exact same number as last year.
A spokesman said: “The management of the broadcasting rights to its games is a matter for the GAA, which has commercial deals with domestic broadcasters as well as streaming games on its own GAAGO platform.
“A challenge for the GAA, and other sports organisations, is how to strike the best balance between revenue generation to support development and making its games available to as wide an audience as possible.”
