February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
They anticipated a thrilling All-Ireland football final, pitting the men of Tyrone against those of Kerry, with majestic radio commentary by Micheal O Muircheartaigh.
What they got was a documentary about how salmon and other wild fish spawn in the Atlantic ocean.
Somehow, well-paid RTE executives, many of whom enjoyed the match from the comfort of their luxury, private box in Croke Park itself, had not bothered to negotiate the Internet radio rights with the GAA.
Measured against the importance of the day in the sporting calendar and in wider Irish culture, the cost of these rights was minimal.
RTE’s failure to secure them was shameful.
Neither is the GAA blameless. A spokesman for the organization casually told an Irish Echo reporter this week the broadcast “is not worth that much to us…we hope to have it up and running by next year”.
Then why didn’t the GAA put up the broadcast on its own Web site?
GAA supporters here in the United States expect, and deserve, better.