GAA President defends GAAGO, saying, 'You would almost think there was an election coming up'
Sport

GAA President defends GAAGO, saying, 'You would almost think there was an election coming up'

The president of the GAA, Jarlath Burns, has pushed back against the people who have issues with GAAGO. The Armagh native responded to comments made by Taoiseach Simon Harris and Tánaiste Michael Martin, who both criticised the platform last week.

GAAGO and its streaming service have become a hot topic once again for GAA fans, with certain high-profile games only available behind a paywall. Limerick vs. Cork in the Munster Hurling Championship was one example of this.

Speaking last week, Harris said, "The GAA really needs to revisit this; they really need to listen to their grassroots members.

"That's always been their strength, and I think they've gotten this wrong. I think they need to reflect. My colleague, Senator Tim Lombart, has asked that the GAA come into the Oireachtas; I think that's entirely appropriate, and that they tease through and discuss this issue."

Martin, his colleague, said, "I've got huge concerns about it; I don't understand it in terms of the promotion of the game of hurling," he told RTÉ News.

"Essentially, the GAAGO concept is restricting great hurling in terms of the audience, and it's by definition limiting the numbers that actually watch it, whether one wants to accept that or not."

The platform, which has an agreement with RTÉ, came under huge flak last year, and this year seems no different.

Speaking in defence of the platform, GAA boss Burns claims that he and Tom Ryan held a meeting with the Sports Minister, Thomas Byrne, in front of the Oireachtas Committee and asked him if there would be issues that would come up in terms of the platform, and the answer was "no."

"Myself and Tom Ryan, the Ard Stiúrthóir, last Wednesday actually had a meeting with the Sports Minister, Thomas Byrne, and all of his officials. We actually put that on the agenda, GAAGO," said Burns on Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio 1.

"We asked him if there were any residual issues coming up regarding it. He said, "No, we accept that GAAGO is an outstanding service, particularly for our exiles abroad, people who wouldn't be able to watch any of the games, and GAA has a growing global market as well."

Burns has also suggested that both the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste may be speaking up about the controversy to appeal to voters ahead of the upcoming election.

"I’m very, very surprised and disappointed that the Taoiseach and then the Tánaiste would actually speak about something that we have already been in front of an Oireachtas Committee for.

"They were satisfied with our answers. It came up last week at a meeting. There were no issues.

"You would almost think there was an election coming up."

The debate is sure to rumble on.