Will Sky Sport steal the soul of Gaelic games? | Vital Football

Will Sky Sport steal the soul of Gaelic games?

BBJ

Father Of The Forum
Well, they've certainly stolen the soul of football in England so I thought you might be interested to get a sense of what's happening on this side of the Irish Sea.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp was one of my favourite Liverpool players as a young girl, but he won't be featuring on my list of top hurlers any time soon. Watching him and England cricketer Freddie Flintoff try score against goalkeeping legend Damien Fitzhenry at half-time in Nowlan Park on Saturday was the latest attempt by Sky to show how they're embracing our 'bonkers' national sport.
The term 'bonkers' has been used by many people in the UK on Twitter ever since hurling was introduced to their TV screens. Look at those mad Irish people running around a field with sticks, bless them.


More at - https://www.independent.ie/sport/ga...volvement-in-gaa-is-a-bad-thing-36994620.html
 
It's an interesting one BBJ.

I suppose the difference for the time being is that Gaelic games are still amateur sports, but there has been talk for a while about making it professional. The players certainly live like professional athletes in the sacrifices they make to keep fit.

As much as I love Gaelic games, I don't have much time for the GAA. They're more than happy to take the money from Sky. Where does it go?

Do the English even watch it anyway? I'm guessing they have as much interest as the Irish do in cricket.
 
As much as I love Gaelic games, I don't have much time for the GAA. They're more than happy to take the money from Sky. Where does it go?

Do the English even watch it anyway? I'm guessing they have as much interest as the Irish do in cricket.

Always been the question hasnt it? Especially from the clubs outside Dublin. When a town like my mine is seen more like a Rugby town you have to wonder where the funds go.

Probably only a handful who are open minded enough and only when they're Irish man talks them into drinks and match. I went to a cricket game with couple English mates but when they mentioned Barbados, women and drinking all day in the sun I was in.
 
Well Barbados, women, booze and sunshine sounds a little bit more tempting than standing in Dr. Cullen Park on a pissy Sunday watching Carlow vs Leitrim in Division 4.

I'd like to see Sky try to jazz that up.
 
I like cricket. However, I have spent a third of my adult life in England so perhaps have a better sense of it than the average Irishman.
SJH, I love your imagery. I've never ever been to Dr Cullen Park - I doubt I'll go now.
As regards the potential audience, there are plenty of people in Great Britain who were born in Ireland, and then there are many others with Irish parents and grandparents.
As regards the GAA losing its soul, with all the money and resources being focused in a very few counties the signs are already there. Dublin have won five of the last All-Ireland football titles. Their closest rivals, Mayo, have been runners-up four times.
Hurling has always been different as only a few counties take it seriously (even though it is, in my opinion, a vastly superior game).
 
SJH, I love your imagery. I've never ever been to Dr Cullen Park - I doubt I'll go now.

Funnily enough it was featured in Jeff and Kammy's road to Croker, against Leitrim too!


I do have fond memories of the ground as I won a lot of underage finals there, it is the Wembley of Carlow after all lol. Thing is, it's pretty much the same as it was 25 years ago. Same as other grounds, lack of development.

You are right about resources being focused on a few counties. As you said, Dublin are now light years ahead of the rest. I suppose in Gaelic games the bigger counties have always been more dominant but if the likes of Sky are going to pump more money into the game and it mostly goes to the successful counties then the rest stand no chance. Pretty much like what's happened to English football.