GAA Director General Páraic Duffy is adamant that the broadcasting deal agreed last year with Sky Sports has given a ‘major boost’ to the association in Britain.
In his comprehensive Annual Report Duffy highlighted Sky’s coverage of the drawn 2014 All-Ireland hurling between Kilkenny and Tipperary.
“In light of the fierce national debate that followed the announcement of the new TV contracts, and in light particularly of some of the wilder comments that emanated from those who preferred not to consider the situation of GAA supporters and members living abroad, we can, now that the first season of the new TV contracts has ended, consider a few simple facts," Duffy wrote.
"Due to the growing interest in the games as the season progressed (helped by an excited Twitter reaction), 427,000 people in the UK watched Sky’s coverage of the drawn Kilkenny v Tipperary hurling final, helping to make it the most- watched hurling final of all time.
“It is also clear that the Sky coverage has given a major boost to Gaelic games in the UK. There has been a huge increase in interest in our games, notably among young English-born people, who have been arriving in substantial numbers at our UK clubs seeking to take up football and hurling.
"Many of these newcomers have no background in Gaelic games, but were simply enthralled by what they saw on TV."
The increased availability of games for audiences outside of Ireland is crucial according to Duffy.
“Only one year of the new arrangements has passed. It will take more time for us to judge the outcomes of our choices. It is also the case that the television landscape and the public’s viewing behaviour and patterns are changing very quickly on account of new technologies and new media," he wrote.
“For the time being, however, we can make the following points: first, with a hundred or so live games broadcast free to air, and with the highest-ever level of TV live coverage of our games in Ireland, it seems fair to say that our home-based supporters have not been neglected.
"Second, the quality of the TV coverage and presentation of our games has improved; third, there is a growing interest in our games in Britain; and, finally – and surely this is cause for a little rejoicing – our loyal Irish GAA supporters and members abroad can now follow live TV or internet coverage of many (in some cases, all) of our championship games – which is what the Association set out to achieve at the start of 2014.”
