The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association will today (Friday) broadcast a 30-minute programme on free-to-air satellite channel Showcase 2 in a move that some observers believe could be a precursor to the GAA forming its own television channel.
Wexford GAA TV will launch tonight with a half-hour pilot show on Showcase 2, which is available to subscribers of UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB and on free-to-air digital satellite television service Freesat.
The programme will feature coverage of Wexford’s hurling, football and camogie teams. Wexford GAA TV will then continue to be broadcast as a weekly magazine-style show.
Wexford will become the first GAA county board to broadcast on satellite television.
Wexford county public relations officer Rory Murphy told the Irish Independent newspaper that if other county boards follow Wexford, the GAA could form its own television channel.
“It makes sense down the road,” Murphy said. “The media world has moved on, people now use social media and YouTube to follow the games and there is no longer just one television channel like (Irish public-servce broadcaster) RTÉ showing Gaelic games.”
Earlier this year, BSkyB, RTÉ, pay-television broadcaster Setanta Sports and Irish-language free-to-air broadcaster TG4 were awarded rights for the GAA in Ireland in four-year deals from 2014 to 2017.
Murphy added: “The Sky deal shows how the broadcasting marketplace has suddenly opened up for the GAA. If all counties were able to provide the GAA with a half-hour package in future, there would be plenty of material there for the GAA to use on its own television channel. Firstly, we hope to make revenue from the advertising. Already that looks like it will be successful as we've had several people looking to get involved with advertising on the programme. Secondly, it's a way to create interest for Wexford GAA, a new way to broaden our own scope and reach. We've been using YouTube for the past year to broadcast clips. This is simply taking it on to the next level.”