Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 February 2024
55. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if any study has been undertaken on the impact of pay-per-view on sport considering the current situation with an organisation (details supplied) and the potential impact on hurling. [6901/24]
View answerA challenge for sports bodies is striking a balance between generating revenue and ensuring as wide an audience as possible for games. Obviously all sports fans would like to see more games free to air, and especially those involving their own counties. However, it would not be practical to broadcast all matches. The championship structure and the length of the season means there is bound to be fixture congestion.
Ultimately, other than those events designated under legislation for broadcast as free to air, the question of which sporting events are broadcast, and how they are broadcast, is primarily a matter for the sports body concerned and their broadcast partner.
With regard to the potential impact of pay-per-view broadcasting on sports, the management of broadcasting and commercial rights and the decision as to whether to enter commercial arrangements, including in respect of pay-per-view, are a matter for each sports body. As such the GAA is free to enter commercial agreements to generate revenue to support the continued development of Gaelic Games from grassroots to elite levels.
It is also important to remember that our public service broadcasters have an obligation to provide a broad range of programmes for the benefit and enjoyment of the entire community, not just sports fans. As such, designating all hurling matches is not feasible.
With regard to protecting free to air broadcasting, the designation of major events is provided for in the Broadcasting Act 2009. A review is currently underway in to the potential designation of additional events, with a public consultation open until 20th February.
Additional events for consideration include the quarter and semi-finals of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship as well as the final of the Senior Hurling Provincial Championship. The final of All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship has already received a designated status.
As part of the process to determine the final list of events for designation, each of the relevant sports bodies have been given the opportunity to make a submission on the proposed list of events. An independent external consultant will assess the responses to the consultation. This will include assessing the potential impact of designation on sports bodies, and will form a part of the consideration as to whether events will be designated. Upon consideration of this independent report, the view of all parties consulted, including any submissions made by the sports bodies concerned, there will be engagement with the European Commission prior to laying a draft order of the final list before the Oireachtas.
The purpose of this process is not to designate all games in a competition as free to air but, rather, events of major importance to the country as a whole.
