Madam, – Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan has stated that the main reason behind his proposal for free-to-air Heineken Cup and Six Nations games is to have “important sporting events” available to all citizens. The stark reality, however, is that if the revenue generated by selling the TV rights to Sky or Setanta is lost, there will be a distinct lack of important matches to be played.
If they were to lose the projected €10 million to €12 million revenue under the Minister’s proposal, it is foolish to think that Leinster or Munster could keep hold of the calibre of players currently available to them. The free-to-air idea is perhaps commendable, but not plausible if we wish to maintain success of recent years. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As the euro tumbles, Greece threatens the very viability of the European Monetary Union, our national debt reaches unimaginable levels, jobs continue to disappear throughout the country, the Green Party’s Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan TD, decides that the best use of his time at this critical juncture is to ensure that the Heineken Cup rugby matches become available on free-to-air broadcast platforms.
Why fix what is not broken? Why not fix all the things that are broken first? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As a life-long rugby fan, I was disgusted to see the smug IRFU committee demanding even more taxpayers’ money than they have already had. All the way through basic education, through university in many cases and through sports colleges and clubs, rugby players have benefited from millions of taxpayers’ money. The IRFU has had subsidy after subsidy to pay the committee’s nice salaries and expenses. The taxpayers have paid hundreds of millions to build its new stadium.
And now we can’t watch them play? How easily those bureaucrats moved from self-righteous amateurs to grasping, self-interested professionalism. As for Simon Coveney moaning about Eamon Ryan’s decision being “populist”. Surely not? Next thing you know this country will be functioning like a democracy. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – What does Eamon Ryan hope to achieve by interfering with long-established procedures that have seen Irish rugby take on and beat the best that Europe can throw at us? While many sporting organisations in this country are, at best, treading water, rugby union has made unimaginable progress since the dawn of the professional era.
The €12 million input from television rights is an integral part of that success.
I would certainly agree that the IRFU was, in the past, guilty of some grave errors of judgment, but the decision-making that brought about the current success was spot-on.
The last thing that rugby union needs is direction and a business model from a decidedly green minister whose party faces annihilation at the next general election. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Perhaps Eamon Ryan should concentrate more on providing competent government than providing free-to-air rugby. His proposal, typical of the “hadn’t quite thought it all the way through” logic of our current Government, fails to see any damaging consequences for Irish rugby.
To date, Mr Ryan has supported cuts in healthcare and education budgets. He has voted in favour a ridiculous blasphemy law. He has been a Minister in the Government which has overseen the largest increase in unemployment in the history of the State. He supported Bertie Ahern as taoiseach. He has presided, with his fellow Green Party ministers, over the collapse of the Green Party vote in the local and European elections in 2009. He voted in favour of Nama, though he does not seem to understand it.
And now he wants to change something that is successful and proven. Like all members of this Government he should be kept as far away from things that work as possible. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The revenue streams the IRFU considers so essential to maintaining and improving the standards of Irish rugby are ultimately sourced from private commercial advertising budgets which hope to engage the rugby fan with their particular product. These budgets essentially fund rugby, its administration and its players. At present, this is implemented with the broadcaster standing as intermediary between the advertisers and the various rugby authorities.
May I suggest a slight modification? Switch the rugby authorities into the intermediatory role and have them deal directly or via an agency with the advertisers. Then put the broadcasting of the games along with the advertising content out to tender. In theory this model should facilitate the broadcasting on a free-to-air basis while at the same time ensuring the current excellent standards are maintained. – Yours, etc,