GAA fans outside of Ireland and Britain will be able to watch all this summer’s All Ireland Championship matches over the internet if they pay €110 for a new GAAGO streaming service.
Viewers in England, Scotland and Wales will have to pay €60 for a ‘GB Pass’. This will give them online access to the 25 games broadcast by RTÉ (but not those shown on Sky).
Customers can also choose to pay-per-game at a price of €10. The cost of individual games increases to €14 for quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.
None of the games covered by the Sky Sports deal – the 14 exclusive games and the six simulcasts of the All-Ireland semi-finals and finals – will be available to British viewers on the internet.
Previously, GAA director general Páraic Duffy said that shouldn't be a problem because "nearly every pub in Britain has Sky Sports".
The new online subscription streaming service GAAGO was launched today in RTÉ’s studios. That event itself was also streamed to an online audience.
Speaking at the launch, Duffy said the new service would be rolled out in the coming weeks. “For the first time our games will be available to followers around the globe through the same service and we are enthused at the prospect of making it easier for people… to make a connection with top level football and hurling,” he said.
The games will be streamed in high definition and will include full commentary, scores, and studio programming as broadcast to audiences in Ireland.
The service will begin operating in mid-June 2014. Until then, RTÉ Player rte.ie/player will provide free worldwide streaming of GAA Championship matches.
Recently it was announced that GAAGO would become the third and final brand sponsor of the All Ireland Senior Football Championship.