Sky Sports is set to make a £2.6 Million investment into the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Sky Sports will launch the GAA Super Games Centres, on Thursday 21st, September.
These Super Games Centres are one of the main SKY initiatives that are centred on combating the drop-out rate among 12-21 year olds in the GAAs most popular sports - Gaelic Football and Hurling.
The initiative will see the GAA host 154 Super Games Centres around Ireland between the months of September and May, and will be accessible to boys and girls between the ages of 12-21. The aim is to attract 3,500 participants in its first year with up to 25 children taking part in each centre. Sky has set out a 5 year goal of exceeding 20,000 participants, as well as, supplying all kits and equipment.
Neal O’Rourke, Sky Ireland’s Financial Director said:
“This is going to be an opportunity to mix genders. The Super Games Centres are going to be held all around the country. Both, rural and urban. This is really about getting kids out there playing games, but not necessarily focusing on winning.”
Sky is also set to partner with the GAA to host its annual one-day youth forum for the same age range on October 28th in Croke Park.
Sky is also involved in the 2-day Games Development Conference, which will host an array of Workshops and Seminars and see over 800 leading club coaches in attendance in January.
Former Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley is said to be getting involved with the event as he is already on the Sky Golf Punditry team and is a passionate fan of the GAA.
Sky’s sponsorship and broadcasting contract with the GAA still remains controversial with many GAA Members who were unhappy with Sky’s five year renewal. This contract will see Sky broadcast fourteen games a season until 2021.
Neal O’Rourke, Sky Ireland’s Financial Director said:
“For us, the GAA investment has been fantastic, there’s no contract with that, there’s no commitment to Sky and we believe that’s made the games more accessible. If this wasn’t working for us we would be reinvesting in rights and we certainly wouldn’t be launching this sponsorship.”
Nielsen figures show Sky’s average audience for its GAA games this season is about 40,000 viewers, up about 11 per cent on 2016. This does not include high-definition viewing, those using Sky Go or Now TV, or those watching in pubs and clubs.
