Accounts just filed for the company behind GAA+ (formerly known as GAAGO) highlight the tidy sums to be made these days from streaming local sports and the changing nature of sports coverage.
The GAA’s streaming subscription service increased its profits by more than 28 per cent to €978,986 in 2024.
Its turnover rose to €5.7 million, up from €5.24 million in 2023. This was in spite of a backlash from GAA fans to matches being placed behind a paywall and not made available on free-to-air TV channels.
And controversy around RTÉ having a 50 per cent stake in the business, alongside the GAA, when it also has a contract to show matches free to air. The GAA now has full ownership of the company.
Earlier this year, Clubber sold 25 per cent of its business to Mediahuis, owner of the Irish and Sunday Independent and other news titles. The company established itself broadcasting local GAA matches during Covid but has since branched out into English club rugby.
An annual subscription will cost you €149 for access to all its content – some 13 per cent more than you would pay for a basic Netflix subscription.
LOITV, which broadcasts League of Ireland club football in a partnership with Mickey O’Rourke’s Premier Sports, generated revenues last year of about €835,000 for the clubs to share. The company was born during Covid when lockdown restrictions meant fans couldn’t attend games.
Available worldwide, an annual pass costs €99 and you get access to about 500 games for that cost. Some European matches are available for an additional fee.
These three streamers would have the highest profile in the market but there are many other providers splicing and dicing domestic sports content for audiences.
There was a time when it was hard to imagine such a scenario in a small market such as Ireland. Sport was shown on linear TV via RTÉ, Virgin, TG4, Sky and Setanta Sports (later rebranded as Eir Sport).
And who in their right mind would pay to watch a stream of a local GAA match or a League of Ireland game? Tens of thousands, as it happens.
Digital has upended the market and the genie won’t be going back into the bottle.
