TV Coverage of Leinster games

[crumlinbob]

Unable to get to RDS this weekend so looked to see if the game was on telly. aaah No! Have had a look at proposed tv coverage of all Irish teams games from now to early January (as set out on Rabid Bank Pro 12 web site).
Leinster : 4 games on TG4. 1 on RTE. Total 5
Munster : 4 games on TG4. 3 on RTE. Total 7
Ulster : 1 game on TG4. 4 on RTE. Total 5
Connacht : 4 games on TG4. 2 on RTE. Total 6

We have one game being televised on RTE!! As I am not an Irish speaker I would prefer to watch a game with a commentator I could understand. RTE and TG4 (they are all the one, our licence fee pays both) getting the tv rights for the Pro 12 has so far been a disaster!

[Dave Cahill]

Unable to get to RDS this weekend so looked to see if the game was on telly. aaah No! Have had a look at proposed tv coverage of all Irish teams games from now to early January (as set out on Rabid Bank Pro 12 web site).
Leinster : 4 games on TG4. 1 on RTE. Total 5
Munster : 4 games on TG4. 3 on RTE. Total 7
Ulster : 1 game on TG4. 4 on RTE. Total 5
Connacht : 4 games on TG4. 2 on RTE. Total 6

We have one game being televised on RTE!! As I am not an Irish speaker I would prefer to watch a game with a commentator I could understand. RTE and TG4 (they are all the one, our licence fee pays both) getting the tv rights for the Pro 12 has so far been a disaster!

RTE, TG4 and the Celtic League couldn't give a rats ass about us.

[johng]

D'ja know what would be a good idea? A 90 min to 2 hour "Highlights" programme. ESPN do one on the Premiership. Shows extended highlights of all 6 games.

Sky used to do one for the S14 (sadly dropped it for S15)

Not everyone wants to watch the full 80 mins of every game. but it's nice to get a "flavour" of each game, and then watch your own team's game and perhaps one or maybe 2 other "big" ones.

C'maaaan RTE. Get with the programme.

PS. Please have it in a language spoken and understood by 100% of the population.

Always going to be a lack of interest during the WC, but hopefully things improve when it's over.

[Dave Cahill]

D'ja know what would be a good idea? A 90 min to 2 hour "Highlights" programme. ESPN do one on the Premiership. Shows extended highlights of all 6 games.

Sky used to do one for the S14 (sadly dropped it for S15)

Not everyone wants to watch the full 80 mins of every game. but it's nice to get a "flavour" of each game, and then watch your own team's game and perhaps one or maybe 2 other "big" ones.

C'maaaan RTE. Get with the programme.

PS. Please have it in a language spoken and understood by 100% of the population.

Always going to be a lack of interest during the WC, but hopefully things improve when it's over.

RTE can't even manage to maintain their AIL highlights programme for the duration of the competition, it stops after the league stage!

[TerenureJim]

Unable to get to RDS this weekend so looked to see if the game was on telly. aaah No! Have had a look at proposed tv coverage of all Irish teams games from now to early January (as set out on Rabid Bank Pro 12 web site).
Leinster : 4 games on TG4. 1 on RTE. Total 5
Munster : 4 games on TG4. 3 on RTE. Total 7
Ulster : 1 game on TG4. 4 on RTE. Total 5
Connacht : 4 games on TG4. 2 on RTE. Total 6

We have one game being televised on RTE!! As I am not an Irish speaker I would prefer to watch a game with a commentator I could understand. RTE and TG4 (they are all the one, our licence fee pays both) getting the tv rights for the Pro 12 has so far been a disaster!

RTE, TG4 and the Celtic League couldn't give a rats ass about us.

It's a shame there isn't a red button option for TG4 rugby coverage like SC4 seem to be able to do. But yes totally agree that the Pro12 being purchased by RTÉ has been a disaster. All they've managed to do is stop competition from Setanta in a nicely strategic way. They don't support the league and even when they do cover it there's a general air of disdain towards the compettion from some of RTÉ's older pannel members/hosts.

[johng]

D'ja know what would be a good idea? A 90 min to 2 hour "Highlights" programme. ESPN do one on the Premiership. Shows extended highlights of all 6 games.

Sky used to do one for the S14 (sadly dropped it for S15)

Not everyone wants to watch the full 80 mins of every game. but it's nice to get a "flavour" of each game, and then watch your own team's game and perhaps one or maybe 2 other "big" ones.

C'maaaan RTE. Get with the programme.

PS. Please have it in a language spoken and understood by 100% of the population.

Always going to be a lack of interest during the WC, but hopefully things improve when it's over.

RTE can't even manage to maintain their AIL highlights programme for the duration of the competition, it stops after the league stage!

I know. I was thinking that very thought as I was writing the post.

Still. If you don't ask, or plant the seed in someone's mind......

[fourthirtythree]

D'

PS. Please have it in a language spoken and understood by 100% of the population.

Can't imagine what one that is.

[Broken Wing]

Still. If you don't ask, or plant the seed in someone's mind......

I think that's the point there. Who's asked? Who's chasing RTÉ to show Against the Head all year round? Who's chasing the Pro12 about getting it done?

It's all well and good moaning that people don't understand Irish but lets be honest, what difference does the commentary make? The players are the same, the rules are the same, the ref's signals are the same. A yellow card shown on TG4 means the same as a yellow card shown on BBC Alba or S4C or RTÉ.

Actually it's not all well and good moaning about it. Make an effort. Unless people had an exception for some reason most viewers will have 12 years of Irish behind them and it's simple stuff they're saying, particularly when you know the game and what's going on. Of course it's easier to moan and complain even though it gains nothing.

[johng]

D'

PS. Please have it in a language spoken and understood by 100% of the population.

Can't imagine what one that is.

Ya tick f$&ker!

[Mauler]

It was refreshing to watch the RTE Highlights Programme last Sunday night with Shane Horgan, Ben Kay & Conor O'Shea. No rants, no self pontification, no over sized egos - just plain simple analysis, comment and intelligent discussion by people still actively / recently involved in our sport.
Unfortunately, we know come Ireland match day, the Busted Flushes of McGuirk & Hook will be wheeled back out, to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

As for RTE & TG4 - as neither of them are dedicated Sports Channels, they will never get to show as many games as Setanta used to.

However, they have their magazine show 'Monday Night Soccer' running for the duration of the Pat Grace Famous Fried Chicken League, covering a league, which would do well to attract a combined attendance for their entire season as the two Leinster v Munster games Pro12 games do. As Dave said, for the past few seasons 'Against the Head' finished prior to the end of the AIL, ML & H Cup. However, this show was sponsored by AIB (and subsequently Ulster Bank) and as part of that deal, dedicated a large segment in each show to the AIL. So it was never really a ML / Pro12 weekly round up which is what is required by the State Broadcaster.

[johng]

It's all well and good moaning that people don't understand Irish but lets be honest, what difference does the commentary make? Eh. What? Don't believe you just said that The players are the same, the rules are the same, the ref's signals are the same. A yellow card shown on TG4 means the same as a yellow card shown on BBC Alba or S4C or RTÉ.


Actually it's not all well and good moaning about it. Make an effort. Unless people had an exception for some reason most viewers will have 12 years of Irish behind them and it's simple stuff they're saying, particularly when you know the game and what's going on. Of course it's easier to moan and complain even though it gains nothing.

I have no other need of or use for Irish. Yes it's great we have our own language and all that. In Theory. But I'm sure I'm not the only one with bad memories of it. The sound of it alone is enough to send shivers down my spine.

TBH If I could have the crowd noise and the ref mike with no commentary I would be happy. I.E just switch off that horrible noise.

[Dave Cahill]

Lets not get bogged down on what language the commentary is in, as it stands it could be through the medium of dance for all the good it will do us if they don't show the blimmin' games!

[Broken Wing]

I'd love a ref mike option on all rugby. The commentators are generally morons who don't know what's going on, mix up names, speculate about things while ignoring the obvious and chat inanely about meaningless guff (like how a player's dad would be proud of them playing in the RWC). I used to record games to watch back when I get home but I don't do it as often because the commentators miss so much. If there's nothing in a game I'd particualrly like another look at I'm just as likely to delete it now without watching.

You can't honestly tell me that the Ryle Nugent or Ralph Keyes add to the watching of a game.

[Broken Wing]

Lets not get bogged down on what language the commentary is in, as it stands it could be through the medium of dance for all the good it will do us if they don't show the blimmin' games!

Not counting Aironi this weekend we have kick off days and times for 7 of Leinster's games. Of those only 1 (away to Treviso) is not on TV. 2 of the games will have English commentary (V Cardiff on BBC Wales and v Ulster on RTÉ and BBC NI) 3 are only on TG4 and away to Edinburgh is only on BBC Alba which isn't ideal but it's still on TV.

[fourthirtythree]

Lets not get bogged down on what language the commentary is in, as it stands it could be through the medium of dance for all the good it will do us if they don't show the blimmin' games!

I wholly endorse the commentary being done through interpretive dance, architecture, free jazz, or ISL so long as they show the games.

[johng]

I'd love a ref mike option on all rugby. The commentators are generally morons who don't know what's going on, mix up names, speculate about things while ignoring the obvious and chat inanely about meaningless guff (like how a player's dad would be proud of them playing in the RWC). I used to record games to watch back when I get home but I don't do it as often because the commentators miss so much. If there's nothing in a game I'd particualrly like another look at I'm just as likely to delete it now without watching.

You can't honestly tell me that the Ryle Nugent or Ralph Keyes add to the watching of a game.

Comedic value? Chat inanely about meaningless guff IN A LANGUAGE THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND. Ryle has a nice friendly sounding voice. He's very enthusiastic. I'm sure non hardcore rugby fans think at least one of the 2 is great.

Ask a hardcore opera fan about Pavarotti singing Nessun dorma, they will probably tell you that it is "populist nonsense" and that there are much better arias that no one has ever heard of.

Ask a non Opera fan like me and I will tell you it's great, and Aretha Franklin done a bang up job on it too. Fokking spectacular job in fact.

[johng]

Lets not get bogged down on what language the commentary is in, as it stands it could be through the medium of dance for all the good it will do us if they don't show the blimmin' games!

I wholly endorse the commentary being done through interpretive dance, architecture, free jazz, or ISL so long as they show the games.

Yes, of course. Half a loaf is much better than no bread.

We are just spoilt by having every Magners game on the ONE (or very occasionally 2) channel(s), a couple of years ago. Neither of which relied on Jazz, sign language, interpretive dance or other difficult to understand medium.

[slum]

Personally, I think the best way to put pressure on RTE would be to get on the case of the minister for communications and the minister for sport & fun.

RTE don't seem to see the value in covering rugby.

[TerenureJim]

RTE don't seem to see the value in covering rugby.

Hmm they seemed to when they were making noises around the time Eamon "this rugby thing seems to be successful & popular so I'll see if I can get in on it and change it" Ryan was piping up about putting the HEC on the free to air. I'd imagine that if that "winning" idea had of gone ahead we'd have gotten coverage of home games for us and Munster and a few away ones for Munster.

[ellandleinster]

Unable to get to RDS this weekend so looked to see if the game was on telly. aaah No! Have had a look at proposed tv coverage of all Irish teams games from now to early January (as set out on Rabid Bank Pro 12 web site).
Leinster : 4 games on TG4. 1 on RTE. Total 5
Munster : 4 games on TG4. 3 on RTE. Total 7
Ulster : 1 game on TG4. 4 on RTE. Total 5
Connacht : 4 games on TG4. 2 on RTE. Total 6

We have one game being televised on RTE!! As I am not an Irish speaker I would prefer to watch a game with a commentator I could understand. RTE and TG4 (they are all the one, our licence fee pays both) getting the tv rights for the Pro 12 has so far been a disaster!

RTE, TG4 and the Celtic League couldn't give a rats ass about us.

By Celtic League do you mean the clubs who make it up?