STEPHEN MAGUIRE,
Sir, - I am writing to express my disappointment and frustration at the FAI's decision to sell the rights for the Irish home, soccer matches for €2 million a year to Sky for the next four years.
This means that many young people like me will end up watching the games in pubs. I was under the impression that the Government, and sporting organisations were trying to discourage young people from visiting pubs and becoming familiar with the drinking habit.
I also think that the FAI have been short-changed. By my calculations Sky will need only about 4,200 new subscribers to break even. I'm sure that they will exceed this figure with ease. Each new subscriber will spend about €480 a year while a €1 increase in the TV licence fee (assuming two million licence-holders) would have enabled RTÉ to have bid €2 million. The Government therefore must take its share of the blame for its niggardly attitude to RTÉ over the years.
I cannot understand why people are willing to subscribe to a foreign broadcaster and yet are unwilling to pay an increase in their TV licence fee. The Government, RTÉ and the sporting organisations must get their act together or all live sport will end up on Sky. - Yours, etc.,
Stephen Maguire, Whitehall Road, Dublin 12.
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Sir, - If only a small percentage of the so-called Irish soccer supporters who are whingeing about the excellent commercial deal struck between the FAI and Sky TV could be bothered to turn up week in and week out at League of Ireland grounds around the country, then perhaps some day we could have a National League capable of producing the majority of our future international players.
If these so-called outraged soccer supporters could be bothered to get out of their armchairs and support their local teams, maybe they would have some right to complain. Ask most of these armchair supporters which team they follow and the response will usually be an English Premiership team. - Yours, etc.,
Barry Lavin,
College Farm Lane,
Newbridge,
Co Kildare.
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Sir, - I would like to publicly thank the FAI for keeping soccer off my television set for the next four years. - Yours, etc.,
Keith Nolan,
Bulloch Harbour,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, - Now that Mr John Delaney of the FAI has stated that football is now a business, perhaps The Irish Times would be good enough to publish the weekly FAI results on its business pages. - Yours, etc.,
Bob Ryan,
Burdett Avenue,
Sandycove,
Co Dub lin.
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Sir, - I have been a supporter of Irish soccer for almost 50 years. I am disgusted by the FAI's latest cock-up. I think supporters should boycott all international friendlies until this decision is reversed. - Yours etc.,
James O'Reilly,
Marlborough Road,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
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Sir, - The FAI has once again let the people of Ireland down. After losing Roy Keane, we have now lost the right to see home games on terrestrial TV.
The FAI says its main motive was the development of Irish soccer. But how can you develop the game by restricting the overwhelming majority of Irish supporters access to view the national team, whose success has vastly improved the image of Irish soccer?
It is clear that the FAI is now 2-0 down. - Yours, etc.,
Donal Cahill,
Kilmihil,
Co Clare.
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Sir, - The FAI's new anthem? "Olé, Olé, Olé, Let's make the suckers pay." - Yours, etc.,
Seamus Dooley,
Custom Hall,
Dublin 1.