Television deal will get ball rolling at all levels

FAI general secretary Brendan Menton argues that the broadcastingrights package with Sky Television and TV3 will benefit Irish soccer atgrassroots level and has the development of the game at its heart.

More investment in grounds, more development funds, extra youth initiatives, more support for the domestic league in Ireland and extra resources at senior coaching level. That's the result of the television rights package which the FAI has secured with Sky and TV3.

Three weeks ago, if the thousands of young soccer players lining out every week in Ireland, the dedicated and hard-working club members who support the players in all sorts of conditions, and the genuine Irish soccer supporters in this country had been told that these benefits would be available for the future development of the sport, I believe most would have welcomed the opportunity with open arms.

That, however, isn't how the news of significant extra funds being distributed throughout the country is seen.

Has the message of this dramatic increase in positive nationwide investment in our game been sidelined? I would put forward a number of reasons why, perhaps, people aren't sure of the result.

Following a negotiating process which commenced in September 2001, some nine months ago, the end result was as positive a success as any football association with the development of its game at heart could hope for. Holding our own hands up first, it is undoubtedly the case that the FAI, in its communication to the real beneficiaries of the deal - the people on the ground - did not get its messages across with the clarity required. That's a reality.

There were also other issues at play. The achievement of over €7 million in fees, in addition to the existing Sky deal for UK viewing rights, represents an increase of 350 per cent over the last agreement and a massive 400 per cent more than RTÉ's best offer after nine months of negotiation. Most organisations, commercial or not, would be extremely satisfied with an achievement of this magnitude through any deal process.

In the case of the FAI, the achievement is not inwardly directed, but rather presents a new range of opportunities which help lovers of soccer to get more from the game. This extra revenue was achieved in what RTÉ described as a declining market. That's not a reality

The new deal now makes the four games under the programme available for broadcast on two TV stations. TV3 has shown a real dedication for sports coverage both in volume and in passion. It has not yet achieved the level of experience of more established broadcasters, but its commitment to support both the domestic game - where most of our players and genuine supporters have a real community connection - along with the higher profile internationals is total.

Sky TV has established itself as the benchmark broadcaster in terms of football coverage. Its ability to offer in-depth coverage, quality build-up and strength of marketing is wholly appropriate for today's broadcasting and sporting environment.

The combination of the two broadcasters represents a package which is new and has substantial potential to entertain us with a greatly different approach. I suggest it would also rival anything on offer in other countries.

We live in a dramatically changing and increasingly competitive environment. The broadcasting arena is one which has taken somewhat longer to accommodate change in Ireland, but clearly, with over 700,000 viewers of Sky Sports and TV3's top ratings shows commanding audiences of almost 400,000, the landscape is changing.

Where the national broadcaster positions itself in this maturing market is not an issue for the FAI. But the principle of a more liberal market with a better product for consumers is one which is familiar to the FAI and to real football lovers throughout the country as we compete with a variety of alternative sports and leisure options for the attention of the young people who are the lifeblood of our sport.

The national broadcaster is belatedly entering this arena of intense competition, and must now choose whether to stay with the past or attempt to survive in a fast-moving industry. The evidence of its negotiating position after almost a year, some 400 per cent less than its main rival and 27 per cent less than its previously agreed games package, would seem to indicate that it has made its decision.

This viewpoint is borne out of considerable experience in the field of change. As a long-standing, traditional organisation, there is no doubt that the FAI has itself taken time to adjust to the new demands presented by a vastly changing sporting and business dynamic.

We have made mistakes - the organisation, spread throughout the country is made up of people, ordinary people. But we are determined to learn from our experiences. At the heart of this philosophy must be the real soccer supporters, those who hold the values of our game in high esteem - all elements of our game.

The fact that thousands of our members are actively concerned about improving the game at schoolboy, youth, under-21 and national levels shows we won't lose sight of the core football person. The deal secured last week directly enables the continuing support of these dedicated people.

We fully understand the genuine issues raised by the members of the public, many dedicated and committed soccer supporters, but those descending on Ireland in the past week would be forgiven for perceiving that watching the national team live, four times in two years, is a life-or-death matter.

Watching the matches immediately after the live game finishes is, in fact, more the norm than live coverage, particularly in an environment where a particular element of the audience which we are all concerned about - the youth - have as their regular and accepted viewing pattern, all year round, delayed recorded coverage of Premiership soccer on RTÉ and ITV some hours after games have finished.

The level of interest in these British-based players is passionately high, particularly among young people in this country.

In football parlance, the question has been asked - have we scored an own goal by concluding the deal with Sky/TV3? - and no doubt time will tell.

Others have acknowledged that through a more professional negotiating approach, a significantly improved financial deal for the game in Ireland has been achieved.

The FAI believes that the benefit to the game as a whole, from schoolboys to the senior national team, will be real and meaningful for a large section of our community and these benefits will have a positive lasting effect on the game in this country.