Spillane slams GAA and RTE over 'own goal' & questions 'absence of common sense'
Pat Spillane has blasted RTE and the GAA for an 'absolute absence of common sense' over the decision not to show any live All-Ireland Football Championship matches the weekend before last on free-to-air TV.
The Kerry legend noted how no Premier League games were being shown on the same day due to the last round of fixtures all being played on the Sunday, stating that RTE and the GAA had scored 'a major own goal'. Louth v Monaghan and Donegal v Tyrone were both shown on GAA+.
He wrote in his Sunday World column: "We had Meath v Cork, which was always going to be a close and competitive game. Louth, the Cinderella story of the championship to date, were playing Monaghan.
"Last year's All-Ireland champions Armagh met last year's Division 1 league winners Derry. And we had an absolute blockbuster between two of the big guns, Donegal and Tyrone.
"In a congested season, this was another glaring example of poor promotion."
Spillane also took issue with the fact on the day that all four matches took place, RTE showed three hours of racing from the Curragh as the Irish 2,000 Guineas, a race worth €495,000, took place.
He said the meeting had an attendance smaller than the smallest crowd at any of the four football clashes that afternoon and also questioned RTE's decision to show "three-and-a-half hours of Champions Cup rugby with no Irish interest".
The selection of Saturday evening entertainment by RTE didn't impress the eight-time All-Ireland winner either.
"How about a GAA game at 7.0 on Saturday night – prime-time viewing – on RTÉ2? No such luck, as RTÉ2 were showing Super Dogs with Extraordinary Jobs," stated Spillane.
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