The broadcast journalists who will provide commentary and sideline reporting for this season's exclusive GAAGO live championship match schedule have been unveiled at Croke Park.
Renowned commentators Dave McIntyre and Mike Finnerty will be among those calling the play, while roving reporter Aisling O'Reilly will provide insights and updates from both inside and outside match venues to those
watching at home. Liam Aherne, Marcus Ó Buachalla, and Donn O'Sullivan will also be on commentary duty throughout the season, and Clara Hester joins the reporting team.
GAAGO commentator Dave McIntyre said today: "I can't wait. And the weekend we have to kick it off is just incredible. I'm heading to Ennis and expecting close to a sell-out because Clare-Tipp is always an amazing game to watch.
"The Munster Hurling Championship is always just brilliant to be at in person. And to be able to get in from the ground up with GAAGO who are taking their first tentative steps as a broadcaster in their own rights is really
exciting."
This weekend a total of six championship matches will be broadcast in Ireland and overseas exclusively on GAAGO, four on Saturday and two on Sunday.
Saturday's matches will see the Galway hurlers welcome Wexford to Salthill, Cavan play Armagh in the Ulster football championship, Kerry play Tipperary in the Munster football championship, and GAAGO will also follow New York's story from the Bronx to Markievicz Park by streaming live coverage of their encounter with Sligo in the Connacht football championship.
Then, on Sunday, it's the meeting of Clare and Tipperary in the Munster hurling championship while Laois and Dublin meet in the Leinster football championship.
GAAGO reporter, Aisling O'Reilly, said today: "I'm really looking forward to it, it's a really exciting time for me personally as a reporter. I've always dreamed of doing pitch-side interviews so I'm looking forward to chatting to players, managers, and supporters. The championships should be really exciting and with GAAGO covering so many matches we shouldn't be missing any of the action which is what everyone wants."
GAAGO's direct-to-fan output this year is part of a broader GAA broadcast strategy that acknowledges global live sports trends, the changing nature of how people now consume media online and indeed the demand from its own supporters to access even more live games.
The GAAGO domestic season live-match package is available to fans in Ireland for E79. GAA club members can also avail of a 10 per cent discount on the season pass via FOIREANN.
Individual matches are available for E12 while a '3-for-2' bundles deal costs E'24. GAA Clubhouses and facilities can access a group pass for E150 for the season, commercial premises can access a pass for E300 for the season, and care-giving locations can watch for free using complimentary login codes distributed by County PROs.
Viewers can watch GAAGO on virtually all internet-enabled devices and matches can be cast to a TV screen using the GAAGO iOS and Android apps.
GAAGO is also now available on Amazon Fire Stick, ROKU, and Apple TV, while the development and rollout of smart TV apps is in planning for later in the season.
Of those matches shown exclusively on GAAGO, at least 25 of them will get full outside broadcast treatment including live commentary, graphics, match analysis, multi-camera set-up and replays. GAAGO will showcase the complete match-day experience as well as implement some broadcast firsts for Gaelic games over the course of the Championship.
The highly experienced Gráinne McElwain will anchor pre-match, half-time and post-match discussion alongside a brand-new analysis team aiming to bring a player-led mentality to the discussion. McElwain is be joined on the microphone by recently retired Donegal All-Ireland winning captain Michael Murphy, Kerry's five-time All-Ireland winner Marc Ó Sé and seven-time All-Ireland winner with the Dublin footballers, Paddy Andrews.
Live hurling match analysis will come from All-Star Limerick All-Ireland winner Séamus Hickey, nine-time Kilkenny All-Ireland winner Tommy Walsh, and Cork All-Ireland winner and dual star Eoin Cadogan. More GAAGO analysts will be announced in the coming weeks.
Further developments can be expected in this space in the coming years, and Uachtarán CLG, Larry McCarthy, is excited by what has already been achieved and what is yet to come.
"The success of GAAGO in serving the GAA diaspora has given us the opportunity to broaden our horizons in media delivery of our games and allowed us to enter the streaming market," he said.
"It puts the GAA firmly in the forefront of global sport organizations delivering their own content. It is a tremendously exciting project, and I am confident that with a first-class schedule of games, an exciting panel of analysts, and an excellent production team, it will be a huge success."
More information on the GAAGO streaming service can be found at www.GAAGO.ie
