McCabe: GAA needs more TV coverage

Shane McCabe wants a weekly hit of midweek GAA coverage on his television

THE GAA needs a weekly television programme, and it merits more coverage than the Irish League.

That’s the opinion of Shane McCabe, who has experience of both codes having played football for Fermanagh and Irish League soccer for Ballinamallard and Glenavon.

McCabe has seen the exposure that the BBC and Sky give to local soccer, as well as the coverage that goes to the GAA, and he reckons the latter deserves more coverage.

“The GAA, whether it is hurling or football, is played in every corner of Ireland and with that comes demand to see the GAA stars on the TV whether live coverage or insight documentaries or shows.”

“It would be good to see more GAA TV shows in relation to behind the scenes or weekly programmes throughout the championship season. I think one good weekly show could replace some of the online and partial GAA shows we have during peak GAA seasons.

“The GAA season never really stops and its stories are printed on a daily basis so the scope for a more prevalent exciting weekly show is definitely there.”

McCabe has played for a number of Irish League clubs including Glentoran, Glenavon and more recently Ballinamallard.

To those within the GAA, the coverage of Irish League is regarded as excessive. Their highlights packages every weekend, including an online show.

However, McCabe set the record straight on the coverage.

“Irish league coverage is very limited, it’s usually your five minutes on a Saturday or a live cup final. Sky took on a contract a few years back and it had 5 games a year. Believe me the standard isn’t at a level where it can demand big TV coverage but the games usually have some spice to them.

“The Irish league cannot be compared to county GAA in any way. An average crowd at Irish league game is circa 700-800 with many smaller teams regularly having 300-400 at games. A poor GAA county league game would have 1500-2000 at least with 8,000 at the local Tyrone GAA champ final.”

He reckons that at inter-county level, the coverage of GAA reflects that, but that it is entirely merited.

“GAA is streets ahead of the Irish league in so many aspects and none more so than its TV coverage. The players involved in county GAA teams deserve all the coverage and exposure they get as, believe me, a week in a county player’s shoes is on a different level, or planet, to a week in an Irish league soccer player’s. Cue the abuse.”

The full interview with Shane McCabe is available in store today or online here.