GAAGO, RTÉ and the GAA’s online streaming service for Gaelic Games around the world, today announced the launch of a new dedicated GAAGO channel on the Roku streaming platform. Bringing Gaelic Games to millions of American households, GAAGO joins over 3,000 channels on the Roku streaming platform, including major international sports rights holders, such as NFL, MLB and NBA.

The launch of the GAAGO channel on Roku streaming players and Roku TVs will greatly increase the visibility of GAAGO in the US; bringing the excitement, drama and skill of Gaelic Games to American consumers. This development gives GAA fans in the US an enhanced ‘big screen’ viewing experience, and an additional way of accessing the games, which are also available to stream in the US and worldwide on any internet enabled device through GAAGO.ie. For US customers, a subscription to the GAAGO service provides access to both platforms.

GAAGO brings fans access to over 120 GAA events, including the 2016 GAA Championships and RTÉ’s The Sunday Game highlights show. Games are streamed in high-quality HD and include full commentary, scores, and studio programming as broadcast to audiences in Ireland.

Múirne Laffan, Chief Digital Officer, RTÉ, said “RTÉ's collaboration with the GAA to deliver GAAGO has been built on creatively meeting the needs of Irish people throughout the world. Just two years on from launch, we are excited to now bring GAAGO to the Roku streaming platform. Our growth strategy for GAAGO is focused on enhancing the fan viewing experience and developing key markets. Today's announcement leverages our distribution roadmap, expanding the visibility and availability of GAAGO to engage an even wider audience.”

Peter McKenna, Stadium and Commercial Director of the GAA, said “As GAAGO continues to grow at a rapid international pace, it is vital that new viewing platforms and enhanced live match broadcast experiences are made available to GAA members around the world. The GAAGO channel on the Roku streaming platform, not only facilitates easier access to our games, on the preferred larger screen device, it also places Gaelic Games content among the offerings of other leading global sports bodies. With well over 150 active GAA clubs in the US, as well as it being GAAGO's largest sales market by far, growing our distribution network in that territory is crucial and Roku is another step in addressing this need.”

Ed Lee, VP Content Acquisition at Roku, said “GAAGO is a great addition to the Roku streaming platform, with great sports content like the exciting Gaelic Games. Our platform provides consumers with access to one of the largest selections of streaming entertainment, with more than 3000 channels including 200+ sports channels.”

First launched two years ago (May 2014), with an offering focused on the GAA All Ireland Football and Hurling Senior Champions, GAAGO has rapidly grown its worldwide audience, to stream games to customers in over 180 countries worldwide. GAAGO’s second year in service saw a doubling of the number of games being offered including the addition of RTÉ’s The Sunday Game highlights show and Allianz League, delivering a 55% increase in GAAGO subscribers that same year.

The GAAGO channel on Roku streaming players and Roku TVs is free to download from the Roku Channel Store. A Game Pass or Season Pass can be purchased within the channel. For US customers, a subscription to GAAGO provides access to both platforms. Pricing is the same across both platforms.

A GAAGO Season Pass is priced at $175 (€160) and will provide access to over 100 televised matches, live and on-demand, as broadcast by RTÉ, TG4, Setanta and Sky Sports, in addition to 19 episodes of RTÉ’s The Sunday Game highlights show.

Individual games and RTÉ’s The Sunday Game highlights show can also be purchased on an individual pay-per-game basis, priced at $11 (€10). For the quarter-final, semi-final and final stages of the GAA Football & Hurling Senior Championships the pay-per-game price is €14.

For more see www.gaago.ie/roku.