Brendan Fanning of the Sunday Independent analyses the potential fall-out of the Irish government's proposal to make Heineken Cup games involving the four Irish provinces available on terrestrial television.
"The tail end of last season and into the summer was dominated by an earthquake whose epicentre was Adelaide Road, where communications minister Eamon Ryan hangs his hat of a working day. He gets to decide what is and isn't on the preserved list of sporting events that must be screened free to air, and as such he can define the lives of sporting organisations for whom tv revenue is oxygen.
"No, this topic hasn't gone away. In fact, it's currently on the table of economic consultants hired by Minister Ryan. Later next month, for a fee of €73,787 (inc vat) they will lob their report onto his desk. What he does with it then has everyone in Lansdowne Road transfixed.
"They are petrified that he will park both the Heineken Cup and Six Nations in the free-to-air zone, scuppering the market. As the market itself has already placed the Six Nations in that car park until 2013, the initial point of contact is the Heineken Cup. And if that happens, Sky will reverse with their money."
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