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Off the Ball (media company)

Off the Ball (media company)

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OTB Sports (formerly known as Off the Ball) is an Irish media company, comprising a podcast network, website, daily radio show on nationwide broadcaster Newstalk 106-108fm and web-based live digital broadcast. It is on air seven days a week.

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Primarily a sports news review, opinion and analysis show, it has also produced video documentaries on sporting topics.[1]

Format

OTB Sports broadcasts a three-hour long sports review and analysis show from 7pm on Monday to Thursday on Newstalk, nationwide across Ireland and online. The show is also live from 7pm on Friday for two hours, and from 1pm on Saturday and Sunday for five hours.

OTB AM, which launched in October 2017,[2] is a digital sports news review and discussion show. It is available on various platforms including YouTube, Facebook and on the OTB Sports app.

It is presented Monday to Thursday by Ger Gilroy and Eoin Sheahan, and on Friday by Sheahan and Adrian Barry. Regulars include Alan Quinlan, Ronan O'Gara, Daniel Harris, Graham Hunter, Anthony Moyles, Andy Mitten, Kieran Donaghy, Tommy Walsh and more.

Features

Regular slots on the radio show include:

  • Monday Night Rugby
  • Wednesday Night Rugby
  • Friday Night Racing
  • Football with John Giles
  • The Football Show
  • The Crappy Quiz
  • The Saturday Panel
  • The Sunday Papers

Hosts

Off the Ball contributor Darren Cleary (left), with hosts Eoin Sheahan (centre) and Ger Gilroy (right) at the 2018 Web Summit

Regular guest hosts on the show include former Ireland football international and manager John Giles, swimmer Ellen Keane, former Ireland and Munster player Keith Wood and former middleweight World champion Andy Lee.[10]

History

The first episode of the radio show aired in April 2002,[11] featuring on Newstalk which had just commenced broadcasting as an independent local radio station with a franchise for Dublin.

Newstalk also offered weekend sports programming under various titles, including Sport Saturday and Sunday. These programs eventually changed their name to Off The Ball to reflect the connection with the weekday programming in 2013.

In 2004, Off The Ball became radio commentary rights holders for the Premier League in Ireland, and extended the deal in 2016 for a further three seasons.[12]

In 2006, presenter Ger Gilroy moved to the morning breakfast show alongside Claire Byrne,[13] with Eoin McDevitt joining Ken Early and Ciaran Murphy as the core weeknight presenting team. In March 2013, McDevitt, Early and Murphy resigned, along with producers Mark Horgan and Simon Hick,[14] eventually joining The Irish Times under the name of Second Captains.[15] Presenters Joe Molloy and Dave McIntyre increased their presence on weekday programming, while Adrian Barry and Colm Parkinson joined the team shortly afterwards.[16]

The weeknight programme is the leading show on Irish radio in its time slot, with 53,000 listeners according to JNLR figures as of October 2017.[17]

Awards

Irish Music Rights Organisation Radio Awards (formerly PPI Radio Awards)

  • 2009: Eoin McDevitt, Sports Broadcaster (Gold)[18]
  • 2011: Off The Ball, Sports Programme (Gold)[19]
  • 2012: Eoin McDevitt, Sports Broadcaster (Gold)[20]
  • 2013: Ger Gilroy, Sports Broadcaster (Gold)[21]
  • 2014: Joe Molloy, Sports Broadcaster (Gold)[22]
  • 2015: Joe Molloy, Sports Broadcaster (Gold) and Off The Ball, Sports Programme (Gold)[23]
  • 2016: Joe Molloy, Sports Broadcaster (Gold) and Team 33, Sports Programme (Gold)[24]
  • 2017: Ger Gilroy, Sports Broadcaster (Gold) and Off The Ball Weekday, Sports Programme (Gold)[25]

Other media

The first part of the on-air radio show, which consists of a look through the sporting stories of the day, was also available on terrestrial television until late 2017. The segment was originally broadcast on Setanta Sports, and continued after the station was rebranded as Eir Sport in 2016.[26]

References

  1. [1]
    Stapleton, Shane (2 December 2017). "Life, Death and Hurling". Newstalk. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  2. [2]
    Off The Ball. "OTB AM's debut". Facebook. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  3. [3]
    McCarry, Patrick (3 August 2015). "Off The Ball's Joe Molloy: from one online listener to preaching to the sporting masses". TheJournal. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  4. [4]
    Hannigan, Mary (22 January 2005). "'Off The Ball' always on the ball in Dublin". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  5. [5]
    Browne, PJ (22 March 2013). "98FM Presenter Adrian Barry Moving To Newstalk's Off The Ball". Balls.ie. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  6. [6]
    Cahil, Jackie (8 August 2015). "The man behind the mic - Inside the world of one of Ireland's best sports commentators". The Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  7. [7]
    Russell, Adrian (14 March 2014). "Today FM's Nathan Murphy joins Off The Ball team". The Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  8. [8]
    Russell, Adrian (9 August 2016). "Off The Ball's 5-a-side team just got a lot better as Kevin Kilbane joins staff". The Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  9. [9]
    "Brian O'Driscoll to join Newstalk's 'Off the Ball'". The Irish Times. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  10. [10]
    "Heavy hitter: Andy Lee confirmed as new member of the Off The Ball team". The Journal. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  11. [11]
    Kerr, Colin (11 April 2002). "Is the Dublin radio audience ready to make the switch to NewsTalk 106?". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  12. [12]
    "Off the Ball confirms three-year Premier League deal". Newstalk. 29 June 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2018.[permanent dead link]
  13. [13]
    "The breakfast battle and the return of Byrne". The Irish Times. 2 December 2006. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  14. [14]
    Byrne, Cormac (4 March 2013). "Entire Newstalk's Off the Ball team resigns". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  15. [15]
    O'Dwyer, Davin (7 September 2013). "Second Captains find a new pitch". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  16. [16]
    Crowe, Marie (11 August 2013). "Off The Ball's new-look crew back on right wavelength". The Irish Independent. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  17. [17]
    "Newstalk gets 40,000 new listeners in latest JNLR". Newstalk. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  18. [18]
    Last, June (3 October 2009). "Newstalk rules the waves after winning Station of Year award". The Evening Herald. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  19. [19]
    O'Carroll, Sinead (8 October 2011). "Newstalk is the big winner at PPI radio awards". The Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  20. [20]
    Reilly, Gavan (13 October 2012). "RTÉ Radio 1, Today FM lead winners at national PPI radio awards". The Journal. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  21. [21]
    Donnelly, Aedin (7 October 2013). "Newstalk named Station of the Year at PPI awards". Newstalk. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  22. [22]
    Brennan, Eoin (4 October 2014). "Newstalk takes 4 gold awards at the PPI awards". Newstalk. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  23. [23]
    "Newstalk takes three Golds at PPI awards". Newstalk. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  24. [24]
    Collins, Adrian (8 October 2016). "Newstalk strikes gold at the 2016 PPI Radio Awards with five wins". Newstalk. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  25. [25]
    "IMRO Radio Awards Winners 2017 Release" (PDF). Irish Music Rights Organisation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2017. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  26. [26]
    Hancock, Ciaran (26 March 2017). "Newstalk scores Eir sponsorship for 'Off the Ball". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
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