Mr. Jerome Pels:

The television rights for the games the national team plays are not held by the national governing body. If it is a European championship, the rights would be held by the European governing body and if it is on world level, the rights are held to the world governing body. In the case of the Olympic Games, the television revenues to go the International Olympic Committee. Some of the money from the International Olympic Committee comes back. We have benefited from a grant of about $100,000 over the past four years that came from Olympic Solidarity through the Olympic Federation of Ireland, so there is some benefit there. To develop the sport, we should make our national competitions stronger.

Games take place almost every weekend in the Irish hockey league sponsored by EY. Drawing from the lessons learned in other strong hockey nations, we need to grow the league and grow public interest in it. Hockey Ireland would be able to sell television rights for the games if we can get the interest of viewers. That would mean that the clubs involved would be able to get more sponsors and provide professional club hockey, which would strengthen the sport significantly.