InPlayer has been the go-to paywall for GAA counties and sports organisations across Ireland for years. It handles ticketing and access control for live streams hosted on platforms like Vimeo, and it remains a working option for organisations that want a paywall bolted onto an existing video host. The question for most organisations is no longer whether InPlayer works, but whether a generic paywall on top of a separate video host is still the right shape for a county board, school, or club running pay-per-view sports. PassCast was built specifically for that shape: ticketing, streaming, replays, and branding in one product, designed around the way grassroots sports actually run.
Feature comparison
| Feature | PassCast | InPlayer |
|---|---|---|
| Closest PassCast tier | Channel — branded, custom domain, £250/mo + 8% | Standard licence (custom-quoted) |
| Pay-per-view ticketing | Built in | Built in |
| Video hosting and streaming | Built in (Mux) | Requires separate host (Vimeo, JW Player, etc.) |
| On-demand replays | Automatic after every event | Depends on video host configuration |
| White-label branding | Full (logo, colours, custom domain) | Limited (paywall overlay only) |
| Custom domain | Yes (e.g. tv.yourclub.com) | No (page.inplayer.com/YourClub) |
| Payment processing | Stripe Connect (direct to your account) | InPlayer collects, pays out later |
| Sponsor branding on streams | Yes (banner, logo placement) | No |
| Admin dashboard with analytics | Yes (viewers, revenue, watch time) | Basic reporting |
| Mobile streaming app (no OBS needed) | Coming soon | No |
| Discount codes | Yes | Limited |
| Match bundles (season passes) | Yes | Subscription packages only |
| Self-service free tier | Yes (Community tier, no monthly fee) | No free tier |
| Published pricing | Yes (passcast.tv/pricing) | No (quoted per organisation) |
| Built specifically for sports | Yes | No (general media paywall) |
Why a sports-first platform fits better than a generic paywall
InPlayer is a generic paywall. It sits on top of a separate video host like Vimeo, and its job is to gate access. That works, but it means two products, two contracts, two support teams, and two places where things can break on match day. The branding sits in the paywall layer, the video sits somewhere else, and the viewer experience is stitched together from both. For a county board with a handful of volunteers running match-day streams, that complexity is a poor fit.
PassCast is one product. Viewers visit your custom domain (for example, tv.ulsterschoolsgaa.com), see your logo and colours, buy a ticket via Stripe, and watch the stream. After the event ends, a replay is automatically created and available for on-demand purchase. No separate video host to manage, no embed codes to copy, no third-party paywall overlay sitting between your audience and your content. One product, one bill, one place to log in.
This is the core difference, not a feature flag. InPlayer was built for media companies running paywalls on top of their own video infrastructure. PassCast was built for sports organisations, schools, and event organisers who want one platform that handles ticketing, streaming, replays, and branding without stitching anything together.
How payment flow differs
On InPlayer, ticket money is collected by InPlayer and paid out to your organisation on their schedule. You see the money when their payout cycle delivers it. On PassCast, ticket money goes directly to your Stripe account via Stripe Connect, and you see it in your bank on Stripe's standard 2-7 day payout schedule. PassCast never holds the funds. The fee is taken at the moment of purchase as a Stripe application fee, transparent on every payment.
For volunteer-run organisations, the direct payment model is simpler to account for and faster to access. Your treasurer sees the money in the same place they see every other transaction, not in a third-party platform wallet waiting to be paid out.
Migrating from InPlayer to PassCast
Moving from InPlayer does not require a big-bang migration. Most organisations start by running their next event on PassCast while keeping their existing InPlayer setup for current-season replays. Once you are comfortable with the new platform, you can upload your video archive to PassCast for on-demand access and retire the InPlayer page.
The setup process for a new channel takes less than a day. You provide your logo, brand colours, and preferred domain. PassCast handles the Stripe Connect onboarding, DNS configuration, and stream provisioning. Your first event can be live within 24 hours of signing up.
If your organisation currently uses Vimeo for video hosting alongside InPlayer, PassCast replaces both. Mux handles the video encoding, delivery, and playback. You do not need a separate Vimeo subscription.
Proven with real organisations
PassCast is not a concept. Ulster Schools GAA is live at tv.ulsterschoolsgaa.com, streaming Danske Bank-sponsored schools competitions to paying audiences. The platform has been load-tested under concurrent viewer pressure and handles match-day traffic reliably.
Armagh GAA, one of the founding reference clients, reduced their streaming costs by approximately 70% compared to their previous InPlayer and Vimeo setup, while gaining full control over branding, pricing, and their viewer data.
Pricing that works for grassroots sport
Three tiers, transparent numbers. Community is free to use and takes 20% of ticket revenue, designed for clubs running occasional events. Channel is £250 per month plus 8% of ticket revenue, designed for county boards and larger organisations that want full white-label branding, a custom domain, and dedicated support. Enterprise is negotiated for governing bodies and provincial councils running large competition calendars.
There are no setup fees, no long-term contracts, and no hidden charges. InPlayer pricing is custom-quoted per organisation and requires a separate Vimeo subscription for video hosting. PassCast is one product, one bill, with the numbers published on the pricing page.
Ready to move from InPlayer?
Get in touch to set up your channel. Most organisations are live within 24 hours. No contracts, no setup fees, and your first event can be free on the Community tier.