Keeping up with the Jones' - how the IPL are marketing

**el punter** · 13/10/2006, 11:53 AM

This is from an IFA subscribed email, good to see them making an effort. I am intrigued to know what the FAI have in store for us in terms of grassroots promotion of the league:

THE Irish Football Association and the 16 Carnegie Premier League clubs have joined forces and together are very excited to launch a brand new initiative aimed at increasing match attendance figures.

Supporters of Armagh City, Ballymena United, Coleraine, Donegal Celtic, Dungannon Swifts, Larne, Lisburn Distillery, and Loughgall will be able to avail of the offer on Saturday 21 October.

At a recent photo shoot, Donegal Celtic goalkeeper Alex Spackman and Lisburn Distillery player Michael Ferguson both gave their approval and support to the campaign and agreed that it’s a great initiative.

Alex is looking forward to the day and wants to encourage supporters back to the local game, ‘It’s great that something is being done within the area of domestic match attendance and promotion. This campaign a great start and I hope all kids drag their grandparents out for some fun at the matches and enjoy a great day of football.’

Michael agreed by adding, ‘It’s time to focus on the domestic scene now that the international squad have done so well recently. I’d love to see as much support for the Carnegie Premier League teams as there is for the national team. My club will certainly welcome as many supporters as we can to any of the games, but it’ll be especially nice if everyone makes a special effort for this campaign and head to watch a game on the 21st.’

This is the first in many campaigns designed by the IFA to increase match attendance figures over a 3 year project. The idea behind the first campaign is to restore pride in the local game and create a sense of nostalgia as well as a fun and relaxed family atmosphere.

The IFA’s Head of Marketing, Geoff Wilson was the man who got the ball rolling and kick started the project. ‘We really want to concentrate on the domestic scene now and help out the clubs with promotion. We want people to see football as a family event and our ultimate aim is to bring different communities together through football. This campaign offer is aimed primarily at grandparents and grandchildren but the family fun day is open to all. We want to draw people back into supporting their local club and restore pride in the domestic game, but this can only be done by working alongside the clubs, teams, and the general public. Support the beautiful game at all levels!’

**Dodge** · 13/10/2006, 11:55 AM

Whats the offer?

**Passive** · 13/10/2006, 12:11 PM

That is the funniest press release I've ever read.

"We're introducing a new scheme, it's really deadly, here's loads of people saying how deadly it is...but we're not telling you what it is".

**hoops1** · 13/10/2006, 2:31 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Whats the offer?

A cure for insomnia.

**David** · 13/10/2006, 6:56 PM

The basis of it is for grandparents to bring their grandchildren to the game for free.

**el punter** · 13/10/2006, 7:03 PM

Originally Posted by David

The basis of it is for grandparents to bring their grandchildren to the game for free.

A fairly significant ommision from the Press Release

**BohsPartisan** · 14/10/2006, 9:49 PM

Kids go free? How revolutionary!

**manic da hoop** · 14/10/2006, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by David

The basis of it is for grandparents to bring their grandchildren to the game for free.

Fine, but whatever you do don't tell them! Remember: It's our little secret.

**dcfcsteve** · 15/10/2006, 4:23 AM

A very strange Press Release, given it doesn't actually say anything.

However - the idea of having a single date specified on which you try to encourage people to sample an IL game is clever, albeit very simple/obvious.

Why can't the FAI highlight a specific date every year and then use the International fixtures to encourage people to give the EL a chance on that date ? It'd cost them nothing to do so, and if they put some money and effort behind it, it'd have more chance of success than a similar IL initiative.

Interesting that the senior/established IL teams aren't involved in that particular promotion though. The Press Release says that the 16 Premier clubs "have joined forces", yet only 8 are listed as involved. Is it because the likes of Linfield, Cliftonville, Portadown and Glentoran weren't interested, or because it would be considered pointless trying to portray those clubs as being cross-community ? Not an attack - just an observation/genuine query...

**David** · 15/10/2006, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

A very strange Press Release, given it doesn't actually say anything.

However - the idea of having a single date specified on which you try to encourage people to sample an IL game is clever, albeit very simple/obvious.

Why can't the FAI highlight a specific date every year and then use the International fixtures to encourage people to give the EL a chance on that date ? It'd cost them nothing to do so, and if they put some money and effort behind it, it'd have more chance of success than a similar IL initiative.

Interesting that the senior/established IL teams aren't involved in that particular promotion though. The Press Release says that the 16 Premier clubs "have joined forces", yet only 8 are listed as involved. Is it because the likes of Linfield, Cliftonville, Portadown and Glentoran weren't interested, or because it would be considered pointless trying to portray those clubs as being cross-community ? Not an attack - just an observation/genuine query...

Your last point highlights another flaw in the plan in that it is only applicable to home supporters. As far as Linfield are concerned we would only be too happy to be involved in such a scheme and indeed have run similar in the past ourselves. For any home game other than the Glens youth groups can, by arrangement, get into the game for free providing they have the correct ratio of adults to children.