LOI magazine?

[bennocelt]

Just cleaning out my old room at parents house, looking back through all my football stuff and flicking through a magazine called "The Soccer Magazine", which dealt with Ireland, the LOI and Irish league, and Irish players in the UK.

Wondering if ye guys think there is a market for a mag on the LOI (a Foot.ie version!:p). I do, if you also include info on the national team
I would love it if there was such a mag on the market.

Noticing the attendances seemed a bit better in the early 1990's too - jesus over 2,500 to see Sligo in Athlone in the old first, and Derry, Cork and Dublin Derbies reg got 3/4/5000.
And Bray V St Francis - FAI final , well over 22,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(side issue - sorry!)

[fionnsci]

OnSide came out last year but never took off. Shame, I'd love to have such a magazine.

[dcfcsteve]

This is another one of the issues that pops up on here once or twice a year, and it's been debated to death.

Suffice to say that if a domestic football magazine was commercially viable, we'd probably have one now. A coupld have come and gone, which probably says it all.

As for the attendance at the Bray St Francis final - a large proportion of those got let in for free.

[BohDiddley]

This is another one of the issues that pops up on here once or twice a year, and it's been debated to death.
And space is at such a premium on the internet...

[John83]

And space is at such a premium on the internet...
Every thread on here is one fewer addition Dahamsta can afford to add to his porn stash.

Hell, your post and mine alone probably cost him a pair of tits.

[dcfcsteve]

And space is at such a premium on the internet...

BD :

The point is waaaayyy over here (points off into distance with left arm).
Meanwhile, you're waaayyy over there (points off into opposite direction with right arm). :rolleyes:

It feels like Groundhog Day on here half the time, with the same debates over and over and over....

All we need now is someone to come on and suggest the answer to the league's woes is to have a club in Navan, Tralee or Mullingar.... :D

[John83]

All we need now is someone to come on and suggest the answer to the league's woes is to have a club in Navan, Tralee or Mullingar.... :D
Nonsense. It's a 12 team premier.

[passinginterest]

Nonsense. It's a 12 team premier.

You surely mean All Ireland League ;)

[BohDiddley]

It feels like Groundhog Day on here half the time, with the same debates over and over and over....

All we need now is someone to come on and suggest the answer to the league's woes is to have a club in Navan, Tralee or Mullingar.... :D

Maybe that's because you're here all the time. Perhaps you should go out for some air. Given that it's the accepted cycle period for most events, including football competitions, an annual appearance of a particular idea or theme doesn't seem too intense to me.

[John83]

Maybe that's because you're here all the time. Perhaps you should go out for some air. Given that it's the accepted cycle period for most events, including football competitions, an annual appearance of a particular idea or theme doesn't seem too intense to me.
You're right of course.

Folks, how has the recession, the financial problems of Cork et al and Pats' fine European result altered the obvious theoretical and demonstrated lack of economic viability of an LoI magazine?

[sadloserkid]

It didn't help OnSide that it was complete and utter crap.

[pateen]

The soccer magazine was very good. Still have about 10 copies back home and well put together. I remember I used to buy Hogan Stand, the GAA equivalent and it wasn’t a patch on it.
Hogan Stand is still there and the Soccer Mag is gone. What a pity.
P.

[BobtheDrog]

Nonsense. It's a 12 team premier.

That's ridiculous it's a 22 team league, that's the only way to go

[brianw82]

What about regional teams?

[Paddyfield]

There were 2 other mags. The (Irish) Soccer Reporter and the utterly sh!te Eleven A Side which was brought out by the same folks who bring out Hogan Stand.

[A face]

Spotter was an excellent magazine. I'd love to have seen a bit more of that. The best magazine i have ever seen about Irish football

[Darkglasses]

That's ridiculous it's a 22 team league, that's the only way to go

You mean having 4 provincial teams, like in rugby? ;)

[blueblood]

Well judging by all the nwespaper articals and pages and pages of bad news about the LOI, then a LOI magazine would definatley sell, but it would have to be all bad news and scandals, now thats what the Irish public really want :(

[dcfcsteve]

You're right of course.

Folks, how has the recession, the financial problems of Cork et al and Pats' fine European result altered the obvious theoretical and demonstrated lack of economic viability of an LoI magazine?


John - please don't resort to common sense when debating with BohDiddley...

[padjoe]

Honestly while we are here as a matter of interest who out of the 12,000 odd fans who watch LOI week in, week out would honestly or could afford to subscribe to a magazine. i've made no secret of the fact i'd love to launch one but no point if no one would read it, buy it, advertise in it.

[pineapple stu]

There were 2 other mags. The (Irish) Soccer Reporter and the utterly sh!te Eleven A Side which was brought out by the same folks who bring out Hogan Stand.
Kickin' magazine too. There's still a website around.

[sheao]

There 's a german megazeine on Irish soccer aswell as far as a know.

[dcfcsteve]

Honestly while we are here as a matter of interest who out of the 12,000 odd fans who watch LOI week in, week out would honestly or could afford to subscribe to a magazine. i've made no secret of the fact i'd love to launch one but no point if no one would read it, buy it, advertise in it.

Like the game itself, you won't cover your costs on magazine sales (entrance money) alone. You'd need to get decent regular advertising to make it a goer - which is itself dependent on circulation, which makes it a bit catch 22 (though there's ways to boost your circulation, particularly in the short-to-medium term) . That's what killed off Soccer Magazine - it losts its anchor advertiser when the rules changed on advertising cigarettes.

Anyone starting an LOI magazine would need to do it with a clearly thought-out strategy, a reserve of money, a plan to stick with it for at least two whole seasons, regardless of initial sales. Magazine's need to be built-up over time. Onside magazine appeared to have been run very amateurishly in every way, and with no plan beyond ther short-term, which is why they failed.

[dcfcsteve]

There 's a german megazeine on Irish soccer aswell as far as a know.

As far as I'm aware that's just one kid/fella doing it online out of personal interest.

Think about it - we can't get an Irish soocer magazine to work financially in Ireland, let alone in a different country with a different language !

[padjoe]

Like the game itself, you won't cover your costs on magazine sales (entrance money) alone. You'd need to get decent regular advertising to make it a goer - which is itself dependent on circulation, which makes it a bit catch 22 (though there's ways to boost your circulation, particularly in the short-to-medium term) . That's what killed off Soccer Magazine - it losts its anchor advertiser when the rules changed on advertising cigarettes.

Anyone starting an LOI magazine would need to do it with a clearly thought-out strategy, a reserve of money, a plan to stick with it for at least two whole seasons, regardless of initial sales. Magazine's need to be built-up over time. Onside magazine appeared to have been run very amateurishly in every way, and with no plan beyond ther short-term, which is why they failed.

that is fair enough point but it'd still be interesting to see who'd put their hand in their pocket.

[dcfcsteve]

that is fair enough point but it'd still be interesting to see who'd put their hand in their pocket.

Definitely.

BTW - if someone had a serious proposal re an LOI magazine, and the time to put into it, I'd be interested in putting a bit of help and funding into it to help get it off the ground.

There'd need to be a clear and sensible business plan for it, and I'd need to be convinced that someone could make a proper go of it, but the offer of some help and assistance is there. I could put a bit of funding behind the concept, and I also have a background in Marketing so could help advise on that.

[padjoe]

Definitely.

BTW - if someone had a serious proposal re an LOI magazine, and the time to put into it, I'd be interested in putting a bit of help and funding into it to help get it off the ground.

There'd need to be a clear and sensible business plan for it, and I'd need to be convinced that someone could make a proper go of it, but the offer of some help and assistance is there. I could put a bit of funding behind the concept, and I also have a background in Marketing so could help advise on that.

this has suddenly turned into an episode of dragon's den...seriously you're just one so far. everyone says they'd love to buy a magazine if it was involved in the LOI/Irish football but for all of the talk of everyone wanting to save Cork City, the attendances haven't improved dramatically. i've been working on a business plan since i left college years ago but it just doesn't seem to be a good time in the current economic climate...

[Calcio Jack]

Rule number one : don't reveal any details of your business plan to a potential investor/assistent until you (A) have them provide you with proof that they actually have meaningful funds and (B) that they have skills that you require and optional (c) get them to agree that any funding they put up will be repaid from future 'net' profits.... in other words beware of spoofers and chancers

[L37Ultra]

It didn't help OnSide that it was complete and utter crap.

And it nearly physically impossible to find it in any store.

[padjoe]

onside only last one issue, did it not? the one with george o'callaghan on the cover ...

[dcfcsteve]

Rule number one : don't reveal any details of your business plan to a potential investor/assistent until you (A) have them provide you with proof that they actually have meaningful funds and (B) that they have skills that you require and optional (c) get them to agree that any funding they put up will be repaid from future 'net' profits.... in other words beware of spoofers and chancers

Good ponts CJ.

And not at all influenced by your patent dislike of me..... :D

[dcfcsteve]

onside only last one issue, did it not? the one with george o'callaghan on the cover ...

Yes. There was talk of more to follow, then talk of one a season later, then the talk stopped.

I don't know the guys involved in it, but did have a PM exchange with them once. Withouht wanting to be unfair to them, they didn't seem to be on the ball with it all - e.g. the magazine just suddenly appeared one week, without any promotion of it on here or in places where other members of their target/core audience would frequent.

[oriel]

'The Soccer Magazine' was a great publication, full glossy, loads of colour. Your total pre internet fix for LOI !!

I used to get it every month, think I also have all of the editions somewhere in a box, they used to give attendances for every match, although I did recall a lot were largely over-stated.

The previous mag before this 'The soccer reporter' from late 70`s (maybe earlier) was in newspaper style, I just about remember this, think it was pretty good too.

Would love to see another decent mag hit the press.

[BohDiddley]

how has the recession, the financial problems of Cork et al and Pats' fine European result altered the obvious theoretical and demonstrated lack of economic viability of an LoI magazine?
I don't know. But I would refer you to post 26 in this thread.

[BohDiddley]

Like the game itself, you won't cover your costs on magazine sales (entrance money) alone. You'd need to get decent regular advertising to make it a goer - which is itself dependent on circulation, which makes it a bit catch 22 (though there's ways to boost your circulation, particularly in the short-to-medium term) . That's what killed off Soccer Magazine - it losts its anchor advertiser when the rules changed on advertising cigarettes.

Anyone starting an LOI magazine would need to do it with a clearly thought-out strategy, a reserve of money, a plan to stick with it for at least two whole seasons, regardless of initial sales. Magazine's need to be built-up over time. Onside magazine appeared to have been run very amateurishly in every way, and with no plan beyond ther short-term, which is why they failed.

Good to see some hard-headed thinking on this. Too often, discussion of the topic is polarised by romantic amateurism at one end and dismissive cynicism at the other.

Two thoughts:
1. In an ideal world, there is no reason why the FAI should not fund, at least in part, a decent independent magazine to promote the league. Of course, they'll plead poverty etc., but it's worth a try, with the proviso that the mag would not be officially branded.

2. The product has to be right. Such a magazine should use professional journalists and pay them the going rate, to produce and edit material that people want to read. This investment will mean taking a financial hit. With no disrespect to anyone, I feel that previous attempts seem to have been driven more by people's desire to write rather than to produce a viable publication. An amateur labour of love will get you a few issues but then will die.

[dubman]

a new irish running mag has started up. its going very well from what i hear. Its mailed to you for free , money is then made by ads in the mag
http://www.rundirectireland.com

could something like this work for LOI?

[Sunny Jim]

onside only last one issue, did it not? the one with george o'callaghan on the cover ...

The one I have at home has Kevin Doyle on the cover. It was the June 2008 issue I think.

[BohDiddley]

There was an Irish football site that stopped publishing two or three years back. Brilliant match reports etc. Can anyone remember what it was called, and who did it?

[fionnsci]

The one I have at home has Kevin Doyle on the cover. It was the June 2008 issue I think.

Same interior as the George O'Callaghan version. Doyle one sold outside the Serbia game in Croke Park.

[Mr A]

There was an Irish football site that stopped publishing two or three years back. Brilliant match reports etc. Can anyone remember what it was called, and who did it?

Irish Football Online I think, and it was Tom Carey that ran it. Brilliant site at the time.

[BohDiddley]

Irish Football Online I think, and it was Tom Carey that ran it. Brilliant site at the time.
That's the one. Solid, professional and absolutely reliable. A magazine would have a different cycle and wouldn't do reports, but that sort of authority would go some way to forming the core of a viable product. Where did Tom go?

[A face]

that sort of authority would go some way to forming the core of a viable product. Where did Tom go?

Agreed, but any magazine in Ireland would need to include all aspects of the game to stand a chance of surviving. It just couldn't afford to leave out junior football or the national team.

[Dodge]

Agreed, but any magazine in Ireland would need to include all aspects of the game to stand a chance of surviving. It just couldn't afford to leave out junior football or the national team.

While possibly true, it would lose my custom

[dcfcsteve]

Agreed, but any magazine in Ireland would need to include all aspects of the game to stand a chance of surviving. It just couldn't afford to leave out junior football or the national team.

The Soccer Magazine showed that you would need to include stuff on the national team - including a high percentage of covers featuring ROI to hook punters. You'd only need about 2 pages inside (i.e. one/two articles per edition) and it would sem strange to completely ignore the national set-up. Plus - it could be a way of getting young people interested in football in general to buy the magazine and then develop an interest in the league.

I would say junior football should have at most a 'corner' in any such magazine. The junior and intermediate games are well covered by their own local media, so you wouldn't pick-up much custom from that market. Plus, the junior set-up is just too huge to try to cover it in any sensible way in a small magazine. Tit-bit type stuff would be the way to go.

All moot though unless someone wants to give a magazine a shot.

[A face]

The Soccer Magazine showed that you would need to include stuff on the national team - including a high percentage of covers featuring ROI to hook punters. You'd only need about 2 pages inside (i.e. one/two articles per edition) and it would sem strange to completely ignore the national set-up. Plus - it could be a way of getting young people interested in football in general to buy the magazine and then develop an interest in the league.

I would say junior football should have at most a 'corner' in any such magazine. The junior and intermediate games are well covered by their own local media, so you wouldn't pick-up much custom from that market. Plus, the junior set-up is just too huge to try to cover it in any sensible way in a small magazine. Tit-bit type stuff would be the way to go.

All moot though unless someone wants to give a magazine a shot.


While possibly true, it would lose my custom

In bold, thats what i mean. Possibly 2-4 pages on junior stuff and two pieces on National Team. But you'd need to have both, as well as womens, futesal, and other national teams (deaf, blind, Special Olymipcs, etc.) Not every edition but you'd need to cover it fairly well generally.

A good way of boosting subs would be to encourage all exiled players to sign up, and kids knowing the irish players abroad read the same magazine would really sell it to them.

[ped_ped]

Forgive me as this won't be very creative, but...

The Home Crowd (loved that as the name for the LOI video...

Editorial

Fan Letters (including a Letter of the Month that wins... something?)

One to One (working title):
As in FourFourTwo, an interview with a past or present great of the domestic or international scene, think Gary Twigg discussing his first spell in the LOI (and his previous career in Scotland, etc.), or Jay O'Shea on his rapid journey from Terryland to Old Trafford, international aspirations, what he misses most about Galway United, and so on... or Gio Trappatoni if we could get hold of him.

The Month That's Passed:
A section overviewing the major games of the past month including derbies, league or FAI Cup upsets, and the LOI's progress in UEFA Club competitions (and for the love of God don't mention co-efficients unless our ranking has gone up...)

Team Sheet:
At least half a page on EACH club in the LOI Premier Division, First Division, and A Championship, including team news, tranfer news, stadium news, player of the month awards and, where possible, a brief word from their manager/captain/star player.

(I might also include financial news to the above list...)

The Irish Abroad:
How our recent exports are faring in the big bad world of the Championship, Premier League and SPL.

ROI:
Squad news, injuries, results et al on the international team.

Your Local:
A brief word on the junior leagues, which, in some cases, may be limited to the inclusion of their current table and a list of recent results...

Throw into that a variety of current event-dictated exclusives and special reports and I think that could be sustainable, though I apologise for the crappy names for the individual sections :P

[dcfcsteve]

Throw into that a variety of current event-dictated exclusives and special reports and I think that could be sustainable

It's not the content that needs to be worried about from a sustainability perspective - it's the revenue !

[ped_ped]

Well a lot of it would be relatively cheap, too. I know you guys mentioned professional journalists and professional salaries, but seriously, I could write better than some of the hacks on RTE or The Sunday World/Irish Independent :)

It'd et the revenue if curculated at all matches and in some shops.

[dcfcsteve]

It'd et the revenue if curculated at all matches and in some shops.

How can you say that with such confidence though ? :confused:

What production costs are you assuming ? What circulation are you therefore also assuming/requiring ? What balance between subscriptions, individual purchases and ad revenue ? etc etc.

If a professional magazine publisher struggled to make it work after about a decade of production, you can guesswhat credibility can be given to a a few hopeful people on here saying 'ahh- sure, course it'd work' without anything to back it up at all.

[A face]

It'd et the revenue if curculated at all matches and in some shops.

Its been proven in the past that this alone is not enough. Back to the drawing board i.e. this thread

It would be good if there was some sort of funds available from clubs, PFAI, etc. (stakeholders who have an interest in promoting the game here) and maybe another bit from the FAI and some sort of a capitial grant ...... and then revenue from advertising (the more you get the better it will be)