LOI games in the Aviva Stadium.

[eamo1]

Does anyone know is the idea to play LOI games in the new Aviva stadium still a runner?Obviously it wouldnt come into affect untill the 2011 season as by the time it opens next November the LOI season will be just about over.I think its a really positive good idea and i really hope its not forgotten about.
How would it work though?A team would lose income from not having their home game in their own stadium so they might do it like the NFL do when they come to Wembley and count it as a home game for one team.

[tippex]

what I would love to see is if they could make a blitz weekend (I think the rugby league done something similar this year up in murrayfield) http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/7506027.stm and have all that weekends matches in the stadium and then split the revenue equally between each club

[John83]

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=127964015537

[tippex]

that must be a record post 3 and we've gone off topic.

[Straightstory]

what I would love to see is if they could make a blitz weekend (I think the rugby league did something similar this year up in murrayfield) and have all that weekends matches in the stadium and then split the revenue equally between each club

Or... open it with the FAI Cup Final. (If it's in November).

[kellco88]

According to the IRFU it'll be ready in august so why not have it then?

[tippex]

the 11th of August is the Ireland V Argentina game and then 4 days earlier there is the rugby provincial games.

So there could be an opportunity to have the blitz weekend after that. Although I seem to remember that they wanted to have a few "minor" games in the stadium prior to any that were likely to sell out e.g. the Ireland V Argentina game.

[jw_tfc]

There will be a number of "bleed in" event games prior to the Opening games of the Stadium. These will be reduced capacity to see how the Stadium copes with crowds, in and around the stadium.
So this opens the opportunity for LOI games to be staged there.
This is common practice for all new build stadiums.
Wembley staged a couple of low key games prior to its opening big game.

[galwayjames]

Does anyone know where the FAI Cup finals will be held after this year? I suppose they'll be played in the Aviva?

[Murfinator]

I doubt they want to use a 50k seater stadium for games that would be doing well to get 5000 supporters to attend.

Leinster will be using it every other weekend anyway so I don't think it'd be available very often aside from the cup final.

[pineapple stu]

The FAI Cup final in a 50000-capacity ground? I hope not, unless you can come close to half-filling it.

[CuanaD]

Does anyone know where the FAI Cup finals will be held after this year? I suppose they'll be played in the Aviva?
Yes,
Delaney was quoted last week about this years final - he said it will be the last before the Aviva opens & that all future finals will be played there

[Greenforever]

It would be great to see a LOI selection play somone like Real Madrid in a friendly the day after the 1st rugby game between the provinces. (any top side with the excewption of British temas as I hate going to a game in Ireland and feel like an away supporter)

It would be a great honour for players selected and should attract a large enough crowd to justify.

I have to applaud the IRFU for playing a provincial game as their first game before their fiorst international and would like to see the FAI follow suit. I also reckon the game between the provinces will sell out just like the last rugby game their.

[fionnsci]

Ten year international tickets include a ticket to the cup final every year so they have to be held at the Aviva. Hopefully that'll boost the attendances at them.

[MeathDrog]

Ten year international tickets include a ticket to the cup final every year so they have to be held at the Aviva. Hopefully that'll boost the attendances at them.
Agreed. Hopefully we can see crowds like we did for the 2005 final.

[Schumi]

The FAI Cup final in a 50000-capacity ground? I hope not, unless you can come close to half-filling it.

If you just open the bottom tier (about 15-20,000?) and sell the game well, you'd have it reasonably full. The Longford v Pats final in Lansdowne had the bottom West and East stands and a bit of the terraces open and had a good atmosphere.

[Acornvilla]

If you just open the bottom tier (about 15-20,000?) and sell the game well, you'd have it reasonably full. The Longford v Pats final in Lansdowne had the bottom West and East stands and a bit of the terraces open and had a good atmosphere.
best game ever :D

[OneRedArmy]

I doubt they want to use a 50k seater stadium for games that would be doing well to get 5000 supporters to attend.

Leinster will be using it every other weekend anyway so I don't think it'd be available very often aside from the cup final.
Are Leinster moving their Magners League and all their Heineken cup games there?

I thought they'd signed a long-term deal with the RDS and would only move the bigger games?

[Schumi]

I thought they'd signed a long-term deal with the RDS and would only move the bigger games?That's my understanding anyway.

[SMorgan]

The FAI Cup final in a 50000-capacity ground? I hope not, unless you can come close to half-filling it.

I appreciate what you're saying, but with the right PR the ground itself can add, significantly to the attendance. In England lower division league clubs that would be lucky to muster a few of thousand for a regular encourter can three-quarters fill Wembley for one of the minor cup finals or divisional play-offs. We even seen non-league clubs take big big crowds to Wembley.

[dcfcsteve]

I appreciate what you're saying, but with the right PR the ground itself can add, significantly to the attendance. In England lower division league clubs that would be lucky to muster a few of thousand for a regular encourter can three-quarters fill Wembley for one of the minor cup finals or divisional play-offs. We even seen non-league clubs take big big crowds to Wembley.

But that's England. Where there is a long-standing tradition of people supporting their local football team - even if not all that often actively. Contrast that with Ireland where there is a tradition of indifference, and often down-right hostility, towards local football.

Plus - most of the English clubs you're thinking of are often from towns and cities bigger than Cork - which is the second biggest population centre in the LOI/Republic.

Apples and oranges...

[fionnsci]

Are Leinster moving their Magners League and all their Heineken cup games there?

I thought they'd signed a long-term deal with the RDS and would only move the bigger games?

Pretty sure they are two years into a 30 year lease. Right now though they'd easily get 30k+ for all Heineken Cup and Munster games.

They'll have fully outgrown the RDS in 10 years.