Weekend Latest (w/e 1 April)

[Dodge]

When was Real-Barcelona last on a Friday night? Celtic-Rangers? PSG-Marseille? Inter-Milan? Liverpool-mu? They're all played at the time where the greatest possible audience can see them. That's what should happen here.

Are you for real? All of those games could kick off at 11am on a Tuesday and they'd be sold out (for the record the last barca/real game was on a Monday night...)

Every single type of kick off day and time has been tried, and Friday night suits best.

[HulaHoop]

So much so, that another Friday night Dublin club has just gone bust.

And all because they played on Friday nights too :confused:



Yes, people work on Saturdays, yes there are junior club games on Saturdays. But the games have to be played at some point. And they should be played at the time when the most people can go. When was Real-Barcelona last on a Friday night? Celtic-Rangers? PSG-Marseille? Inter-Milan? Liverpool-mu? They're all played at the time where the greatest possible audience can see them. That's what should happen here.

Friday nights work for most Irish clubs that's why they play then, the League of Ireland started it, then Rugby and now GAA are following suit. From a Rovers point of view we tried Saturdays the first season in Tallaght and it was a success but MON thinks the team are better off playing Fridays so that's why we changed back to Fridays and that has also been a success.

[1st time post]

And all because they played on Friday nights too :confused:



Friday nights work for most Irish clubs that's why they play then, the League of Ireland started it, then Rugby and now GAA are following suit. From a Rovers point of view we tried Saturdays the first season in Tallaght and it was a success but MON thinks the team are better off playing Fridays so that's why we changed back to Fridays and that has also been a success.

Really??never realised that, any particular reasoning or has he stated why??

[mypost]

Are you for real? All of those games could kick off at 11am on a Tuesday and they'd be sold out (for the record the last barca/real game was on a Monday night...)

A lot of people in Spain/France/Italy etc work at 11am on a Tuesday and therefore can't watch games on tv. Less of them work at 9-10pm on a Saturday/Sunday night. Hence why the games are on then.

The last clasico was on a Monday night, due to local elections in Barcelona that weekend. It wasn't on a Friday though. Absolutely nobody in proper well-structured leagues wants to play on a Friday night. A few games are played then for tv reasons only.

[Charlie Darwin]

It goes without saying that LOI games are more dependent on gate receipts than any of those clubs. Real-Barca and most major European fixtures are arranged to suit television audiences. The only consideration for any LOI should be scheduling at a time when they'll get the biggest possible crowd and most clubs appear to have decided Friday night is the night.

[Dodge]

Absolutely nobody in proper well-structured leagues wants to play on a Friday night. A few games are played then for tv reasons only.

And absolutely nobody in ireland wants to watch LOI games on a Saturday afternoon. Which point do you think is more relevant?

[monutdfc]

Still trying to fathom as to how we did not win that game. We created so many chances but just could not put them away. The Mons players seemed to go to ground for anything. So many players went down looking for "treatment" throughout the 90 minutes. I don't know if was a Roddy tactic or they were genuinely in pain. Either way I'd be worried if I was a Mons fan. The ref was abysmal for reasons outlined by razor. Sava seemed to have a tactic of timewasting since the opening whistle. On the plus side we played quite well until Shawadaroddy wanted to play with 10 men behind the ball, then played well again when we got our second.

Magicme it was very nice to meet you.
So we time wasted to get a result away from home to one of the title favourites....it might not make me feel proud but why should I be worried? (Sure, I'd give out yards if a visiting team did against us, but it's part of the game.)

[mypost]

And absolutely nobody in ireland wants to watch LOI games on a Saturday afternoon. Which point do you think is more relevant?

I never suggested Saturday "Afternoon". I said they should be played at weekends. Friday is a workday. Saturday and Sunday is the weekend. Play at the weekend = less traffic, less panic, better crowds, it works everywhere from Chile to China and America to Australia.

[Hibs4Ever]

So much so, that another Friday night Dublin club has just gone bust.



Are you saying they wouldn't have gone bust if they had played on Saturdays or Sundays?

[bullit]

I never suggested Saturday "Afternoon". I said they should be played at weekends. Friday is a workday. Saturday and Sunday is the weekend. Play at the weekend = less traffic, less panic, better crowds, it works everywhere from Chile to China and America to Australia.
Sundays for Dundalk so,forget about the indeptth studies and polls that were taken,Hmmmmm !
Are you Ghadafi ??

[pineapple stu]

Yes, people work on Saturdays, yes there are junior club games on Saturdays. But the games have to be played at some point. And they should be played at the time when the most people can go. When was Real-Barcelona last on a Friday night? Celtic-Rangers? PSG-Marseille? Inter-Milan? Liverpool-mu? They're all played at the time where the greatest possible audience can see them. That's what should happen here.
So you want the LoI to play at the time when it has the most direct competition?

Please provide a study to show that LoI crowds would increase if we switched to Saturday. Because as other posters have noted, many clubs are happy Fridays are the best from actual evidence (not unsubstantiated mypost drivel).

I wish being a complete spacer was an infractable offence; you'd have been banned from here years ago.

[mypost]

So you want the LoI to play at the time when it has the most direct competition?

Please provide a study to show that LoI crowds would increase if we switched to Saturday. Because as other posters have noted, many clubs are happy Fridays are the best from actual evidence (not unsubstantiated mypost drivel).

Never mind the study, just look across every league's top division in Europe, and tell me how many leagues insist on playing all their scheduled weekend games on...weekends.

If Fridays are so wonderful and revolutionary, there must surely be more than a single 1 in the entire continent that plays all their games on the night. Then we're on the right track here, so everyone else are fools for thinking "the customer is king", and hosting games at times that suit their fans/general public instead.

[pineapple stu]

Never mind the study
I stopped reading here, because I asked for


actual evidence (not unsubstantiated mypost drivel).

[mypost]

No answer.

So they're right, and we're wrong. Just what I'm on about.

[Dodge]

No answer.

So they're right, and we're wrong. Just what I'm on about.

You might have a point if they all played oin the same time, but the don't. Saturday afternoons suit British football, Sunday afternoons suit Italian football. Do you think Il mypostio is on foot.it saying that Serie A should change to Saturday afternoons as 'look at the crowds England gets? Nope, they do what suits them best. just like we do.

[pineapple stu]

And of course there's the reasons why they play on those days, which are often particular to the leagues themselves. So in England, games are at 3pm because the dockers and miners traditionally worked a half-day on Saturday and 3pm gave them time to get down to the ground to watch (and play). That tradition has been built up over more than 100 years. In Ireland, we don't have that tradition, so we're better looking for a niche time to call our own. Something like - I don't know - Friday evenings?

Also, aren't you in favour of summer football? Do you realise how silly it is to say we should change to Saturdays because everyone else does, but say that summer football is good even though most countries play a winter league?

[mypost]

You might have a point if they all played oin the same time, but the don't. Saturday afternoons suit British football, Sunday afternoons suit Italian football. Do you think Il mypostio is on foot.it saying that Serie A should change to Saturday afternoons as 'look at the crowds England gets? Nope, they do what suits them best. just like we do.

No, they don't have to change. Like most normal well-run leagues, they play at the weekend.


And of course there's the reasons why they play on those days, which are often particular to the leagues themselves. So in England, games are at 3pm because the dockers and miners traditionally worked a half-day on Saturday and 3pm gave them time to get down to the ground to watch (and play). That tradition has been built up over more than 100 years. In Ireland, we don't have that tradition, so we're better looking for a niche time to call our own. Something like - I don't know - Friday evenings?

We did have a tradition in Ireland. Used to bring regular crowds of 20-40,000 in the 50's-60's. It was called Sunday Afternoon. Then everyone changed. Now there are crowds of 2-3k at best at most grounds. One of the reasons: Friday Night. People (both home and away fans) have to work/study that day instead, and 15-30 Euro+ per person per gamenight (at home) is harder to justify today.

The last time the top league in England played games on Friday nights, was 1984. And only for tv. They play at all kinds of times now, but never on Friday night.

[Guinney]

I can see both sides of the argument, in my opinion I feel Friday nights work best. Personnnaly speaking I think its a good way to start the weekend and there is something about playing under the floodlights (well for a good part of the season) that creates a better atmosphere. If the games were on Saturday/Sunday I feel there is to many other things on that would hinder people going to matches - GAA, playing in local football games, EPL, going to IKEA, etc. The biggest problem of all would be what would the leagues new website 'We Play on Fridays' call itself - 'We Use to Play on Fridays, but now we Play on Saturdays and the Odd Sunday'.

The counter argument may be that a change would suit the people who work weekdays 9-5. But this only really applies for away matches when more time is needed to travel further distances. Also as Mypost mentioned maybe the fact that Sat/Sun works in other countries, but I think Ireland is a different kettle of fish with regards to domestic football. Today people have far more options with regards to entertainment and can pick and chose, I feel thats the real reason why attendances have dropped since the Leagues heyday. Maybe some sort of poll should be set up to see what people prefer, but I can only see sticking with Friday nights coming out on top.

[Hibs4Ever]

The last time the top league in England played games on Friday nights, was 1984. And only for tv. They play at all kinds of times now, but never on Friday night.


German and Dutch 1st Divisions play games on Friday nights

[mypost]

I can see both sides of the argument, in my opinion I feel Friday nights work best. Personnnaly speaking I think its a good way to start the weekend and there is something about playing under the floodlights (well for a good part of the season) that creates a better atmosphere. If the games were on Saturday/Sunday I feel there is to many other things on that would hinder people going to matches - GAA, playing in local football games, EPL, going to IKEA, etc.

The counter argument may be that a change would suit the people who work weekdays 9-5. But this only really applies for away matches when more time is needed to travel further distances. Also as Mypost mentioned maybe the fact that Sat/Sun works in other countries, but I think Ireland is a different kettle of fish with regards to domestic football. Today people have far more options with regards to entertainment and can pick and chose,

Ireland is different with regards to domestic football alright. And why newbies snub it in favour of foreign football. I'm sure the bogballers love going to Ikea too, but even the GAA don't play Fridays, and they have the broadest sports-attending fanbase in the country.

"Going to Ikea". Suggest that to another European as a reason why we play on weekdays, and he'll have hysterics. You can still play under lights on Saturdays and Sundays too. Unfortunately, only a handful do.


German and Dutch 1st Divisions play games on Friday nights

For television. Neither association wants their live games to clash with the rest of the schedule, and deny their target audience the chance to watch it. Here, we have live games on Fridays too, at the same time everyone else is playing. There's the difference.

[Dodge]

We did have a tradition in Ireland. Used to bring regular crowds of 20-40,000 in the 50's-60's. It was called Sunday Afternoon. Then everyone changed. Now there are crowds of 2-3k at best at most grounds

last post on this because you're obviously not reading it. Clubs changed to Fridays because attendances were so poor on Sundays. I'm not sure how long you're supporting the league but most clubs had crowds in the hundreads in the late 80s, early 90s so now we're getting multiples of that.




The last time the top league in England played games on Friday nights, was 1984. And only for tv. They play at all kinds of times now, but never on Friday night.

Arsenal beat Liverpool to win the 1989 championship on Friay and up until very recently there were games on Good Friday too. But continue to make up stuff...

[pineapple stu]

We did have a tradition in Ireland. Used to bring regular crowds of 20-40,000 in the 50's-60's. It was called Sunday Afternoon. Then everyone changed. Now there are crowds of 2-3k at best at most grounds. One of the reasons: Friday Night. People (both home and away fans) have to work/study that day instead, and 15-30 Euro+ per person per gamenight (at home) is harder to justify today.
Crowds had dropped to below current levels way before the change to Fridays. Friday has absolutely nothing to do with why we got 30,000 (on occasion) in the 50s and 2,000 now.

The notion that people are more frugal on Fridays is bizarre. And again, you have offered nothing whatsoever to back it up.

[SkStu]

you have got to love when some people (never me though) get themselves so entrenched in positions that they make it impossible for themselves to back down in an argument even when they are proven completely and utterly wrong. Its hilarious and its what keeps me logging onto foot.ie.

Keep digging yourself deeper mypost!

[Guinney]

"Going to Ikea". Suggest that to another European as a reason why we play on weekdays, and he'll have hysterics.

I thinks it obvious I was messing when I suggested going to IKEA as a reason why people don't go to League of Ireland matches. But in a way it suggests that people have much more ways to entertain themselves and may choose to do other things (watch TV, cinema, watch EPL, watch rugby ... the list goes on) than go to League of Ireland matches. The fact that people have more choices and the fact that the EPL is shoved in their faces every 5 seconds may be a more palpable to help explain the reason why interest in the league has dipped in recent decades. Also don't know about the rest of you, I consider Friday eve as part of the weekend.


You can still play under lights on Saturdays and Sundays too. Unfortunately, only a handful do.

True but on Friday nights we would be competing against less than we would on Saturday evenings and Sunday night would be unsuitable because most people like to just sit in then and may be broke from the weekend. There is no perfect night/afternoon. Take Dundalk for example, the Horses and greyhound races are on a Friday night (also greyhounds races on Saturday) and potentially we are losing potential customers who have to pick between the two. But overall the general feeling is that Friday nights are most suitable.

[mypost]

Arsenal beat Liverpool to win the 1989 championship on Friay and up until very recently there were games on Good Friday too. But continue to make up stuff...
Second poster to throw the one-off theory, as "evidence". Was surprised you didn't throw in Boxing Day, and New Year's Day too, as evidence that everyone plays on Fridays.

We know why they play on Fridays on those dates. They're not weekdays. They're bank holidays. Liverpool v Arsenal in 1989 was a special case for obvious reasons. If in doubt, have a look at one EPL stadium on Friday week. There'll be people there. Not to watch a game though.


And again, you have offered nothing whatsoever to back it up.

Why does every argument with you, always require links, attachments, and "back up"? This is foot.ie, not the Leaving Cert History exam.

I accept you and Dodge like playing Friday nights. That's your business. But that doesn't make it great for the game, and the wider public's ability to watch it then, either locally or globally. Recently, the international calendar has changed to playing on Friday nights. It's extremely unpopular amongst fans. For a reason.


Also don't know about the rest of you, I consider Friday eve as part of the weekend.

You may consider it "part of the weekend", but it's a workday. The Dundalk fans presence in Derry on Friday will be considerably reduced, because of it.


True but on Friday nights we would be competing against less than we would on Saturday evenings and Sunday night would be unsuitable because most people like to just sit in then and may be broke from the weekend. There is no perfect night/afternoon. Take Dundalk for example, the Horses and greyhound races are on a Friday night (also greyhounds races on Saturday) and potentially we are losing potential customers who have to pick between the two. But overall the general feeling is that Friday nights are most suitable.

There is no "perfect night", but you play on what best suits the public, not the players. Everyone plays their league programme everywhere else at weekends, as it gives their public the best chance to see them play.

I'm sure the players would prefer to play winter football, but that's not what is best for the game. For 20 years, Dundalk played at home on Thursdays, citing this and that as why they shouldn't change. Eventually, they had to change. Thursday like Friday, is also a workday.

As for the "people like to sit in on Sunday night" argument, most of those people are watching football from other countries then. Why? Because unlike here, those countries play league games at the weekend. If it works there, it can work here. It's really not that difficult.

[Hibs4Ever]

You may consider it "part of the weekend", but it's a workday


As is Saturday and Sunday for a lot of people, probably more then the amount of people who work after 7pm on a Friday night

[Dodge]

Second poster to throw the one-off theory, as "evidence". You brought up the 1984 thing. I just pointed out you were wrong

I'm finished pointing out that everything you've posted in this thread is BS.

Continue to wish for Saturday afternoon kick offs. it isn't happening, because the rest of the league knows more than you

[thischarmingman]

The biggest problem of all would be what would the leagues new website 'We Play on Fridays' call itself - 'We Use to Play on Fridays, but now we Play on Saturdays and the Odd Sunday'.



Finally, someone talking sense. :)


Why does every argument with you, always require links, attachments, and "back up"? This is foot.ie, not the Leaving Cert History exam.
"Phfft! Facts. You can use them to prove anything."

Mypost, why don't you and PS or one of the pro-Friday camp summarise your posts into a neat 4-500 words, sendez-vous them to me and let me run a nice "Friday night: For and Against" feature? ;)

[mypost]

You brought up the 1984 thing. I just pointed out you were wrong

Not at all.


I'm finished pointing out.

For the third time.


Continue to wish for Saturday afternoon kick offs. it isn't happening

Sure enough, it isn't happening. You still don't understand what the difference between "Saturday afternoon" and the "weekend" is.


Mypost, why don't you and PS or one of the pro-Friday camp summarise your posts into a neat 4-500 words, sendez-vous them to me and let me run a nice "Friday night: For and Against" feature? ;)

No, I just look around the world. Even the CL Final is on a Saturday evening now ffs. Reasons: Easier for travelling fans, and more tv viewers. After 55 years of stubbornly sticking to weekdays, they've moved into the 21st Century, while we're still stuck in the Stone Age.

[pineapple stu]

Not at all.
On what basis do you reckon he's wrong? Bear in mind, he's quoted a verifiable fact debunking your theory that no game in England has been played on a Friday since 1984 (26 May 1989 being a Friday). This is why I've asksd you to quote facts before - because you live in a land of make-believe where you think you can dismiss valid counter arguments as you have done this one.

[mypost]

On what basis do you reckon he's wrong? Bear in mind, he's quoted a verifiable fact debunking your theory that no game in England has been played on a Friday since 1984 (26 May 1989 being a Friday). This is why I've asksd you to quote facts before - because you live in a land of make-believe where you think you can dismiss valid counter arguments as you have done this one.

It's not a valid argument, he's using one week of the year to "prove" that he's right, even though games are no longer played then, for the same reason I've given. He also cites the Liverpool-Arsenal game as more "evidence", even though the game was a stand alone fixture rather than part of the full weekend's schedule, for well-known reasons.

Throughout the thread, I've shown why Friday nights are shunned. 10k people from 4 million, go to PD games here on a Friday night. The rest of the world has full stadiums at weekends in their leagues. All you want to do is tell us why they're great, when the overwhelming view at home and abroad suggests otherwise.

[Dodge]

It's not a valid argument, he's using one week of the year to "prove" that he's right, even though games are no longer played then, for the same reason I've given. He also cites the Liverpool-Arsenal game as more "evidence", even though the game was a stand alone fixture rather than part of the full weekend's schedule, for well-known reasons.
Oh sweet jessu, I used those to prove your "no games on Friday since 1984 point was rubbish" No more, no less. As 1984 itself was an anomoly, why did you mention it at all?



Throughout the thread, I've shown why Friday nights are shunned. 10k people from 4 million, go to PD games here on a Friday night. No you haven't. You haven't responded to the FACT that crowds were smaller on Sundays before the change, and have been consistently smaller on Saturday and Sundays since the change.


The rest of the world has full stadiums at weekends in their leagues.No they don't


All you want to do is tell us why they're great, when the overwhelming view at home and abroad suggests otherwiseThe FACTs suggest that Friday nights give most LOI clubs better gates than Saturday or Sunday.

What happens in other countries is irrelevent.

[dahamsta]

OT and garbage posts edited or binned (http://foot.ie/threads/149754-Weekend-Latest-%28w-e-1-April%29), stu infracted.

Lads, if ye have a problem with a user, add them to your ignore list. I added mypost, and my day is much more palatable for not having to see the, uh, stuff he posts.

If you have a problem with a post, by anyone, report it. Replying inline is either feeding the trolls or making you look like an idiot.

Back on topic now please.

[bluemovie]

Not sure if this counts as 'on topic' now, but we tried Saturdays two years ago and they were an unmitigated disaster. Doesn't work for us anyway.

[nigel-harps1954]

The rest of the world has full stadiums at weekends in their leagues.


The man has a point. Ask Blackburn, Wigan, Sunderland, Bolton and the likes.
Far as I can see, there is really only 4/5 teams in the top flight in England selling out their stadia each week.

Inter and AC Milan get on average about 50,000 at each home game, with 30,000 empty seats. Barcelona have 20,000 empty seats each week, The whole Scottish league aside from Celtic and Rangers have only 2 clubs getting more than 10,000 a week.

Check out this site, http://itv.stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/PR/attend.html
Official attendance figures from the top European leagues. Tell us then everywhere is packing out their stadia.

Sure there are teams and leagues getting bigger crowds, sure in the 60's and 70's there was 15,000 people in the ground every week for a LOI game, but times have changed man. It's all advertising and marketing and money now we're competing with. If LOI football had the right money in it, I'm certain there would be more bums on seats with a polished ground, big money signings and good coverage in the media.