LOI Promotion Activities

[EatYerGreens]

It was already mentioned in another thread but wanted to bring it here too:
Footy Adventures page on YouTube did some interesting LOI videos recently - visiting grounds, attending games, having craic with fans etc.
The popularity of that kind of stuff and social media is definitely contributing to the attendances at the moment I feel. And since I watched some of his videos I'm now getting recommendations of other similar guys who've made similar LOI vids. There's probably a bunch of them doing it, promoting the league to huge audiences. Our league is seen as something a bit alternative and niche these days, and I think a lot of people are intrigued by it.
Dan McDonnell said it on one of the recent podcasts too - the LOI has always been full of quirky characters and unusual stories. Through social media and youtube, that's now being shown to the world.

I must be too old, as I've little interest in these football vloggers. There's an absolute rash of them around these days, and whilst some are good a lot are just attention-hungry numpties who think they're on an express ticket to faem and fortune through it all. So I tend not to bother with any of them. Again - it's probably just an age thing, as I'm sure the yoof love it.

[Philosophizer]

a lot are just attention-hungry numpties who think they're on an express ticket to faem and fortune through it all.
That's nearly everyone on social media anyway - people craving attention and likes to validate themselves.
But either way, that's the way the world is going, and it's definitely helping the league.
These guys aren't professionally trained journalists usually so their stuff can be amateurish at times, but in a way I think that's why it's popular. To the youth, the "presenter" just seems like normal lad you'd hang around with and go to a game with.

[legendz]

What's the verdict on LOITV? Has it been a success or not? Has it a long term viable future?

[sidewayspasser]

What's the verdict on LOITV? Has it been a success or not? Has it a long term viable future?
My personal verdict is mixed, I would say. I've watched several games, including some of the European ones. I would have watched more and would have probably spent more money on LOITV if season passes were available.
Technically, stream and audio quality vary a lot. The worst in my opinion are Treaty and Bray. Some commentators in various grounds could do with decent microphones, their volume is very low at times - or there is one commentator where the volume is fine and the other is barely audible.
Whether it's viable long term is hard to tell if we don't have the figures.

[D24Saint]

My personal verdict is mixed, I would say. I've watched several games, including some of the European ones. I would have watched more and would have probably spent more money on LOITV if season passes were available.
Technically, stream and audio quality vary a lot. The worst in my opinion are Treaty and Bray. Some commentators in various grounds could do with decent microphones, their volume is very low at times - or there is one commentator where the volume is fine and the other is barely audible.
Whether it's viable long term is hard to tell if we don't have the figures.

The lack of a season pass this season was a major error. I think I've used the service three times this year and only once when Pats weren't involved.

[nigel-harps1954]

LOITV has been a godsend, and we're spoiled to have it. It's far from perfect, and could do with a bit of adjustment here and there, but overall it's been a massive success.

[joey B]

It has good points and bad,I can’t get to many away games so it’s great in that regard,I don’t enjoy many of the commentators but they’re unpaid volunteers so hard to be too harsh on them,Dundalks commentary is the best by far for me,Rovers and Drogheda decent aswell....

[Martinho II]

It has good points and bad,I can’t get to many away games so it’s great in that regard,I don’t enjoy many of the commentators but they’re unpaid volunteers so hard to be too harsh on them,Dundalks commentary is the best by far for me,Rovers and Drogheda decent aswell....

See Trevor Welch is doing Cork Citys commentary I dont hear much of him these days!

[joey B]

See Trevor Welch is doing Cork Citys commentary I dont hear much of him these days!

Beats Ger Canning doing it!

[Martinho II]

Beats Ger Canning doing it!

Yeah he still has it TW!

[legendz]

The LOI Show, weekly highlights, doesn't seem to get much promotion. If they broadcasted it on the FAI TV YouTube channel as well, it might help bring the show to a wider audience.

[El-Pietro]

See Trevor Welch is doing Cork Citys commentary I dont hear much of him these days!
I'm pretty sure Ruari O Hagan from Red FM does the commentary for City home games, usually with Phillip Long on co comms.

[nigel-harps1954]

The LOI Show, weekly highlights, doesn't seem to get much promotion. If they broadcasted it on the FAI TV YouTube channel as well, it might help bring the show to a wider audience.

I do think this is something they've really missed the beat on. It should be live across their social channels, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter or however they can. It should be about maximising reach, not closing up on LOITV.

[Nah Nah Nah Nah]

Trevor Welsh does the Cobh home games

[pateen]

LOITV has been a godsend, and we're spoiled to have it. It's far from perfect, and could do with a bit of adjustment here and there, but overall it's been a massive success.

Yeah have to agree. Brilliant to have and to dipin and out of games as well

[legendz]

I do think this is something they've really missed the beat on. It should be live across their social channels, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter or however they can. It should be about maximising reach, not closing up on LOITV. Agreed. The LOI Show is free to watch. They should promote it as much as possible and make it easily available. The more people they reach, the more that might subscribe.

[outspoken]

LOI highlights show is broadcast live on twitter now. I can't watch it though, brutal format and just a cheap ass production.

LOI TV has definitely been an improvement from when Watch LOI first launched. Pixelot should be binned and some clubs clearly putting in more effort when it comes to commentary, graphics and overall presentation than others. I don't think the FAI laid out any sort of a blue plan to follow so that's to be expected

[CuanaD]

For me it's just too expensive, I could just about afford the season pass - or half season we got at the start - but this pay for each single game has stopped me from buying any, it's far too expensive.

[culloty82]

The follower reach of every League of Ireland Premier Division club (along with Cork and Galway) on the leading social media platforms:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FZpGK8oXEAENfGC?format=png&name=large

[Nesta99]

Bohs and their upholstery jerseys will be kicking themselves!
https://www.rte.ie/learn/2022/0803/1313693-reading-fc-climate-change/

[legendz]

My phone will prompt me that Sligo v Bohs highlights are available on the FAI TV YouTube channel. As mentioned last week, The LOI Show (weekly highlights) should also be available like this. It's the best platform to broaden the reach of the league. They might actually gain subscriptions for some of the live league games.

[2 Year Contract]

Sweet Jesus this ranks pretty highly on the cringe meter for me

https://twitter.com/waterfordfcie/status/1568245451165515779?s=46&t=0AzMj0bdUdBD6KdtpiVIdA

[Philosophizer]

Not a LOI promotion activity per se but the video of the queen chants in Tallaght yesterday has 8M views on twitter, and counting...
Surely the most popular LOI video ever?? The Flores goal didn't even hit 6M.

[2 Year Contract]

It?s a shame these shels fans are so against the clubs 'Mind Yourself, Mind Your Mates and Mind Your Family' initiative. Every time the play Pats they're at this. Between this and throwing bottles at the linesman against rovers a couple of weeks ago and throwing bottles at the linesman/Barry Cotter last night they really are among the lowest in society

https://twitter.com/michaellarkin9/status/1577335926401163264?s=46&t=0FMR_DUH3CqVfHWYmoGckQ

There’s also a video doing the rounds of them shouting racist and homophobic slurs at Cotter in the second half. Vile club.

[nigel-harps1954]

There’s also a video doing the rounds of them shouting racist and homophobic slurs at Cotter in the second half. Vile club.

No idea what was being said, but very visible on LOITV, near the end of the game, abuse being dished to Cotter as he was getting set to take a throw. Lad was actually walking along the railing alongside Cotter screaming at him.

[culloty82]

As Legendz posted in the Attendances thread, Kerry have been making effective use of Twitter to grow their promotional reach:

Finn Harps: 22.5k
Waterford: 21.1k
Bray: 20.2k
Galway: 17.7k
Cobh: 14.3k
Longford: 13.5k
Wexford: 12.3k
Treaty: 8.9k
Kerry: 5,150
Athlone: 5,131

Which complements the bread-and-butter local print and media work. Rather less impressive is the Facebook output, which has largely consisted of Twitter reposts, whereas a more interactive format is required to develop a following on that medium:

Galway 27k
Finn Harps 19k
Waterford 17k
Bray 17k
Wexford 14k
Cobh 10k
Longford 10k
Treaty 8.5k
Athlone 7.2k
Kerry 1.4k

[sbgawa]

Rovers announce a new main sponsor to replace 888.
Mascot workwear..never heard of them to be honest but they must have a few bob if they have gone in as main sponsor

[Stuttgart88]

Rovers announce a new main sponsor to replace 888.
Mascot workwear..never heard of them to be honest but they must have a few bob if they have gone in as main sponsorMASCOT ® WORKWEAR is among Europe’s largest workwear brands and is a clear number one in product innovation. It is a family-owned company established in 1982 and now with more than 4300 employees. The company has its own SA8000-certified factories in the Far East that safeguard the ethical work environment – and secure award-winning product quality standards. (https://www.shamrockrovers.ie/2023/01/17/shamrock-rovers-announce-new-mens-first-team-principal-partner/#)

Good to see they exploit labour ethically :)

[Elfman]

Is it just Dundalk left with the tricky situation of having a betting shirt sponsor going into the new season so?

[pateen]

And another betting company gone this league

[outspoken]

Is it just Dundalk left with the tricky situation of having a betting shirt sponsor going into the new season so?

yep...

[EatYerGreens]

Is it just Dundalk left with the tricky situation of having a betting shirt sponsor going into the new season so?

You bet !

What were the odds of that ?

[Elfman]

Haha. Oh I'd say it's definitely a risky gamble from them!

[culloty82]

Club social media accounts could do worse than use this beginner's primer to promote the League in general:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=PeEbcTGGd5g&feature=youtu.be

[legendz]

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2023/0213/1356398-rte-soccer-podcast-the-2023-loi-season-preview/

The RTÉ podcast previewing the season.

[culloty82]

The Kerryman had a 5-page spread this week building up to Friday's KO - obviously this was an exceptional case due to the circumstances, but there will most likely be a dedicated page (or perhaps two) reviewing the previous game and previewing the next on a weekly basis.

[Johnnie C]

Good preview of First Division here.
https://www.youtube.com/live/VTIXkMPmPFs?feature=share

[legendz]

https://twitter.com/LOICentralPod/status/1626343412470525952?t=RRay0ZRSc1M7gPcGgqX6KQ&s=19

The LoI Central podcast is available as well.

[outspoken]

New Cork City owner Dermot Usher and Longford Towns prodigal son Aodh Dervin are on S7EP1 of Between the Stripes LOI podcast https://betweenthestripes.net/bts-2023/s7ep1-with-dermot-usher-aodh-dervin/

[culloty82]

Excellent articles on the league in the current editions of both World Soccer and Hot Press.

[Martinho II]

Excellent articles on the league in the current editions of both World Soccer and Hot Press.

Would never expect an article in Hot Press when its a music mag?

[culloty82]

They previewed the WNL last season as well.

[Glen Of Aherlow]

https://twitter.com/dllambo/status/1628139764934144000?s=46&t=XBpi2Hh6nUrbRUpc1LWHvQ

The rest of the league has LOI TV , Bohs have Ear To The Ground

[culloty82]

The "Kerry Ultras" guy has been cleaned out of stickers due to demand - even he himself admitted that it started out just as a bit of a laugh, but certainly generated plenty of publicity!

1628471525778022403

[ontheotherhand]

https://twitter.com/derrycityfc/status/1628408642708856833

I wish our league would just get a controlled hold on the use of flares rather than banning them outright. It's one of the things we do that sets us apart. There's a line you shouldn't cross obviously (e.g. a hand cannon in Waterford) but I think we are shooting ourselves in the foot if we start sterilizing the experience. Flares add to the atmosphere and atmosphere is what we have to offer.

This seems particularly harsh from Derry. Lifetime bans on offer for some of their most die hard supporters for flares and a flag?

[culloty82]

Excellent statement by Shamrock Rovers today - would like to think the vast majority of LoI matchgoers would be of similar mind, but given squads tend to be more representative of communities than either rugby or GAA, worth re-iterating across the League:

https://www.shamrockrovers.ie/2023/02/27/rovers-for-all/

[ontheotherhand]

Excellent statement by Shamrock Rovers today - would like to think the vast majority of LoI matchgoers would be of similar mind, but given squads tend to be more representative of communities than either rugby or GAA, worth re-iterating across the League:

https://www.shamrockrovers.ie/2023/02/27/rovers-for-all/

Very inclusive. We even allowed a manchester united supporter to attend the book reading.

Some amount of gobahites responding to it on Twitter.

[Dermobohs]

Fair play shams, good statement that

[Lim till i die]

Alan Kenny ex Bohs appointed treaty commercial director

Any bohs fans know anything?

[culloty82]

Kerry FC announce a "Cúl Camps" style fortnight of activity for kids during the Easter break - much like every other LoI club presumably, but evident that the focus in terms of attendances will be in retaining family support.