LOI Attendances 2016

[nigel-harps1954]

Final two weekends attendances:

Oct 21st

Rovers v Bray - 2,136
Derry v Sligo - 1,300
Cork v Pats - 1,180
Galway v Longford - 847
Wexford v Harps - 590

Oct 23rd

Dundalk v Bohs - 4,637

Oct 24th

Cork v Wexford - 1,214

Oct 25th

Pats v Dundalk - 817

Oct 28th

Dundalk v Galway - 3,635
Sligo v Wexford - 1,328
Bray v Cork - 1,247
Harps v Bohs - 1,008
Pats v Derry - 931
Longford v Rovers - 465

[nigel-harps1954]

Final update. Doesn't include play-offs like every other year.

PREMIER DIVISION

Bohs - 1,627 (1,724; 1,395; 1,597; 1,496; 1,488; 1,835; 2,366)
Bray - 957 (769; 718; 891; 965; 1,121; 952; 1,169)
Cork - 2,533 (3,263; 3,777; 1,965; 2,786; 2,128 FD; 1,693 FD; 2,681)
Derry - 1,563 (1,124; 1,106; 1,446; 1,460; 2,135; 1,965 FD; 2,436)
Dundalk - 2,738 (3,158; 2,534; 1,997; 949; 1,355; 1,877; 2,371)
Galway - 1,169 (1,290; 975 FD)
Harps - 1,216 (784 FD; 449 FD; 479 FD; 429 FD; 433 FD; 644 FD; 480 FD) -
Longford - 488 (803; 567 FD; 379 FD; 365 FD; 315 FD; 230 FD; 260 FD)
Pat's - 1,088 (1,321; 1,386; 1,687; 1,474; 1,346; 1,756; 1,631)
Rovers - 2,041 (2,890; 2,269; 2,763; 3,127; 3,779; 3,794; 3,611)
Sligo - 1,750 (1,750; 1,959; 2,342; 3,007; 2,103; 1,807; 1,756)
Wexford - 585 (553 FD; 331 FD; 227 FD; 302 FD; 216 FD; 343 FD; 494 FD)

FIRST DIVISION

Athlone - 156 (314; 653 PD; 754; 271; 200; 354; 462)
Cabinteely - 352 (610)
Cobh - 403 (366; 223; 439; 2008 - 1,122 PD; 681; 368; 403)
Drogheda - 583 (813 PD; 1,064 PD; 817 PD; 977 PD; 811 PD; 859 PD; 1,106 PD)
Limerick - 1,131 (1,206 PD; 757 PD; 1,649 PD; 734; 569; 598; 429)
Shels - 554 (596; 713; 1,114 PD; 1,187 PD; 781; 737; 972)
UCD - 297 (216; 397 PD; 487 PD; 506 PD; 558 PD; 610 PD; 272)
Waterford - 314 (460; 470; 478; 453; 466; 619; 434)


PREMIER AVERAGE: 1,476 (1,681; 1,502; 1,566; 1,630; 1,547; 1,512; 2,010)
FIRST DIVISION AVERAGE: 476 (486; 495; 391; 372; 578; 682; 417)

OVERALL AVERAGE: 1,117 (1,249; 1,160; 1,140; 1,125; 1,110; 1,095; 1,175)


TOTAL WEEKLY ATTENDANCE: 8,614 (6 games)

OVERALL PREMIER ATTENDANCE: 292,204 (332,805; 297,334)
OVERALL FIRST ATTENDANCE: 52,807 (54,474; 55,408)

OVERALL COMBINED ATTENDANCE: 345,011 (387,279; 352,742)

[nigel-harps1954]

2016 - 10 highest Premier Division attendances:

1: Cork City vs Dundalk - Friday 3rd June - 5,453
2: Dundalk vs Bohemians - Sunday 23rd October - 4,637
3: Finn Harps vs Derry City - Friday 4th March - 4,195
4: Dundalk vs Cork City - Tuesday 11th October - 4,126
5: Cork City vs Bohemians - Friday 4th March - 4,028
6: Dundalk vs Galway United - Friday 28th October - 3,635
7: Bohemians vs Shamrock Rovers - Friday 15th April - 3,627
8: Dundalk vs Cork City - Friday 18th March - 3,528
9: Shamrock Rovers vs Dundalk - Friday 22nd April - 3,513
10: Shamrock Rovers vs St Patricks Ath - Friday 18th March - 3,453

Top 10 highest in First Division were all Limerick games. Only one other team managed to break 1,000, that being Drogheda in their final game of the season with 1,087. Shelbourne 910 vs Waterford and Cabinteely 902 vs Athlone Town were next highest. Limerick accounted for almost 16,000 of the total 52,807 figure in the First Division this season.


Club by club breakdown Premier Division:

Bohemians:

High: 3,627 vs Shamrock Rovers - Friday 15th April
Low: 895 vs Wexford Youths - Monday 19th September

Bray:

High: 1,704 vs Dundalk - Friday 4th March
Low: 472 vs Derry - Monday 14th March

Cork:

High: 5,453 vs Dundalk - Friday 3rd June
Low: 1,180 vs St Pats - Friday 21st October

Derry:

High: 2,600 vs Finn Harps - Tuesday 10th May
Low: 600 vs Longford Town - Friday 15th July

Dundalk:

High: 4,637 vs Bohs - Sunday 23rd October
Low: 1,919 vs Longford - Tuesday 5th July

Galway:

High: 2,578 vs Dundalk - Friday 5th August
Low: 631 vs Shamrock Rovers - Tuesday September 6th

Harps:

High: 4,195 vs Derry - Friday 4th March
Low: 551 vs Cork City - Monday 19th September

Longford:

High: 1,006 vs Sligo Rovers - Sat 30th July
Low: 273 vs Bray - Saturday 10th September

St Pats:

High: 2,150 vs Dundalk - Thursday 24th March
Low: 369 vs Cork City - Monday 17th October

Shamrock Rovers:

High: 3,513 vs Dundalk - Friday 22nd April
Low: 948 vs Wexford Youths - Monday 15th August

Sligo Rovers:

High: 3,068 vs Shamrock Rovers - Saturday 5th March
Low: 1,283 vs Longford Town - Friday 14th October

Wexford Youths:

High: 968 vs Longford Town - Friday 4th March
Low: 346 vs Galway United - Friday 14th October

[Charlie Darwin]

Probably correct, though we got relegated and got into Europe, which was great fun!

There's an argument though that third in the league isn't exactly great either. And Rovers are pretty mediocre this year, finished fourth, and are in Europe.
We got in by default to be fair - it's not like fourth is good enough by design. I wouldn't mind seeing the League Cup winner get in - might encourage more teams to take it seriously.

[Charlie Darwin]

(b) I don't think the idea that coming second gets you into Europe should be inviolable
That's literally the entire reason the UEFA Cup was created.

[pineapple stu]

Not really. The UEFA Cup was at least in part created to take over from the Fairs Cup, which was a non-UEFA event.

Granted, it was certainly the main qualification criterion, but by the same logic, the entire reason the European Cup was created was to allow the various champions to compete, and now look at it. And cup winners get into the Europa League now as well.

So as I said, the idea that second gets you into Europe shouldn't necessary be inviolable.

[pineapple stu]

Also, I don't think the League Cup should be deserving of a European spot. If you want to revamp it, teams should be required to include a certain number of U-19s to help bridge the gap between the senior and underage teams.

[nigel-harps1954]

I'd prefer to see FAI cup runner-up get a spot instead of fourth place in the league.

[pineapple stu]

Fourth place in the league is only getting the spot this year because the cup runner up is already in Europe though?

[El-Pietro]

UEFA changed the Cup Runner up rules. You have to win the cup to get a Europa League spot from last year on. Otherwise it goes to the league.

[legendz]

A compromise from a lot of suggestions on here would be a play-off consisting of cup runners-up, league cup winner and 2 best placed league teams outside of the automatic qualification spots.

[Ezeikial]

A compromise from a lot of suggestions on here would be a play-off consisting of cup runners-up, league cup winner and 2 best placed league teams outside of the automatic qualification spots.

along with the fair play winner, the club with the best website, the First Division winners, and the Jim Malone Cup holders.

[legendz]

along with the fair play winner, the club with the best website, the First Division winners, and the Jim Malone Cup holders.Haha! :D

UCD as fair play representative for league got through ELQ1 unlike some!

[pineapple stu]

That's not relevant.

If you get to compromising on everything, you end up with something really inflated and daft, that nobody's happy with anyway.

[ger121]

I'd prefer to see FAI cup runner-up get a spot instead of fourth place in the league.

I'm the opposite actually, but just because I think 4th in the League, tends to be a stronger team in Europe overall for the co-efficient, than a team who could be from lower half of Premier or even 1st Division. Yes I'm a whore for the co-efficient points:drool:

[pineapple stu]

I don't think the coefficient points are anywhere near as relevant any more as they used to be. Even five years ago, it could be the difference between a bye in the UEFA Cup, but that's not the case any more. We're effectively always going to be starting in the first Europa League round/second CL round (until they change it again).

Club coefficients are more important nowadays; a LoI side that has to take the national coefficient is pretty much guaranteed to be unseeded regardless. The national coefficient would really only benefit the underage winners.

[legendz]

If you get to compromising on everything, you end up with something really inflated and daft, that nobody's happy with anyway.There is truth in what you say there. In this instance I think it offered a good balance. My suggestion was to reward the league cup winner a play-off spot along with 3 teams based on league places. A number of people on here and the PCA are suggesting the cup runners-up be included in a play-off. I can't see the PCA's 8 team play-off becoming reality. If a 2 team play-off is chosen as per the FAI commissioned report, it probably will be based on league places. If a 4 team play-off is given consideration, I don't think it will be a lesser option if it includes the league cup winners and cup runners-up. If the third Europa League spot can be used to help promote the league, FAI Cup and League Cup through, say, a high-profile play-off, then the possibility should be considered.

[pineapple stu]

Some stats on extratime.ie (http://www.extratime.ie/articles/17868/league-of-ireland-attendances-2016---the-final-story/), which collate quite closely here from a quick glance (not surprising really, as I guess many estimated attendances here are taken from extratime.ie anyway)

[dejadem]

From DUFC facebook for the Wexford playoff - The official attendance on Friday was 2,117.

[Mark]

Some stats on extratime.ie (http://www.extratime.ie/articles/17868/league-of-ireland-attendances-2016---the-final-story/), which collate quite closely here from a quick glance (not surprising really, as I guess many estimated attendances here are taken from extratime.ie anyway)

I was surprised they had so many estimates for UCD. I was there a few times and on each occasion a lad game along and gave an exact figure to the journalists there. Three estimates for Pat's as well even though each was tweeted by all and sundry on the the respective nights.
BTW many of the Shamrock Rovers estimates here and on extratime were quite generous....

[nigel-harps1954]

Don't think I have any estimated attendances for either Pats or Shamrock Rovers off the top of my head.
UCD is one I was surprised by, they're usually good for official figures but proved very difficult to get them this year.
I took a handful of estimates from Extratime, mostly from places I simply wasnt able get any figure, but I noticed they had a lot more estimates than I had, which is strange enough as I had thought they got a lot of their official figures from on here too.

[Mark]

Extratime had three estimates for Pat's but Pat's will always give an official figure. I have the three jotted down somewhere.
I think they had two for Limerick as well but I'm sure Keith or someone else there would have correct figures.
A lot of people surprised with UCD but I certainly got figures the times I was there this year.
It's generally a case of finding out who at each club will have the figure. It's a media person at some; secretary at others; and so on..

[nigel-harps1954]

Estimates I have are, all of Derrys games, two of Pats, two Shamrock Rovers, a couple of Wexford games but I have to go back through the thread here where ForzaForth throws them in from time to time.

Limericks last two games never had official attendances released as far as I could tell, Athlone hardly ever released figures only happened to get a handful of them off Battery Rover on here, only one estimate from Cobh, one from Shels and a handful of UCD games.

I wish all clubs just announced their attendances. Normally Extratimes estimates tend to be a good bit wide of the mark, so mostly I'd take an estimate from fans of the clubs in question, most of the time whatever sort of average estimate comes from on here.

[Mark]

I'd know most of the Extratime lads that cover Dublin games and we've commented on how hard it is to make accurate estimates/guesstimates.
But some that appear here or there or twitter are way off the mark. I was at a game in Tallaght last season, 2015; and there were maybe 300 in the main stand including visiting fans and no more than 200 on the far side. There was no official figure that I could find but the various estimates online ranged from 900 to 1,100.....

Having said all this. I was always under the impression a figure from each game was forwarded to the FAI - it just may not be made available on the night even to those (media or whoever) who request it.

[ForzaForth]

Nigel

If you're missing any Youths home matches, just post them here. I usually take the figure mentioned in the local papers, but I think there might have been one or two cases where no figure was given.

[nigel-harps1954]

I'll give a full list of games I'm missing when I get the chance and anyone able to fill in the blanks that'd be appreciated.