Attendances 2019

[ToberonaTornado]

Not great for 1st Vs 3rd

Wee bit disappointing alright -bout 900 below our season average but school nights/exam season and turnover of games all added in it was ok imo.
The pox of having a awful away end also :( not helping.

[oriel]

I think for most of the top clubs, and unless this is an end of sesson or vital match, if they can exceed 2k on Monday night, its not bad.

Dundalk's avg is just over 3k, this was also the second Bohs game at home on a Monday, to their credit they took about 600 last time, not so much last night but still a decent show. We also have a lot of fans working and / or living in Dub, Mon wont suit all. Long enough day travelling, then a match at the end of it.

Thankfully not too many more Monday's for league games now.

Edit, just heard this (2,312) was our lowest crowd of the season.

[El-Pietro]

Just pick that number at random did you?

You've also got to factor in that a lot of tourist football fans online asking about going to a LOI game are being pointed towards Bohs because of Dalymounts historical significance. Post redevelopment that's gone so you might lose some of them.

They will get a new stadium boost though that will compensate at least for the first season in the new version. Plus away fans will probably be more interested in visiting for the first time at least.

[David BOHie]

Just pick that number at random did you?

You've also got to factor in that a lot of tourist football fans online asking about going to a LOI game are being pointed towards Bohs because of Dalymounts historical significance. Post redevelopment that's gone so you might lose some of them.

Well judging by the fact Rovers sold out a month in advance and Derry City sold out on the day I added varying amounts for each games. Roughly guessing based on interest in the forum and on twitter etc.

It's not scientific but I was asked a question and answered. Not a statement of fact

[oriel]

It's annoying alright. It was deemed an infeasible solution but I'm not 100% sure why. There's talk that the foundation is unsafe and there's talk of access. Maybe it's an issue of both however.

Even six or seven hundred seats would sort out the capacity issues in the short to medium term until the development takes places (which is 18 months away
from starting as currently is projected)

I've been over there a few times. I know it's in bits, little leg room and no roof but at least there's a great view of the pitch.

It would be one of the worst away sections but it wouldn't be the absolute worst. It's not as if the des Kelly stand has much going for it either. There's a worse view there and equally poor facilities, albeit there is somewhat of a roof.

Again, would be a great short term solution

Pity they cant just rip out the seating on that far side, I watched loads of games from there in the 80's, used to always stand just over the exit area in the corner, and you are right, there is a great view from that corner area. I'd much prefer that to watching behind the goal in Des K stand.

I'd imagine the access areas is the problem, poor lighting also under this area, but I wonder could it be made safe for a few years ?

[Fester]

1,070 at Pats v Derry

[EatYerGreens]

Said it a few times this year but I genuinely think the sold out signs are doing Bohs wonders. Everyone wants a ticket to something they can't get. If they had an extra 1000 seats would they fill them? Or more to the point would they fill enough of them to cover the cost of extra seating? For the derby of course they would, for Finn Harps etc I highly doubt it

No sensible business would want to limit their customer numbers unnecessarily.

Especially in football, which relies heavily on habit and tradition.

[EatYerGreens]

Just pick that number at random did you?

You've also got to factor in that a lot of tourist football fans online asking about going to a LOI game are being pointed towards Bohs because of Dalymounts historical significance. Post redevelopment that's gone so you might lose some of them.

Surely the key factor for tourists going to watch a game in Dublin will be who's at home whilst they're here, rather than notions of historical significance ? In which case having quite a few sold out Bohs games means they've either gone to other matches instead (I had some Germans behind me at a Pats game in March) or are not watching a game at all.

A bigger Bohs' stadium would mean more room for those who want to catch a game whilst visiting Dublin. And a much better experience all round that any poor sods who take a run out to the Belfield Bowl due to a Dalymount sell out.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Surely the key factor for tourists going to watch a game in Dublin will be who's at home whilst they're here, rather than notions of historical significance ? In which case having quite a few sold out Bohs games means they've either gone to other matches instead (I had some Germans behind me at a Pats game in March) or are not watching a game at all.

A bigger Bohs' stadium would mean more room for those who want to catch a game whilst visiting Dublin. And a much better experience all round that any poor sods who take a run out to the Belfield Bowl due to a Dalymount sell out.

You'd think that but when you go online to places where foreigners would go to ask about the league and who to see in Dublin the number one selling point of Bohs is Dalyer


No sensible business would want to limit their customer numbers unnecessarily.

Especially in football, which relies heavily on habit and tradition.

People always want what they can't have and in football since there's pretty much always another of almost the same thing around the corner that creates a knock on demand. Like say Bohs sell out a game vs Rovers, that gets people who might not normally be interested in Bohs thinking they're missing out so they'll buy tickets for the next big game(which is them all except maybe Harps this season) which means that then sells out and it snowballs.
It's the same logic behind these new brands that whatever they release they release it in limited numbers, it generates publicly and creates demand for that product and the next one.
It also gets rid of the "you can't even sell out one stand" and because its sold out the max attendance becomes an unknown and grows by the day.

[The Donie Forde]

Any official attendance reported for UCD v CCFC last Monday?

[EatYerGreens]

Some terrible shootings in Dublin over the last few days and weeks now :(

I wonder if bus companies in Derry will cancel bookings for games in Dublin now, given what's happening down there ?

Wait - no. They won't. Because they're not run by over-reacting drama queen muppets ;)

[EatYerGreens]

You'd think that but when you go online to places where foreigners would go to ask about the league and who to see in Dublin the number one selling point of Bohs is Dalyer

Can you post up a few links to these places ? Thanks. I'd still love to know how history about a stadium which isn't open when you're in town is more important than actually being able to see a game somewhere.


People always want what they can't have and in football since there's pretty much always another of almost the same thing around the corner that creates a knock on demand. Like say Bohs sell out a game vs Rovers, that gets people who might not normally be interested in Bohs thinking they're missing out so they'll buy tickets for the next big game(which is them all except maybe Harps this season) which means that then sells out and it snowballs.
It's the same logic behind these new brands that whatever they release they release it in limited numbers, it generates publicly and creates demand for that product and the next one.
It also gets rid of the "you can't even sell out one stand" and because its sold out the max attendance becomes an unknown and grows by the day.

Am I correct in summising from that that you don't actually run a business ? ;)

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Can you post up a few links to these places ? Thanks. I'd still love to know how history about a stadium which isn't open when you're in town is more important than actually being able to see a game somewhere.



Am I correct in summising from that that you don't actually run a business ? ;)

I couldn't link it it's just odd posts/comments you see on various social media sites. And i never said it's more important that seeing a game? I specifically said when going to a Bohemian game in my original comment. To slow it down for you if there's a Pats, a Rovers and a Bohs game on people are directed to the Bohs one with a big selling point being the history of Dalymount, and it's old school vibe.

I don't run a business but it's a pretty respected economic theory, and the basis behind anything limited edition you see. there are very few things that companies have produced a limited number of unwillingly.
This explains it quite well.
"Consumers place a higher value on goods that are scarce than on goods that are abundant. Psychologists note that when a good or service is perceived to be scarce, people want it more. Consider how many times you’ve seen an advertisement stating something like: limited time offer, limited quantities, while supplies last, liquidation sale, only a few items left in stock, etc. The feigned scarcity causes a surge in the demand for the commodity. The thought that people want something they cannot have drives them to desire the object even more. In other words, if something is not scarce, then it is not desired or valued that much.
Marketers use the scarcity principle as a sales tactic to drive up demand and sales. The psychology behind the scarcity principle lies on social proof and commitment. Social proof is consistent with the belief that people judge a product as high quality if it is scarce or if people appear to be buying it. On the principle of commitment, someone who has committed himself to acquiring something will want it more if he finds out he cannot have it."
It's actually really applicable to LOI as one of the biggest criticisms aimed at the league by outsiders is the low crowds that are used to justify their perception of it's poor quality, so the scarcity of tickets increases the perceived quality of football and thus increase the demand for tickets.

[nigel-harps1954]

Harps v Shamrock Rovers - 925


Not to take the thread off topic..

[EatYerGreens]

Harps v Shamrock Rovers - 925

Not to take the thread off topic..

It looked les than the Waterford game to me. That's not bad for a Monday night in fairness.

[centre mid]

600 odd at Bray tonight, Spice Girls taking their toll on attendance

[nr637]

600 odd at Bray tonight, Spice Girls taking their toll on attendance
Rumour has it that the Spice Girls are Shamrock Rovers fans!

[RathfarnhamHoop]

3,112 in Tallaght, seems about right to me

[oriel]

Dundalk v Pats, 2,377. Which was a grand total of 65 more than the Bohs game on Monday night !

I think our avg is still at 3k but these Monday/Friday games are not suiting anyone, two home friday games a month is the way forward, but next month will be a disaster for most clubs, some have no home games for 6 weeks, Derry are one, Dundalk have no home games at all in June.

[Kingswood Rover]

I thought that the Rovers attendance would be topped by Dundalks last night, the league started like a whirlwind with plenty of games and lots of interest but in the last month it has died a death and its mainly due imo to scheduling. Rovers have no game now for two weeks and all that momentum, goodwill and indeed one might argue sympathy from the general public due to being run by the FAI just evaporates.

[RathfarnhamHoop]

I thought that the Rovers attendance would be topped by Dundalks last night, the league started like a whirlwind with plenty of games and lots of interest but in the last month it has died a death and its mainly due imo to scheduling. Rovers have no game now for two weeks and all that momentum, goodwill and indeed one might argue sympathy from the general public due to being run by the FAI just evaporates.

You mean having loads of games in quick succession then none for ages isn't the best way to get people regularly going to games? Who'd have thought that.

[trevy]

1311 at Waterford v UCD. Both clubs will have no league games for over a month now due to games being postponed because of international under 21 call ups.

[ToberonaTornado]

Playing the Same teams week after week will feck your attendances up alright. We've.Played Pats and Bohs 3 times april and may(total guess)

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Playing the Same teams week after week will feck your attendances up alright. We've.Played Pats and Bohs 3 times april and may(total guess)

Yeah the 10 team league is great for quality but it's that 3rd round of fixtures (ie the ones on Monday) where the buzz dies off, you've seen everyone twice already but it's not close enough to the end of the season for them to be important crunch games and with the 3rd round being mid second round this season it's hard to build that buzz back up for the remainder of the second round.

[Kingswood Rover]

You mean having loads of games in quick succession then none for ages isn't the best way to get people regularly going to games? Who'd have thought that.
Thanks for that. My whirlwind comment was in relation to the level of media coverage the league got in the first couple of months mainly due to unexpected level of rising attendances, sold out games, Record league crowd in Tallaght etc and how the lack of games and poor scheduling reduces the level of media engagement consequently reducing demand for the product. ahhhh ballix to this i am going for a ball of challk.

[Candystripe]

About 3,400 at Derry city v Finn Harps.

(Extra time est 3,000 but was definitely a lot more than that).

[Martinho II]

from speaking to a club committee member 550 fans attended estimate were at our game! AFAIK only 2 away fans travelled Aaron Brillys parents!

[outspoken]

from speaking to a club committee member 550 fans attended estimate were at our game! AFAIK only 2 away fans travelled Aaron Brillys parents!

Very poor turn out again. It's demoralising when you see the work the clubs media team are doing, the unbelievable condition the ground is in, the football on show and the atmosphere at the games that more people aren't turning out. Would make you sick actually

[RathfarnhamHoop]

Very poor turn out again. It's demoralising when you see the work the clubs media team are doing, the unbelievable condition the ground is in, the football on show and the atmosphere at the games that more people aren't turning out. Would make you sick actually

Especially when you see the u17s attendances which shows the location clearly isn't that much of an obstacle

[oriel]

Dundalk FM sat afternoon radio show, they do a full hour on DFC each week along with live coverage of games, discussed the crowds this week.

There will always be a reduction with two home games in a week, but i think its often misunderstood thats its just about money. That is important, but so it time and family stuff people have on, getting free time to get to a match on a Monday, then again 4 nights later is hard, or worse if its Friday - Monday.

Some clubs simply wont go for it, but i think extending the season out to Nov is the way forward, there will be addtional wages, but isnt that a better option of paying it while you have gates v no main income for some clubs for 6 weeks. Plus the mid season break has to go, absolutely no need for it, we already have the longest off season in europe with over 3 months break between seasons.

[Martinho II]

Especially when you see the u17s attendances which shows the location clearly isn't that much of an obstacle

i would like to see if we reverted to a winter season like loi did in the early noughties would the crowds be as great as we got back then or was it because of the SK effect?

[outspoken]

i would like to see if we reverted to a winter season like loi did in the early noughties would the crowds be as great as we got back then or was it because of the SK effect?

It's freezing on a summer's day out there, if it went back to winter I'm not sure id go myself. Summer football is by far the better product

[Ashbohs]

Season needs to be extended . First thing I would change.2 weeks on either end with a break at the first round in Europe July leaving some clubs free to host English friendlies.
Move the EA cup ties to Bank Holiday Mondays at five o clock. Clubs will probably do better or break even in the long run
Player welfare should bring this in alone

[bohsmug]

Plus the mid season break has to go, absolutely no need for it, we already have the longest off season in europe with over 3 months break between seasons.


The mid-season break gets a lot of flak but it's fairly common in most of Europe's top divisions to have breaks for international fixtures throughout the season. The break is only 1 week really. No harm in taking a little pause in a long season for everybody (fans and media included) to rejuvenate and renew interest. It is also an interesting dynamic seeing how teams respond to it - a season of two halves if you will. I don't think the break in of itself is necessarily a bad thing.

Personally, I don't like the 10 team league. If you do well in the cups, you're going to play the same teams a ridiculous amount of times.

The season probably does need to be extended. I don't like the front-loaded fixture list. But playing devil's advocate; The league got more positive than usual coverage during this recent blitz of fixtures. It seems the average man on the street knew more about the league in this run in than they usually would. It was the league's time in the spotlight to some extent.

[marinobohs]

Very poor turn out again. It's demoralising when you see the work the clubs media team are doing, the unbelievable condition the ground is in, the football on show and the atmosphere at the games that more people aren't turning out. Would make you sick actually

Imagine if you had weeds growing on the terraces :rolleyes:

The fixture pile up has sapped much of the early season enthusiasm from supporters.Casual fans just cant/wont 'do' two games a week and get disheartened, some not coming back.Sometimes despair the clowns in Abbotstown actually prefer the LOI to fail. they certainly appear to do everything in their power to ensure it does fail.
10 team league is bad because too much familiarity, add in cups etc and any novelty wears off.Not sure if the quality is there, but would prefer a 13 team league with two rounds of games (obviously plus cup games). If necessary promote cup comps, at this stage the EA Cup is non existent.


But then basing a League around customers would be a welcome idea.

[joey B]

Imagine if you had weeds growing on the terraces :rolleyes:

The fixture pile up has sapped much of the early season enthusiasm from supporters.Casual fans just cant/wont 'do' two games a week and get disheartened, some not coming back.Sometimes despair the clowns in Abbotstown actually prefer the LOI to fail. they certainly appear to do everything in their power to ensure it does fail.
10 team league is bad because too much familiarity, add in cups etc and any novelty wears off.Not sure if the quality is there, but would prefer a 13 team league with two rounds of games (obviously plus cup games). If necessary promote cup comps, at this stage the EA Cup is non existent.


But then basing a League around customers would be a welcome idea.

Have to agree with this,I sat at 4pm yesterday contemplating wether to go to the game last night and I just couldn't justify forking out what woulda been 17 euro to go watch a League cup game after doing it 3 days previously and 2 home games in the 7 days previous to that,if the die hards are giving games second thoughts then its badly wrong.....

[Martinho II]

It's freezing on a summer's day out there, if it went back to winter I'm not sure id go myself. Summer football is by far the better product

I always preferred the winter atmosphere as the noise from the vocal end always carried better and seemed louder!

[Martinho II]

Imagine if you had weeds growing on the terraces :rolleyes:

The fixture pile up has sapped much of the early season enthusiasm from supporters.Casual fans just cant/wont 'do' two games a week and get disheartened, some not coming back.Sometimes despair the clowns in Abbotstown actually prefer the LOI to fail. they certainly appear to do everything in their power to ensure it does fail.
10 team league is bad because too much familiarity, add in cups etc and any novelty wears off.Not sure if the quality is there, but would prefer a 13 team league with two rounds of games (obviously plus cup games). If necessary promote cup comps, at this stage the EA Cup is non existent.


But then basing a League around customers would be a welcome idea.

have to agree with this. before the loi expanded to two divisions loi teams played each other twice in a season.. I would like to know if this worked what happens to the other loi teams?

[oriel]

Have to agree with this,I sat at 4pm yesterday contemplating wether to go to the game last night and I just couldn't justify forking out what woulda been 17 euro to go watch a League cup game after doing it 3 days previously and 2 home games in the 7 days previous to that,if the die hards are giving games second thoughts then its badly wrong.....

Did Derry really charge 15 sterling last night & no reductions ? For a league cup game, id also be interested what Bohs and Bray charged. Dundalk reduced all tickets all areas to €5, I'm not sure what the crowd was mind.

[David BOHie]

15/10/5 adults/concessions and kids and then 10 for Members and ST holders.

I'd say most paying 15 last night were Cork fans who were down

[outspoken]

I always preferred the winter atmosphere as the noise from the vocal end always carried better and seemed louder!

Maybe because there were more people due to our success. Our crowds may be small at present but we are getting a lot more kids in since Fenn came along. Great to see kids getting photos with players and jerseys signed after games. Play on a cold November night and they don't come it's simple

[marinobohs]

Maybe because there were more people due to our success. Our crowds may be small at present but we are getting a lot more kids in since Fenn came along. Great to see kids getting photos with players and jerseys signed after games. Play on a cold November night and they don't come it's simple

Whatever about the 'home' crowd, Longford was historically the stuff of nightmares for 'away' fans :( many an away fan took days to dry out after a fixture there on a rainy/day night !

Given the number of tourists (especially Dublin clubs) and the easier travel to away games (brighter evenings, better weather) which are undoubtedly boosting the crowds there is no chance of a return to the freezing wet nights of yore. Not for all the scalding Bovril in Ireland :cool:

[oriel]

Personally I`d absolutely hate to go back to winter football, never mind attendances, what about the pitches ? Look at the goals round up on BBC NI every sat from December onwards, not only are the pitches heavy, they have a fair amount of postponement’s, and for us it would be worse, as at least they play during the day, we’d be back to playing at the coldest part of the day with 7.45 ko’s.

Europe will only apply for 4 teams, but its still a big help for clubs having half their league games under their belts when they start. A plus point on winter season would be less cancellations for international tournaments like the current u21 one with players and for WC/ Euros for counter attractions, but you won’t get prime matches for every Friday night and we have coped before on this. I will say one thing though, on atmosphere for some games, there is a difference when its darker in likes of Feb, March, early April and from Sept onwards under the floodlights.

On winter season, maybe there would be a slight lift occasionally as fans wouldn’t be on the traditional July / Aug holidays, but would anyone honestly look forward to going to a ground on a really cold night wind and rain between Dec - Feb, the odd snow / ice thrown in also ?

Its fine as it is, just extend the season out to run to end or week 3 in Nov and limit mid-week league games to no more than 3 times, 4 max a year where possible.

[nigel-harps1954]

Sounds weird to some, but my memories of going to Finn Park as a kid were the freezing cold nights, wrapped up in about four layers with scarves and hats, coming away from the match and feeling yourself thaw out in the car on the way home.

The atmospheres were better, the soup or tea was better, the lights in the ground on a cold, dark, winter night. None of that can be beaten by anything summer football can throw at you and I feel sorry for my own kids not getting those same experiences.

It's been done a million times over here, and not wishing to start another winter/summer debate, but I hate most of the summer football calendar for the LOI and I think the idea the Irish League are proposing May-Feb is fantastic.

[oriel]

Sounds weird to some, but my memories of going to Finn Park as a kid were the freezing cold nights, wrapped up in about four layers with scarves and hats, coming away from the match and feeling yourself thaw out in the car on the way home.

The atmospheres were better, the soup or tea was better, the lights in the ground on a cold, dark, winter night. None of that can be beaten by anything summer football can throw at you and I feel sorry for my own kids not getting those same experiences.

It's been done a million times over here, and not wishing to start another winter/summer debate, but I hate most of the summer football calendar for the LOI and I think the idea the Irish League are proposing May-Feb is fantastic.



Haven’t heard of this proposal from the Irish League, but is this really that much of a change from the current set up?

They’ll still play through the coldest months Nov-Feb, and pitches will be the same in that period, postponements etc, the only benefit is they will have clubs ready for Europe as they will have 3 months playing under their belt by July. They’ll never change from their xmas derby fixtures, seems to be a big thing up there with games on 26/12 usually having decent crowds.

The current Europe thing is a joke mind, league not starting for a month and players still on holidays and twice the Crusaders manager missed euro games due to a ‘previously booked holiday’, this won’t change in this proposal as most of their clubs (if not all) are part time.

[Nesta99]

If ever there was a consideration to move back to a winter season there had better be wholescale improvements to most grounds. If there were enclosed by stands it would at least at as something of a windbreaker and keep people dry. I too look back fondly on the atmosphere that there was at big games Thursday nights in the dark winter months, and the subsequent thawing out at home after or in later years in the Lilywhite Lounge over a beer. 'Round Christmas the festive atmosphere added to the match nights also.
Conversely though I have also enjoyed meeting up with pals in a beergarden like Kennedy's in the sunshine, then up to Oriel and it was like being at a lower tier game on a continental holiday. Postmatch when away fans departed then sitting out on the away terrace with a beer was great. Kids were able to have a kick about on the pitch. It felt a bit like European matchdays - especially when they were few and ar between for a long spell. As I get older the thoughts of cold, squaly, windswept nights with horizontal sleet and rain is not so appealing even if it was a CL game against Barcelona!

There will always be debate on the impact on attendances as the half baked way that the FAI went about deciding on the change means there is little data on the actual impact of the switch. But as the spoils of competing and especially progressing in Europe the benefit of a summer season will really benefit the league as a whole. Like in 2002 Dundalk barely broke for qualifying for the EL, Varazdin wasnt terribly hard to get to but the prizemoney was only about 80k iirc. At that level of money it was nearly an inconvenience and it's possible that winter football could have had a bigger season total gate and make the net European prizemoney less essential. It was more about prestige, rewarding the players for domestic success and gave fans a nice trip away in July.

Now, with the sort of money involved any edge, no matter how slight is essential. Summer football undoubtedly improves our chances of getting results and cashing in. While some of the people involved with the Irish League still want to live in 1690 it is mind boggling where their priorities lie with the money involved now. Take a holiday in June and be back for July, though early rounds do fall circa the 12th...

[brendy_éire]

Did Derry really charge 15 sterling last night & no reductions ? For a league cup game, id also be interested what Bohs and Bray charged. Dundalk reduced all tickets all areas to €5, I'm not sure what the crowd was mind.

Yep, don't recall us ever having reductions for LC games.
Crowd was ok, around the 2k mark maybe. Generally it'd be lower than that, especially considering it was a bank holiday.

[marinobohs]

Yep, don't recall us ever having reductions for LC games.
Crowd was ok, around the 2k mark maybe. Generally it'd be lower than that, especially considering it was a bank holiday.

Bohs charged full price in with a reduced price for members of 10 euro (membership does not cover shared gate matches). It wasn't a bank holiday down here and the crowd was roughly half our regular gate. Expected weakened team (team was stronger than many anticipated it would be) and general match fatigue were factors. Two games a week affects more than the pocket !

[ToberonaTornado]

2136 Dundalk v Sligo.

[outspoken]

Over 1100 in Tolka. Great attendance