Do Friday nights really work?

[jorge]

Im just wondering if Friday's are the best times for EL matches

[bigmac]

Im just wondering if Friday's are the best times for EL matches


I think so. Is a good start to the weekend, people can go before they head out for the night, they don't have to give up a whole day to a game which tends to happen if matches are on a Saturday afternoon and there usually aren't competing games on the tv.

It might not be the ideal time but i don't think it's keeping more than a handful of people away who would go if the games were on at a different time.

[Macy]

No, games should be on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, or failing that a Saturday night, with possible exception of games with less an hours travelling time (for proposed kick off time, not 6am sunday morning no traffic times).

We should be maximising the amount of current fans that can go to matches, especially away fans. Saturday and Sunday afternoon, most travelling could be done there and back in reasonable time without overnights or arriving back very late at night etc.

[Troy.McClure]

Since we (Cork) switched to Friday nights about 3 seasons ago the home support has increased, but the away support has remained the same. Having games on Fri, Sat or Sun doesnt make a difference for darbies (esp Dublin) and you are really only going to get the dedicated supporters going to most away matches anyway, so I dont think that it makes much of a difference.

[Macy]

Since we (Cork) switched to Friday nights about 3 seasons ago the home support has increased, but the away support has remained the same.
Can't be veiwed in isolation though - you're a better team as well which would've increased crowds if it had still been Sunday afternoon?

[Cosmo]

Fact is most clubs get their best attendances on friday nights - I know the drogs do anyway.

From a selfish point of view id love matches to be on saturday afternoons around 4 or 5 - plenty of time for boozing beforehand and afterwards :) - would also be good for away crowds too - but obviously drogs gate receipts would go down overall (and im sure thats the same for other clubs that play on fridays)

[fitzknows]

Reckon Friday night is the best alright. It's becoming a standard thing now and casually interested people are beginning to know that Friday night is Eircom League night. If you look at the Premier attendances, apart from UCD who regularly struggle to attract support, Longford Town and Finn Harps have the lowest crowds. It could be a combination of many reasons but the fact remains that they are the only club in the Premier that dont play their games on Friday night.

[Da Real Rover]

Friday, Saturday or Sunday it really doesnt matter to me as long as it is an evening kick off. Games have a much better atmosphere in the evenings, i really hate afternoon kickoffs.

[Troy.McClure]

Can't be veiwed in isolation though - you're a better team as well which would've increased crowds if it had still been Sunday afternoon?

This started in the Murphy days though. The odd time that we play on Sunday afternoons (Derry) the numbers are slightly down.

[pete]

It would be interesting to see if weekend afternoon simultaneous kick offs would work even if just for big games. Can keep evenings for tv then.

Its realistically only going to make a difference for away support which not going to be huge anyway.

[Slash/ED]

Friday night is definitely the best night for attendences for alot of clubs

[tiktok]

No club brings enough away fans to justify changing times IMO.
You play when you get the most home fans in, anytime we've not played on a Friday night since summer football started the figures have been down.

[TonyD]

Friday, Saturday or Sunday it really doesnt matter to me as long as it is an evening kick off. Games have a much better atmosphere in the evenings, i really hate afternoon kickoffs.

I'll second that. There's something about floodlit games. The empty spaces don't show up as much and it usually feels more like a "real" game. Winter evening kick offs are the best too, despite the cold. The lack of those games now is one of the downsides to the move to a (mainly) summer season.

[Neish]

No. I think games (Unless they are within 1-2 hour travel for away fans) should be played on Saturdays. Teams like Harps, Derry, Cork etc travel to Dublin every 2nd or 3rd friday meaning both fans and players need to take time off work.

[A face]

Citys support away has got alot better and most who travel will tell you those games are better than home games alot of the time !! But there have been alot of people make huge efforts and there are now more people than ever running buses which is brilliant and offers more choice.

In my opinion .... away support would really improve if either trains or planes became a viable option for fans ... until then it is up to the efforts of supporters to provide a service for others.

And ..... Friday nights .... they are the job !!
Brilliant move on the clubs behalf ... has to be said !!

[Macy]

This started in the Murphy days though. The odd time that we play on Sunday afternoons (Derry) the numbers are slightly down.
But you had a great home record though that season.....

btw we've tried Fridays and attendances were worse.

[paudie]

I think Saturday night would be the best as it makes it easier for away support.

I don't think Saturday afternoons would be great as that tends to be a time for shopping/family outings for a lot of people.

With summer soccer Sunday afternoons would clash with GAA games

[Rory H]

rovers kick off is 7:30 every saturday...it the best imo....there not atmosphere in the afternoon

we play galway friday rhough cos the ireland match is on so it'll be good to have a change though....bigger crowd hopefully too

[mypost]

No club brings enough away fans to justify changing times IMO.
You play when you get the most home fans in, anytime we've not played on a Friday night since summer football started the figures have been down.

So, while most people here want bigger attendances, what you and other clubs say is "we'll play when we like, stay away if you don't support the home team".

Cork, Derry, Rovers, Pats, and Bohs fans, who want to travel to away games on Fridays can't, unless they change their shift at work, or get a half day, which for most fans, happens once in a blue moon. There would always be more away fans on Saturday games. We (Rovers), always bring loads up to Longford, and Finn Harps, as they play their home games at a more suitable time for both home and away fans. There's no competition for other sports, there's no traffic on the roads, the fans can relax before the game, and the atmosphere is better, instead of rushing around to try and get in before kick-off on Fridays. How many Cork home games, have been delayed due to crowd congestion in the last couple of years??

We could do with changing kick-off times too. Us and The Brits are the only ones in Europe, whose games regularly kick-off before 8.00. The right time to start games is 8.30-9.00 on Saturday nights. If every game was played on a Saturday night, everyone would be in the same boat, attendances would be greater, and atmospheres would be a lot better.

At least, the Ireland-Israel game is on Saturday evening, so the atmosphere should be great. Even though it's the last Saturday game at home in these qualifiers, I hope the FAI will start to move away from the terrible Saturday kick offs at 3.00 in the future, and bring us into line with most other countries.

[Wiseguy]

Saturday games would suit much more for me anyway.As i don't work in Longford i have to break all kinds of speed records to get back to Longford for a bus to an away game which ends up leaving late anyway.It suits to have our games on a Saturday night because a lot of people from Longford work in dublin and can't get back on a friday night due to traffic.I do think that all games should be played at the same time though.
As regards ourselves and Harps getting the small attendances there is a reason for that.
The entire population of the county of longford is about 30,000.We just don't have the population in the area to get big crowds week in week out.If it was broke down to a per head of population we would have a good average but that's no good for revenue.

[Macy]

It suits to have our games on a Saturday night because a lot of people from Longford work in dublin and can't get back on a friday night due to traffic.I do think that all games should be played at the same time though.
Not just the fans, also the players as we're a part time team. Having said that, once the new motorway opens I think Friday nights with an 8pm kick off could be looked at...

[manic da hoop]

Quite simply: ALL games - Friday nights, 8pm kick-off!

[anto eile]

We could do with changing kick-off times too. Us and The Brits are the only ones in Europe, whose games regularly kick-off before 8.00. The right time to start games is 8.30-9.00 on Saturday nights. If every game was played on a Saturday night, everyone would be in the same boat, attendances would be greater, and atmospheres would be a lot better.



At least, the Ireland-Israel game is on Saturday evening, so the atmosphere should be great. Even though it's the last Saturday game at home in these qualifiers, I hope the FAI will start to move away from the terrible Saturday kick offs at 3.00 in the future, and bring us into line with most other countries.

8.30-9.00 works on the continent because they generally stay up later on friday and saturday. they dont go out on saturday nights until about 11.30. it wouldnt work in Irlenad because no one wants to be leaving a ground at quarter to 11 then heading off for their saturday night out.




good luck getting an lansdowne from olé olérs regardless of the ko time



on a personal note, i prefer fridays, im in college so can go ona way trips any time.friday is a great night for football. its pay day,i have the day off,i go out for a few beers, a friday night with a good atmosphere sets the weekend up well, then i go out after the game for a few more beers.
though i preferred the cold winter football.i alwasys found the cold wintery floodlit nights to be great for an atmosphere,rather than the lazy more relaxed summery reasonably sunny evenings.

[mypost]

8.30-9.00 works on the continent because they generally stay up later on friday and saturday. they dont go out on saturday nights until about 11.30. it wouldnt work in Ireland because no one wants to be leaving a ground at quarter to 11 then heading off for their saturday night out.

That's just laziness! Who said you had to head out? Most clubs have bars for home fans to go to, while away fans can go to the nearest pub after the game, if they really can't afford to go one night a week without a drink.


on a personal note, i prefer fridays,a friday night with a good atmosphere sets the weekend up well,.

Yes, Rovers fans had a good start to this weekend, didn't they?? :rolleyes: Go watch the derby on a Friday night lads, and stand on an uncovered terrace in the rain, while we get beat by Bohs!! :mad: If that's a good start to the weekend, what's a bad one? :confused:

[holidaysong]

I hate Dundalks Thursday night games, wish we had Friday instead..