Attendances 2023

[D24Saint]

Were you ever in Pike Rovers' ground? Limerick played there one year too. Remember being in the bar area pre-match and a couple of the UCD players came through to use the jacks. None in the changing rooms. Nothing bar a wall and a mound of grass outside

Never in it but remember they had to play at strange times if memory serves. There probably was no floodlights.

[nr637]

Cork v Shamrocks 1500


First Division Play -Off

Cobh v Wexford - 7/800

[ger121]

Cork v Shamrocks 1500


First Division Play -Off

Cobh v Wexford - 7/800

Cork must have the biggest yo-yo attendances in the league. Yeah, I know crowds are bigger when things are going well but you would think the core support would be higher than sub 2000. That’s 2 weeks in a row.

[Guitd]

1011 attendance at u19 cup final in Galway

[MartyRambler]

Cork v Shamrocks 1500


First Division Play -Off

Cobh v Wexford - 7/800

Cobh figure seems low....there is 900 seats on one side and another few hundred in the top stand, was there really that few people standing?

[El-Pietro]

Cork must have the biggest yo-yo attendances in the league. Yeah, I know crowds are bigger when things are going well but you would think the core support would be higher than sub 2000. That’s 2 weeks in a row.

Its two games in 4 days, not quite two weeks in a row. Two meaningless games in horrific weather, in the middle of the Jazz festival, which is either something you would be going to instead of a Cork City match, or avoiding the city like the plague because of. Not ideal, but understandable.
Parts of the Shed were shut for the Derry game too which would have an effect. I missed the Rovers game due to the early kick off. I was working, I'm sure that I wasn't the only one.

[sbgawa]

1011 attendance at u19 cup final in Galway


Rovers did well to beat Galway in the final considering 4 of the best under 19s were playing in Cork instead of the hungover first team.

[nigel-harps1954]

Cork v Shamrocks 1500


First Division Play -Off

Cobh v Wexford - 7/800

I'd be fairly sure these are both miles out.

Watched a bit of both games and I thought there was a good attendance at both. Perhaps double each of the figures you give.

[MartyRambler]

Cobh game defo double that, I heard 1900 but not sure....

[nr637]

I'd be fairly sure these are both miles out.

Watched a bit of both games and I thought there was a good attendance at both. Perhaps double each of the figures you give.

A reliable Cork source stated that Shamrocks took the option of 7/800 away tickets but after the St. Pats results less than a third travelled down.

The weather in Cobh on the day was poor and the attendance used the 900 seated main south stand and the 450 covered seated east stand behind the goal at the town end. You could put the Cobh attendance closer to 1,000! :confused:

[nigel-harps1954]

Cobh v Wexford - 1,970

Dundalk v Bohs - 2,780
Cork City v Shamrock Rovers - 2,184

[nigel-harps1954]

Ahead of the final weekend of league action:

Missing official:

Shelbourne v Dundalk - 6th Oct
Shelbourne v UCD - 27th Oct

Bray v Wexford - 14th July


PREMIER DIVISION

Bohs - 4,253 (3,209 {2022};2,878{19}; 2,148; 2,006; 1,627; 1,724; 1,395; 1,597; 1,496; 1,488)
Cork - 3,629 (3,517 FD; 2,505; 4,245; 4,559; 2,533; 3,263; 3,777; 1,965; 2,786; 2,128 FD)
Derry - 3,326 (3,184; 2,049; 2,297; 1,517; 1,563; 1,124; 1,106; 1,446; 1,460; 2,135)
Drogheda - 1,900 (1,941; 721 FD; ; 377 FD; 850; 583 FD; 813; 1,064; 817; 977; 811)
Dundalk - 2,636 (2,689; 2,775; 2,738; 2,674; 2,738; 3,158; 2,534; 1,997; 949; 1,355)
Pat's - 4,232 (3,489; 1,919; 1,621; 1,504; 1,088; 1,321; 1,386; 1,687; 1,474; 1,346)
Rovers - 5,996 (5,379; 3,384; 2,749; 2,809; 2,041; 2,890; 2,269; 2,763; 3,127; 3,779)
Shels - 3,335 (2,913; 1,071 FD; 654 FD; 496 FD; 554 FD; 596 FD; 713 FD; 1,114; 1,187; 781 FD)
Sligo - 2,555 (2,166; 1,995; 1,853; 1,717; 1,750; 1,750; 1,959; 2,342; 3,007; 2,103)
UCD - 822 (953; 739; 365 FD; 236 FD; 297 FD; 216 FD; 397; 487; 506; 558; 610)

FIRST DIVISION

Athlone - 872 (307; 382; 130; 154; 156; 314; 653 PD; 754; 271; 200)
Bray - 663 (482; 773; 643 PD; 966 PD; 957 PD; 769 PD; 718 PD; 891 PD; 965 PD; 1,121 PD)
Cobh - 1,020 (872; 268; 236; 358; 403; 366; 223; 439; 2008 - 1,122 PD; 681)
Galway - 2,018 (2,081; 780; 746; 1,376 PD; 1,169 PD; 1,290 PD; 975)
Harps - 1,154 (1,293 PD; 1,154 PD; 708; 1,202 PD; 1,216 PD; 784; 449; 479; 429; 433; 644)
Kerry - 784 (No previous)
Longford - 679 (500; 610; 449; 342; 488 PD; 803 PD; 567; 379; 365; 315)
Treaty - 642 (695)
Waterford - 1,833 (1,705; 1,496 PD; 2,329 PD; 1,550; 314; 460; 470; 478; 453; 466)
Wexford - 689 (445; 235; 181; 338; 585 PD; 553; 331; 227; 302; 216)

PREMIER AVERAGE: 3,269 (2,687; 2,185; 2,170; 1,902; 1,476; 1,681; 1,502; 1,566; 1,630; 1,547)
FIRST DIVISION AVERAGE: 1,035 (1,193; 586; 413; 477; 476; 486; 495; 391; 372; 578)

OVERALL AVERAGE: 2,136 (2,051; 1,500; 1,249; 1,387; 1,117; 1,249; 1,160; 1,140; 1,125; 1,110)


OVERALL PREMIER ATTENDANCE: 572,001 (486,365; 393,238; 316,515; 376,627; 292,204; 332,805; 297,334)
OVERALL FIRST ATTENDANCE: 186,369 (178,000; 79,115; 55,756; 53,461; 52,807; 54,474; 55,408)

OVERALL COMBINED ATTENDANCE: 758,370 (664,365; 472,353; 372,271; 430,088; 345,011; 387,279; 352,742)

[nigel-harps1954]

Crunching the numbers overall League of Ireland attendances this season, including league matches, Presidents Cup, playoff matches, and all FAI Cup matches from Round of 16 onwards, where LOI clubs entered, the total attendance across Irish senior football this season is as follows:

League of Ireland Premier Division: 572,001
League of Ireland First Division: 186,369

First Division Play-offs: 6,814

FAI Cup Round 16: 15,915
FAI Cup Round 8: 11,942
FAI Cup Quarter: 10,136
FAI Cup Semi: 10,635

FAI Cup Total: 48,628

Presidents Cup: 3,700

Overall Total: 817,512


With an FAI Cup final, two play-off games, and the final round of Premier Division games to come, you'd expect that figure to go close to 875,000 for the years end.

[Burnsie]

great work on the stats, as always

[ontheotherhand]

A reliable Cork source stated that Shamrocks took the option of 7/800 away tickets but after the St. Pats results less than a third travelled down.

The weather in Cobh on the day was poor and the attendance used the 900 seated main south stand and the 450 covered seated east stand behind the goal at the town end. You could put the Cobh attendance closer to 1,000! :confused:


Not sure about that for Rovers v Cork to be honest. Away crowd looked good, home crowd looked really poor. Only the section behind the goal was reasonably well stocked with home fans. Both sides were really sparsely populated.

Check out the youtube highlights at 2:12. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNuM6WdRPzo) Away end is packed. As far as I know 750 travelled. Same video at 2:22 shows the empty seats in the home sections.

[joey B]

Cobh v Wexford - 1,970

Dundalk v Bohs - 2,780
Cork City v Shamrock Rovers - 2,184

Just seen 2,854 for the Cork/Rovers game on Twitter..

[nigel-harps1954]

Just seen 2,854 for the Cork/Rovers game on Twitter..

Nothing official on FAI Connect, seen elsewhere 2,184. Hopefully FAI Connect is updated soon to be sure! 2,854 looks a bit more accurate from the footage I seen though.

[culloty82]

Will be a challenge for Kerry to reach a similar figure next year, given the probable absence of any sell-outs, but if we can start out somewhere around the 600 mark that was being recorded as recently as September (the Galway game being discounted due to the exceptional circumstances), it's then down to results on the pitch to stabilise matters.

[joey B]

8021 at Tallaght
594 at UCD
2180 at Drogheda
4083 at Bohs

[nr637]

8021 at Tallaght
594 at UCD
2180 at Drogheda
4083 at Bohs

Derry will be the official 3700 "sold out" ?

[brendy_éire]

Derry will be the official 3700 "sold out" ?

It was sold out, yep. Some empty seats around though.

[pateen]

8021 at Tallaght

That must be the biggest attendance for Shamrock Rovers in 30 years, no?

[nigel-harps1954]

2,626 in Turners Cross this evening

[Martinho II]

That must be the biggest attendance for Shamrock Rovers in 30 years, no?

Its the biggest attendance for the Tallaght Stadium ever. I imagine the elder Shamrock Rovers fans can answer this question for Pateen?

[nigel-harps1954]

Its the biggest attendance for the Tallaght Stadium ever. I imagine the elder Shamrock Rovers fans can answer this question for Pateen?

They've had a heap of attendances over 7,000 but not over 8,000 before.

I don't think it's a Tallaght record either. Wasn't there 10,000 there for Real Madrid visit with the temporary stands?

[2 Year Contract]

How exactly was there 8,012 in Tallaght when its current capacity is 8,000? Allowing for no shows, seat kills and unsold away tickets it makes even stranger

[placid casual]

There was no segregation or seat kills hence the increased attendance

[sbgawa]

I thought that myself when i heard the total. There were quite a number of people standing in the corners and behind the goals in places. Also these was no segregation with the sligo fans

[nr637]

2,626 in Turners Cross this evening

Great crowd, well done to both clubs! :)

[nigel-harps1954]

Last but not least..


Missing official:

Derry v St Pats - 3rd Nov

Bray v Wexford - 14th July


PREMIER DIVISION

Bohs - 4,243 (3,209 {2022};2,878{19}; 2,148; 2,006; 1,627; 1,724; 1,395; 1,597; 1,496; 1,488)
Cork - 3,666 (3,517 FD; 2,505; 4,245; 4,559; 2,533; 3,263; 3,777; 1,965; 2,786; 2,128 FD)
Derry - 3,336 (3,184; 2,049; 2,297; 1,517; 1,563; 1,124; 1,106; 1,446; 1,460; 2,135)
Drogheda - 1,916 (1,941; 721 FD; ; 377 FD; 850; 583 FD; 813; 1,064; 817; 977; 811)
Dundalk - 2,636 (2,689; 2,775; 2,738; 2,674; 2,738; 3,158; 2,534; 1,997; 949; 1,355)
Pat's - 4,232 (3,489; 1,919; 1,621; 1,504; 1,088; 1,321; 1,386; 1,687; 1,474; 1,346)
Rovers - 6,109 (5,379; 3,384; 2,749; 2,809; 2,041; 2,890; 2,269; 2,763; 3,127; 3,779)
Shels - 3,393 (2,913; 1,071 FD; 654 FD; 496 FD; 554 FD; 596 FD; 713 FD; 1,114; 1,187; 781 FD)
Sligo - 2,555 (2,166; 1,995; 1,853; 1,717; 1,750; 1,750; 1,959; 2,342; 3,007; 2,103)
UCD - 809 (953; 739; 365 FD; 236 FD; 297 FD; 216 FD; 397; 487; 506; 558; 610)

FIRST DIVISION

Athlone - 872 (307; 382; 130; 154; 156; 314; 653 PD; 754; 271; 200)
Bray - 663 (482; 773; 643 PD; 966 PD; 957 PD; 769 PD; 718 PD; 891 PD; 965 PD; 1,121 PD)
Cobh - 1,020 (872; 268; 236; 358; 403; 366; 223; 439; 2008 - 1,122 PD; 681)
Galway - 2,018 (2,081; 780; 746; 1,376 PD; 1,169 PD; 1,290 PD; 975)
Harps - 1,154 (1,293 PD; 1,154 PD; 708; 1,202 PD; 1,216 PD; 784; 449; 479; 429; 433; 644)
Kerry - 784 (No previous)
Longford - 679 (500; 610; 449; 342; 488 PD; 803 PD; 567; 379; 365; 315)
Treaty - 642 (695)
Waterford - 1,833 (1,705; 1,496 PD; 2,329 PD; 1,550; 314; 460; 470; 478; 453; 466)
Wexford - 689 (445; 235; 181; 338; 585 PD; 553; 331; 227; 302; 216)

PREMIER AVERAGE: 3,289 (2,687; 2,185; 2,170; 1,902; 1,476; 1,681; 1,502; 1,566; 1,630; 1,547)
FIRST DIVISION AVERAGE: 1,035 (1,193; 586; 413; 477; 476; 486; 495; 391; 372; 578)

OVERALL AVERAGE: 2,162 (2,051; 1,500; 1,249; 1,387; 1,117; 1,249; 1,160; 1,140; 1,125; 1,110)


OVERALL PREMIER ATTENDANCE: 592,093 (486,365; 393,238; 316,515; 376,627; 292,204; 332,805; 297,334)
OVERALL FIRST ATTENDANCE: 186,369 (178,000; 79,115; 55,756; 53,461; 52,807; 54,474; 55,408)

OVERALL COMBINED ATTENDANCE: 778,462 (664,365; 472,353; 372,271; 430,088; 345,011; 387,279; 352,742)

[pineapple stu]

I know the FAI app has made this a fair bit easier, but still great work all the same!

[nigel-harps1954]

FAI Connect has been a god-send. I don't think I've had to chase any clubs for attendance figures all season, and I'm not entirely sure I'm too arsed chasing up only four missed figures for an entire. Many other years I'd have been delighted to only have been left with four estimates.

[nigel-harps1954]

And the two Shels games have been added with their official attendances. Just the Derry game from the weekend and one Bray match from July and we have a full set of official attendance figures for probably the first time since they've been tracked on here.

With the updates to official figures, and the upcoming FAI Cup final and Play-off final, we're well on course to have over 900,000 attendees at senior football in Ireland this season.

[sbgawa]

Saw a stat from one of the rovers directors on twitter that the 12 Friday night matches in tallaght attendances were 6800 average. By my probably wrong maths that's 5000 for the other 6 matches not on Friday.

[wonder88]

Cork extra 150 in premier division. Importance of wining and having games against teams within reasonable travel distance (derby games). Harps down by around the same figure as the Cork increase after relegation is also interesting.

[nigel-harps1954]

Cork extra 150 in premier division. Importance of wining and having games against teams within reasonable travel distance (derby games). Harps down by around the same figure as the Cork increase after relegation is also interesting.

On balance really, Harps home crowds were up, or at the very least on a par, this season. Missed two big derby gates against Derry that made the difference.

[EatYerGreens]

8021 at Tallaght


Is that the new stand part-opened, or does the capacity get over 8,000 when the needed 'sanitation area' to separate supporters doesn't have to be that big?

[EatYerGreens]

That must be the biggest attendance for Shamrock Rovers in 30 years, no?

The RDS era saw a few big crowds, so you're probably right.

[ger121]

Chuck in Europe and WNL and crowds must be close to a million.

[LTFC]

Being lurking here a long time and decided time I popped in with my twuppence worth. The stats you have Nigel are fantastic, seriously well done.

Few observations on the detail, cause the trends are positive.
Shamrock Rover- while 20k attended an RDS game, first one I think, this season Rovers have had over 100k attend league games. Maybe in that RDS season that was surpassed but dont think so. Rovers with additional seats should exceed that next year with Dublin derbies getting close to 10k.
Bohs/Pats - neck and neck . Some serious work done by the clubs , Pats growth since 2016, growing their average by a multiple of 4 , Bohs, since 2016, steadily increasing year on year. For both of them capacity now the issue, especially for big games.
Shels, in my view this was unexpected. Yes the large jump on promotion, as happens almost all teams, but to add to that by over 20% is some going - basically retaining all those that came in first season back up and adding to it. Got to be optimistic that they can maintain that.
Cork - historically the only club that could previously average 4k plus - even before Nigels stats, so once they stay up they can grow that again, still most likely to challenge S Rovers on attendances.


In general terms, averaging over 3k in premier division for the first time is brilliant. Now as a fan of a smaller club we feel even further away than before, but there is a trickle down happening, with 7 first division clubs who were there last season seeing increases, only Galway, seeing a decrease. Finn Harps, with neither Sligo or Derry visiting is basically an increase from last year, despite relegation and a poor season.

[pineapple stu]

Welcome along LTFC!

[LTFC]

With the excitement of the sold out cup final and the buzz this season, if you were setting fixtures for round 1 and 2 of the Premier Divsion next season, what fixtures would you go with to maximise crowds the first 2 weeks? (I know Rovers V Pats/Bohs could be an 8k+, but i'd leave that for a few weeks in. )

Sligo v Derry, Pats v Drogheda, Waterford V Bohs, Dundalk v Rovers, Shels V Galway
Galway V Sligo, Derry V Shels, Drogheda V Dundalk, Bohs V Pats , Rovers V Waterford

[sbgawa]

It would be a real downer to have a half empty stadium for the first game of next season with the North stand not even open so i think Rovers v Pats makes the obvious curtain raiser for us and not as a Presidents cup imo ....real points marker down stuff

[EatYerGreens]

Looking forward to 2024 - The new stands at Rovers and Derry will add an interesting aspect to attendances next season. Will Rovers sell any games out once they've got a 10,000 capacity? If both they and Bohs are doing well, and if they're generous with away tickets, you would hope a derby game would come close anyway. Likewise with Derry - will they be able to sell out once their new stand is opened? As it won't be up and running until half-way through the season, hopefully the fixture list will give them a few big home games for the latter half of the season to see what they can attract.

Cork getting relegated is obviously a loss to PD attendances, but a boost to the FD which was in danger of suffering a big fall with Galway swapped out for UCD. Hopefully both Waterford and Galway can draw decent crowds next year.

It seems that we're likely to see demand continue to exceed supply at Bohs, Pats and Derry until the new stand opens. Yesterday's final adds real impetus to the discussions clubs are having with councils, the FAI, government etc about bigger and better stadia.

[nigel-harps1954]

Just to finish off the season. Almost 900,000 people through the gates at League of Ireland matches this season in all competitions.

Total, between league, FAI Cup, Presidents Cup, and play-offs, was 888,144.

The big challenge over the coming seasons is to try and break a million.

[ger121]

Just to finish off the season. Almost 900,000 people through the gates at League of Ireland matches this season in all competitions.

Total, between league, FAI Cup, Presidents Cup, and play-offs, was 888,144.

The big challenge over the coming seasons is to try and break a million.

Let’s just call it a million. The Greyhound boys would!

[Nesta99]

Similar to the other thread, if the FAI cannot make the argument for government invesment in an industry that has almost a million paying attendees in a league season, rather than a financial year, + addititional consumables, evidence on year on year growth, as hosts of a major football tournament a little over 4 years away then we will truly never see potential fully fulfilled. Doesnt have to be all done in 4 years, just a committment of x amount over y time. 1.3m is what the horse people say attend racing annually and €76 million is allocated to them for 2024, €95mil including the dogs for 233k attendees (2022) an industry with really grubby welfare issues. Obviously not including historical investment including captial projects which must be huge. It just makes sense to invest and contribute to building another industry.....not as if the economy has been tanking all things considered either.

[EalingGreen]

Similar to the other thread, if the FAI cannot make the argument for government invesment in an industry that has almost a million paying attendees in a league season, rather than a financial year, + addititional consumables, evidence on year on year growth, as hosts of a major football tournament a little over 4 years away then we will truly never see potential fully fulfilled. Doesnt have to be all done in 4 years, just a committment of x amount over y time. 1.3m is what the horse people say attend racing annually and €76 million is allocated to them for 2024, €95mil including the dogs for 233k attendees (2022) an industry with really grubby welfare issues. Obviously not including historical investment including captial projects which must be huge. It just makes sense to invest and contribute to building another industry.....not as if the economy has been tanking all things considered either.As a fellow football fan, I'd say you make a very compelling case.

But were I a politician, I might think differently:
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/business-of-sport/arid-41130757.html

It could take another while yet to shake off Delaney's legacy.

[Shinkicker]

With the excitement of the sold out cup final and the buzz this season, if you were setting fixtures for round 1 and 2 of the Premier Divsion next season, what fixtures would you go with to maximise crowds the first 2 weeks? (I know Rovers V Pats/Bohs could be an 8k+, but i'd leave that for a few weeks in. )

Sligo v Derry, Pats v Drogheda, Waterford V Bohs, Dundalk v Rovers, Shels V Galway
Galway V Sligo, Derry V Shels, Drogheda V Dundalk, Bohs V Pats , Rovers V Waterford
2 Dublin derbys bohs, rovers, Pats, Shels in no particular order
1 Louth derby Drogs dundalk
1 connaught derby Sligo galway
Then Derry V waterford
Or Derry v Sligo and Galway v Waterford to let the 2 newcomers see if the can get capacity crowds

[EatYerGreens]

The big challenge over the coming seasons is to try and break a million.

Hard to see how we'll do that without signnificant capacity increases?