Attendances 2024

[LTFC]

About 500 in Bishopsgate tonight for last home game as the Town finally finished in 9th after sitting bottom all year.

[outspoken]

About 500 in Bishopsgate tonight for last home game as the Town finally finished in 9th after sitting bottom all year.

Aye a tad disappointing as 400 tickets were given out to all schoolboy/girl teams in country, the sort of stuff club are criticised for not doing, just shows how tough it is

[nigel-harps1954]

That's a good crowd for Bray?

I actually thought it was higher when I was there. As big a crowd as I've seen in Bray for years. The green tent stand was full, and the away side had a large spillover of Bray fans as well as 100 or so Harps fans.

[nr637]

5,750 attendance in Turners Cross to see the U21's on Friday last.

Great support again from the Cork fans!

[joey B]

773 at Harps/Wexford

[nigel-harps1954]

3,248 at Derry v Sligo
3,761 at Pat's v Bohs

[nr637]

3,248 at Derry v Sligo
3,761 at Pat's v Bohs

Was that 3,761 Bohs lowest league attendance this season at Dalymount Park? :confused:

[2 Year Contract]

Was that 3,761 Bohs lowest league attendance this season at Dalymount Park? :confused:
Yeah it is. The previous lowest was 3,843 against Derry in June

[Ancient Rush]

773 at Harps/Wexford

Unless Harps get an enormous crowd on Friday night, looks like Treaty will finish with second highest average attendance in First Division despite having worst league performance since they started.
The absence of derbies with Cork will definitely affect that average next year.

[joey B]

Unless Harps get an enormous crowd on Friday night, looks like Treaty will finish with second highest average attendance in First Division despite having worst league performance since they started.
The absence of derbies with Cork will definitely affect that average next year.

Don’t worry no danger of us getting any kind of crowd on Friday night!

[JC_GUFC]

Unless Harps get an enormous crowd on Friday night, looks like Treaty will finish with second highest average attendance in First Division despite having worst league performance since they started.
The absence of derbies with Cork will definitely affect that average next year.

At least the derby against Kerry remains.

[nigel-harps1954]

Unless Harps get an enormous crowd on Friday night, looks like Treaty will finish with second highest average attendance in First Division despite having worst league performance since they started.
The absence of derbies with Cork will definitely affect that average next year.

Treaty average largely bumped up by their opening few games. They've dropped like a stone in the second half of the season. Harps the next highest average, but the lowest attendance at Finn Park this season is higher than seven Markets Field attendances.

[Shearer]

Treaty average largely bumped up by their opening few games. They've dropped like a stone in the second half of the season. Harps the next highest average, but the lowest attendance at Finn Park this season is higher than seven Markets Field attendances.
To be honest you could pick apart every club's attendances like that, the fact of the matter is that we welcomed almost 21,500 spectators through the gates for 20 Men's games and saw a good increase for our Women's team also.

[nr637]

Yeah it is. The previous lowest was 3,843 against Derry in June

Still a great attendance figure, especially when the Dalymount capacity is restricted and Bohs have struggled all season! :)

[thebronze14]

Don’t worry no danger of us getting any kind of crowd on Friday night!

Yeah it's not exactly an appealing fixture. Lucky to break 500 I would say although there's been the odd surprise this season

[yurt]

To be honest you could pick apart every club's attendances like that, the fact of the matter is that we welcomed almost 21,500 spectators through the gates for 20 Men's games and saw a good increase for our Women's team also.

I guess the better statistic to use to see where a club's support is using the median attendance. Every club will have a couple of outliers both big and small skewing the overall average one way or the other.

You'd have to hope that having 5 clubs in the title race with 3 games to go will give a decent boost to the overall LOI total across the board.

FD playoffs will be interesting too. All 4 clubs should fancy their chances.

I haven't seen the overall LOI number in a while but I think we will need some bumper figures to get close to last years total.

[nigel-harps1954]

Missing:

Longford v Athlone - 5th Oct
Longford v Cobh - 12th Oct

PREMIER DIVISION

Bohs - 4,243 (4,243 {2023}; 3,209 {2022};2,878{19}; 2,148; 2,006; 1,627; 1,724; 1,395; 1,597; 1,496; 1,488)
Derry - 2,860 (3,336; 3,184; 2,049; 2,297; 1,517; 1,563; 1,124; 1,106; 1,446; 1,460; 2,135)
Drogheda - 2,002 (1,916; 1,941; 721 FD; ; 377 FD; 850; 583 FD; 813; 1,064; 817; 977; 811)
Dundalk - 2,436 (2,636; 2,689; 2,775; 2,738; 2,674; 2,738; 3,158; 2,534; 1,997; 949; 1,355)
Galway - 2,937 (2,018 FD; 2,081 FD; 780 FD; 746 FD; 1,376; 1,169; 1,290; 975 FD)
Pat's - 4,337 (4,232; 3,489; 1,919; 1,621; 1,504; 1,088; 1,321; 1,386; 1,687; 1,474; 1,346)
Rovers - 5,868 (6,109; 5,379; 3,384; 2,749; 2,809; 2,041; 2,890; 2,269; 2,763; 3,127; 3,779)
Shels - 4,200 (3,393; 2,913; 1,071 FD; 654 FD; 496 FD; 554 FD; 596 FD; 713 FD; 1,114; 1,187; 781 FD)
Sligo - 2,774 (2,555; 2,166; 1,995; 1,853; 1,717; 1,750; 1,750; 1,959; 2,342; 3,007; 2,103)
Waterford - 2,749 (1,833 FD; 1,705 FD; 1,496; 2,329; 1,550 FD; 314 FD; 460 FD; 470 FD; 478 FD; 453 FD; 466 FD)

FIRST DIVISION

Athlone - 642 (872; 307; 382; 130; 154; 156; 314; 653 PD; 754; 271; 200)
Bray - 644 (663; 482; 773; 643 PD; 966 PD; 957 PD; 769 PD; 718 PD; 891 PD; 965 PD; 1,121 PD)
Cobh - 749 (1,020; 872; 268; 236; 358; 403; 366; 223; 439; 2008 - 1,122 PD; 681)
Cork - 2,800 (3,666 PD; 3,517; 2,505 PD; 4,245 PD; 4,559 PD; 2,533 PD; 3,263 PD; 3,777 PD; 1,965 PD; 2,786 PD; 2,128)
Harps - 1,030 (1,154; 1,293 PD; 1,154 PD; 708; 1,202 PD; 1,216 PD; 784; 449; 479; 429; 433; 644)
Kerry - 623 (784)
Longford - 413 (679; 500; 610; 449; 342; 488 PD; 803 PD; 567; 379; 365; 315)
Treaty - 1,060 (642; 695)
UCD - 338 (809 PD; 953 PD; 739 PD; 365; 236; 297; 216; 397 PD; 487 PD; 506 PD; 558 PD; 610 PD)
Wexford - 556 (689; 445; 235; 181; 338; 585 PD; 553; 331; 227; 302; 216)

PREMIER AVERAGE: 3,449 (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: 879(1,035; 1,193; 586; 413; 477; 476; 486; 495; 391; 372; 578)

OVERALL AVERAGE: 2,126 (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: 569,142 (592,093; 486,365; 393,238; 316,515; 376,627; 292,204; 332,805; 297,334)
OVERALL FIRST ATTENDANCE: 153,842 (186,369; 178,000; 79,115; 55,756; 53,461; 52,807; 54,474; 55,408)

OVERALL COMBINED ATTENDANCE: 722,984 (778,462; 664,365; 472,353; 372,271; 430,088; 345,011; 387,279; 352,742)

[yurt]

Going to predict the final figures will just about get to 750k for the season.

Cup, euro and playoff games will add another 100k or so. Really thought this season would end up getting closer to the one million mark across Irish soccer.

It's obvious that football here is hit its ceiling until there's some government investment to help us to the next level (level 1). At least now the argument isn't build it and they will come, it's they are coming and what we are providing the public is ****ing embarrassing

[nigel-harps1954]

Going to predict the final figures will just about get to 750k for the season.

Cup, euro and playoff games will add another 100k or so. Really thought this season would end up getting closer to the one million mark across Irish soccer.

It's obvious that football here is hit its ceiling until there's some government investment to help us to the next level (level 1). At least now the argument isn't build it and they will come, it's they are coming and what we are providing the public is ****ing embarrassing

15 Premier Division games left, average around 3,500 will add another 52,500 to the total there.

Final round of First Division games largely dependent on how many turn up for Cork lifting the trophy in Turners Cross. But say 5,000 are in attendances across the final 5 games there.

In those two scenarios the total attendance is ever so slightly up from last season, Premier Division taking a nice jump above 600k total and the First Division taking a worrying dip.

Cup so far has seen just under 46,000 through the gates, so another 30k onto that expected, and with 8k at the Presidents Cup, we'll probably see the total for the season being somewhere around about 900k.

[Straightstory]

Going to predict the final figures will just about get to 750k for the season.

Cup, euro and playoff games will add another 100k or so. Really thought this season would end up getting closer to the one million mark across Irish soccer.

It's obvious that football here is hit its ceiling until there's some government investment to help us to the next level (level 1). At least now the argument isn't build it and they will come, it's they are coming and what we are providing the public is ****ing embarrassing

Which 'we' are you referring to here? Government investment?

[nr637]

When Owen Heary lifted the league trophy eighteen years ago, Tolka Park averaged 1,690 spectators. This year, the average crowds had risen to 4,209. 2024 is the centenary of Tolka Park as a football stadium.
https://www.rte.ie/gaeilge/2024/1017/1475963-briogaid-duffer-shels-ar-an-imeall/

[Nesta99]

Every dog has its day even LoI! Id love to see som really indepth research on what drove this surge in crowds. People will throw out things like covid lockdowns and missing what was taken for granted, people growing weary of the TV product in favour of live games etc. But do we really know? Is it a trend that will pass or are crowds here to stay, possibly somwhere in between where some drift off and other the bug will have bitten. Regardless it was top of the wishlist 20+ years ago that the wider public would cop on to what many of us have been saying for years....I still miss being able to walk up to any ground, any game, any time and go anywhere...but thats the Scrooge of Christmas past in me!

[EalingGreen]

Every dog has its day even LoI! Id love to see som really indepth research on what drove this surge in crowds. People will throw out things like covid lockdowns and missing what was taken for granted, people growing weary of the TV product in favour of live games etc. But do we really know? Is it a trend that will pass or are crowds here to stay, possibly somwhere in between where some drift off and other the bug will have bitten. Regardless it was top of the wishlist 20+ years ago that the wider public would cop on to what many of us have been saying for years.Don't know the exact figures, but I'm pretty sure that over the last few seasons, Irish League attendances have shown the same growth, percentage-wise, as the LOI. With the same plateau this season, funnily enough.


I still miss being able to walk up to any ground, any game, any time and go anywhere...but thats the Scrooge of Christmas past in me!Aye, but isn't that the point, you can't go to games over Christmas any more! ;)

[Buller]

Aye, but isn't that the point, you can't go to games over Christmas any more! ;)

Does Chelsea on the 19th count?! :D :D

[Nesta99]

Touché!

[Nesta99]

Don't know the exact figures, but I'm pretty sure that over the last few seasons, Irish League attendances have shown the same growth, percentage-wise, as the LOI. With the same plateau this season, funnily enough.

Aye, but isn't that the point, you can't go to games over Christmas any more! ;)

Doent feel like it with decorations and awful christmas songs on the 1st of November and it feels like an early Christmas if yer club is picking up the league or cup;). During the summer I could look back at games on a crisp winter night under the lights fondly, but then it rains and you remember that it was mostly cold and damp.


The correlation between the 2 leagues makes it eve more intriguing. It kinda rules out out individual clubs efforts like Bohs or the build it and they will come like Rovers (being champions helps but that kind of surge can be isolated when there is some drop off in subsequent title winning seasons, stupidly for some the novelty wears off), or association led promo. Were people really that traumatised in to going to LoI/IL post covid?!

[EalingGreen]

The correlation between the 2 leagues makes it eve more intriguing. It kinda rules out out individual clubs efforts like Bohs or the build it and they will come like Rovers (being champions helps but that kind of surge can be isolated when there is some drop off in subsequent title winning seasons, stupidly for some the novelty wears off), or association led promo. Were people really that traumatised in to going to LoI/IL post covid?!Just found the figures for the IL Premership average attendances (12 clubs). After a period of little or no growth, the figures looked to have stagnated at around the 1k mark six seasons ago, before a period of growth, now stalled?

2018/19 - 1,089
2019/20 - 1,192 (+9.5%)
2020/21 - COVID
2021/22 - 1,441 (+20.9%)
2022/23 - 1,588 (+10.2%)
2023/24 - 1,591 (Unchanged. Obviously)
(2024/25 to date: 1,592 - yep, still Unchanged)

With ROI having 5m people versus NI on 2m (40%), on a purely population basis you might expect equivalent LOI PD crowds to average 4k. And that's before you subtract the bottom two teams* from the IL's 12 teams. Plus Derry City, obv.

As against that, the NIFL doesn't release figures for the Championship (2nd tier, also 12 teams), but I'd imagine they're a lot lower than their LOI equivalent, thereby reflecting our own lack of depth?

* - Excluding the Premiership's bottom two teams, Carrick and Loughgall, who also have the division's lowest crowds, the average of the 10 becomes 1,776.

[2 Year Contract]

2023/24 - 1,591 (Unchanged. Obviously)
(2024/25 to date: 1,592 - yep, still Unchanged)

The stats weirdo in me is very thankful for that one person this year keeping the figures in the green :)

[LTFC]

15 Premier Division games left, average around 3,500 will add another 52,500 to the total there.

Final round of First Division games largely dependent on how many turn up for Cork lifting the trophy in Turners Cross. But say 5,000 are in attendances across the final 5 games there.

In those two scenarios the total attendance is ever so slightly up from last season, Premier Division taking a nice jump above 600k total and the First Division taking a worrying dip.

Cup so far has seen just under 46,000 through the gates, so another 30k onto that expected, and with 8k at the Presidents Cup, we'll probably see the total for the season being somewhere around about 900k.

I would estimate 500 for the Longford Town V Cobh game, was some promotion around that bringing more than we've had most of the season.

[nr637]

Dundalk advertising on social media as a 'sold-out' for the Shamrock visit!

What does this actually mean, Rovers have taken up their 5/600 away allocation and the 1,000+ seating in the Main stand is full!

A unofficial 3,000+ attendance! :confused:

[LTFC]

Going to predict the final figures will just about get to 750k for the season.

Cup, euro and playoff games will add another 100k or so. Really thought this season would end up getting closer to the one million mark across Irish soccer.

It's obvious that football here is hit its ceiling until there's some government investment to help us to the next level (level 1). At least now the argument isn't build it and they will come, it's they are coming and what we are providing the public is ****ing embarrassing

This season I was hoping we could al least maintain the progress and I think we have. We'll see Prem get to 600k, and see 4 clubs average over 4k at games. Last year that was 3, and in no other season did we ever have more than 1 club average 4k in a season. If those 4 remain at that level, we can expect that Cork could also be over that 4k level, meaning half our teams above 4k. The others then, Sligo have been making great strides , so maintaining that sort of figure remains the challenge, Waterford and Galway, we'll see if second season syndrome has an impact, and Drogheha should be able to maintain that close to 2k average.
I havenet looked, but the away support from some of the Dublin clubs must be great for attendances for the rural clubs. Could Waterford for example expect that each of the 4 would want 500 tickets when going to RSC?

[nr637]

This season I was hoping we could al least maintain the progress and I think we have. We'll see Prem get to 600k, and see 4 clubs average over 4k at games. Last year that was 3, and in no other season did we ever have more than 1 club average 4k in a season. If those 4 remain at that level, we can expect that Cork could also be over that 4k level, meaning half our teams above 4k. The others then, Sligo have been making great strides , so maintaining that sort of figure remains the challenge, Waterford and Galway, we'll see if second season syndrome has an impact, and Drogheha should be able to maintain that close to 2k average.
I havenet looked, but the away support from some of the Dublin clubs must be great for attendances for the rural clubs. Could Waterford for example expect that each of the 4 would want 500 tickets when going to RSC?

Reading thru your post gives the view that the Premier league has two forms. The actual 10 team league season and the Dublin based clubs and their impact on the league race and their influence on other clubs!
It's like there is a mini Dublin league competing within the Premier league at the same time!

[dundalkfc10]

Dundalk advertising on social media as a 'sold-out' for the Shamrock visit!

What does this actually mean, Rovers have taken up their 5/600 away allocation and the 1,000+ seating in the Main stand is full!

A unofficial 3,000+ attendance! :confused:

Id imagine Rovers have sold out their allocation of 5/600 in the lovely away section and 150 in the stand

If we get relegated tonight or next Friday if Drogheda get a result before we play Rovers, I wouldn't expect more than 1000 Home fans at that game especially with it being on a Sunday evening

[LTFC]

Reading thru your post gives the view that the Premier league has two forms. The actual 10 team league season and the Dublin based clubs and their impact on the league race and their influence on other clubs!
It's like there is a mini Dublin league competing within the Premier league at the same time!

There is, but you'd have to expect any obvious growth to come from the capital. We are still talking about 10k a week from 1.2m going to games. Which is tiny. Carlisle for example can get 10% of 75k population, at a game. Sligo are the only ones who could come close per capita, getting more than 10% of the town, or using the county, 4% of the population at a match. Havent looked at first division, but per head of pop Longford Town get about 4% of town population and just under 1% of county. Its still below 1% of population in Dublin , so even at that basic metric can grow further. ANd to be fair esp to Bohs and Pats, capacity restraint is an issue.

[Jack B]

Looking like the biggest *home* crowd in Richmond in as long as I can remember tonight. The club have opened the shed end for home fans, and there's currently less than 50 tickets remaining. Not sure how many exactly that'll work out as given there'll have to be some kind of segregation from the away fans that will limit numbers, but it won't be miles off 5k at that rate.

[EalingGreen]

There is, but you'd have to expect any obvious growth to come from the capital. We are still talking about 10k a week from 1.2m going to games. Which is tiny.To this outside observer, that makes eminent sense, since you always build best upon the deepest foundations and in ROI football terms, that must mean Dublin (no disrespect to other fine footballing centres like Louth or Sligo etc).

And the key to this must be stadia and facilities. For while old timers might see a certain nostalgic charm in the traditional homes where they've been going for years, newer/younger people only see a delapidated dump, which aside from the lack of physical amenities and comfort etc, also gives a terrible impression generally. Which I assume is one reason why eg Shams draw such good crowds to their new stadium, even though it's outwith their traditional home catchment. (I get that winning helps too.)

And it's the exact same in NI where Belfast, a rather smaller city than Dublin, sustains two f-t clubs, plus two "hybrid" clubs in the top tier, another three p-t clubs in the second tier and two in the third. But this concentration around the main city population centre hasn't stopped the overall development of the league out in the Provinces; if anything it has helped, if only by the Belfast clubs proving a big attraction when they come to town, as well as a decent travelling support of their own.

On which point I can't resist pointing to Loughgall, a village with a population of just under 300, which has still managed to attract an average of 635 to Lakeview this season! (I say "this season", since it looks as though they'll go down again after this, their second season in the top tier). And more to the point for those in ROI who say: "County X doesn't have any LOI representation, so why don't we start a new club there etc?", Loughgall is just up the road from two established clubs in Portadown (ave.att. 1,458) and Glenavon (ave.att. 997).

[Buckett]

Looking like the biggest *home* crowd in Richmond in as long as I can remember tonight. The club have opened the shed end for home fans, and there's currently less than 50 tickets remaining. Not sure how many exactly that'll work out as given there'll have to be some kind of segregation from the away fans that will limit numbers, but it won't be miles off 5k at that rate.

We're in the stand only, so the full Shed End is for Pat's. Not sure how many we're bringing, probably around 100

[2 Year Contract]

We're in the stand only, so the full Shed End is for Pat's. Not sure how many we're bringing, probably around 100

All home tickets sold out now. I believe there’s a limit on how many Pats fans they’re allowed in the Shed end due to the exit route for fans in there being via the Camac, as opposed to when the Shed is used by away fans who exit via the archway.

I know Galway generally have low travelling numbers but a crowd of around 100 would be horrendous for what is their clubs biggest game in decades. In the run up to this game I assumed they’d have brought enough for the shed to have to be opened for them

[Buckett]

I take your point but 100 is actually a decent crowd for us! Most Galwegians would be aware of the various sports teams around the county and watch out for results, a small percentage would go to games regularly but a tiny amount travel away to see Utd.

[2 Year Contract]

I take your point but 100 is actually a decent crowd for us! Most Galwegians would be aware of the various sports teams around the county and watch out for results, a small percentage would go to games regularly but a tiny amount travel away to see Utd.

I get that but Galway brought around 150-200 in May. I’d have thought an outside shot at a title and a very realistic shot at a European place they’d have brought 350-500 even

[Martinho II]

Think there was 300 max at Longford Town Athlone Town game Nigel estimate!

[Buckett]

I was surprised that we only have one bus going. I guessed 100, but that could be way off. Like every other club, we have a lot of supporters living in the Dublin area, who knows how many of them will show up

[LTFC]

Think there was 300 max at Longford Town Athlone Town game Nigel estimate!

More than that Martinho, closer to the 500. The previous game was just about 300, but definitely more that that last week. Btw first time in ages we have a bus going to an away game tonight.

[LTFC]

I get that but Galway brought around 150-200 in May. I’d have thought an outside shot at a title and a very realistic shot at a European place they’d have brought 350-500 even

Yep, they should be taking their full allocation tonight, having a fantastic season and still with an outside chance of a league title, as well as a disapora to boot, which maybe they would not have in say Waterford, anything less than 500 would be poor imo.

[LTFC]

Drogs 2357, is that best crowd of season for them?
Dundalk 2350
Shel 4755


Harps 913,
Cobh 428

[2 Year Contract]

https://x.com/stpatsfc/status/1847390295077343637?s=46

4,851 at Richmond tonight, with 4,569 of those being home fans. 282 up from Galway. Interesting to see the split between home and away attendance, hope the club (and all others) can provide that breakdown going forward

[kevincronin2000]

4268 in Turners Cross tonight V Wexford

[gufct]

Closer to 500 Galway fans there tonight . They had to put the overflow in the shed end as the section on the stand was rammed. Our away support has improved immensely especially the games in Dublin.

[2 Year Contract]

Closer to 500 Galway fans there tonight . They had to put the overflow in the shed end as the section on the stand was rammed. Our away support has improved immensely especially the games in Dublin.

The link I sent is the club's official figures. That section of the stand doesn’t hold anything close to 500, it’s less than 250. The official figure of 282 looks pretty spot on accounting for the 40 or 50 Galway fans in the little section of the shed end kept for them

[red bellied]

Thank God for official figures and the Galway fella nearly doubling their away support still.