Attendances 2025

[oriel]

I don't think tickets are subject to VAT

Only Derry pay VAT on gate receipts, but all LOI obv subject to Revenue payments for VAT on other incomes and they need to deduct tax from wages like every other employee in the country.

[oriel]

I used to find it so strange that Dundalk fans would drink anywhere but the Lilywhite/ends McGuill given it's a way to support the club but it's stuff like that that causes people to go to Kennedy's etc.

Ainscough talked a big game about making the Lilywhite a proper venue but never delivered. Like the ground itself, it's become very old and tired looking, you wouldn't be rushing in there for a pint. After games you'd be lucky if there was 10 people in there sometimes.

Those 2 bars at oriel are primarily for an hour before the game, HT madness, then on bigger games folk stay on for a few hours, but always head down town after. The club did make an effort for the FH game though with Eoin Kenny's brother doing the music !!! as live music the bigger Lilywhite Bar post match, but I would think both bars are mainly closed 6 other days, possibly the LW is still open Sun Nights, or for 21st parties, if they still do these.

I do get the point though, there are 2 bars that could / should be used far more for revenue. They should even look at using Lilywhite lounge for Sunday Carvery takeaways, loads of parking, why not, would do well I think.

[Buckett]

Only Derry pay VAT on gate receipts, but all LOI obv subject to Revenue payments for VAT on other incomes and they need to deduct tax from wages like every other employee in the country.
Ya but as a reason for not declaring attendance figures, Revenue has nothing to do with it

[EatYerGreens]

Ya but as a reason for not declaring attendance figures, Revenue has nothing to do with it

I suspect it was an insinuation that there may be shenanigans going on regarding the wages. Which would obviously require some off-the-books revenue to do.

[Nesta99]

I seriously doubt that clubs that are well resourced would be messing with off the book revenues!! Even clubs that have little to work with can afford to risk it either.

[nigel-harps1954]

Final table, pending filling in a few gaps of official figures:

Kerry v Athlone - 1st Aug
Treaty v Athlone - 19th Sept
UCD v Kerry - 19th Sept
Treaty v Bray - 10th Oct
Cobh v Dundalk - 17th Oct


PREMIER DIVISION

Bohs - 5,862 (4,241 {2024}; 4,243 {2023}; 3,209 {2022};2,878{19}; 2,148; 2,006; 1,627; 1,724; 1,395; 1,597)
Cork - 3,053 (2,881 FD; 3,666; 3,517 FD; 2,505; 4,245; 4,559; 2,533; 3,263; 3,777; 1,965)
Derry - 3,468 (2,875; 3,336; 3,184; 2,049; 2,297; 1,517; 1,563; 1,124; 1,106; 1,446)
Drogheda - 2,296 (2,023; 1,916; 1,941; 721 FD; ; 377 FD; 850; 583 FD; 813; 1,0641)
Galway - 2,785 (3,014; 2,018 FD; 2,081 FD; 780 FD; 746 FD; 1,376; 1,169)
Pat's - 4,293 (4,402; 4,232; 3,489; 1,919; 1,621; 1,504; 1,088; 1,321; 1,386; 1,687)
Rovers - 5,996 (6,071; 6,109; 5,379; 3,384; 2,749; 2,809; 2,041; 2,890; 2,269; 2,763)
Shels - 4,562 (4,262; 3,393; 2,913; 1,071 FD; 654 FD; 496 FD; 554 FD; 596 FD; 713 FD; 1,114)
Sligo - 2,814 (2,858; 2,555; 2,166; 1,995; 1,853; 1,717; 1,750; 1,750; 1,959; 2,342)
Waterford - 2,608 (2,733; 1,833 FD; 1,705 FD; 1,496; 2,329; 1,550 FD; 314 FD; 460 FD; 470 FD; 478 FD)

FIRST DIVISION

Athlone - 489 (642; 872; 307; 382; 130; 154; 156; 314; 653 PD; 754)
Bray - 1,061 (644; 663; 482; 773; 643 PD; 966 PD; 957 PD; 769 PD; 718 PD; 891 PD)
Cobh - 815 (731; 1,020; 872; 268; 236; 358; 403; 366; 223; 439)
Dundalk - 1,854 (2,419 PD; 2,636 PD; 2,689 PD; 2,775 PD; 2,738 PD; 2,674 PD; 2,738 PD; 3,158 PD; 2,534 PD; 1,997 PD)
Harps - 853 (1,023; 1,154; 1,293 PD; 1,154 PD; 708; 1,202 PD; 1,216 PD; 784; 449; 479; 429)
Kerry - 663 (610; 784)
Longford - 552 (450; 679; 500; 610; 449; 342; 488 PD; 803 PD; 567; 379)
Treaty - 1,000 (1,060; 642; 695)
UCD - 349 (336; 809 PD; 953 PD; 739 PD; 365; 236; 297; 216; 397 PD; 487 PD; 506 PD)
Wexford - 624 (556; 689; 445; 235; 181; 338; 585 PD; 553; 331; 227)

PREMIER AVERAGE: 3,774 (3,490; 3,289; 2,687; 2,185; 2,170; 1,902; 1,476; 1,681; 1,502; 1,566)
FIRST DIVISION AVERAGE: 826 (894; 1,035; 1,193; 586; 413; 477; 476; 486; 495; 391)

OVERALL AVERAGE: 2,300 (2,192; 2,162; 2,051; 1,500; 1,249; 1,387; 1,117; 1,249; 1,160; 1,140)


OVERALL PREMIER ATTENDANCE: 679,256 (628,157; 592,093; 486,365; 393,238; 316,515; 376,627; 292,204; 332,805; 297,334)
OVERALL FIRST ATTENDANCE: 148,689 (160,964; 186,369; 178,000; 79,115; 55,756; 53,461; 52,807; 54,474; 55,408)

OVERALL COMBINED ATTENDANCE: 827,945 (789,121; 778,462; 664,365; 472,353; 372,271; 430,088; 345,011; 387,279; 352,742)

[nigel-harps1954]

Just a note, ahead of the FAI Cup final. Total attendance this season, including Presidents Cup, Premier Division, First Division, FAI Cup, and Play-off series, currently sits at 899,523 with one estimated figure of 4,500 from Pats v Galway FAI Cup game.

[Buckett]

Great work, fair play!

11 clubs increased their average. The overall Premier attendance up 50k on last year, up nearly 300k since 2021, that's remarkable. How high can it go?

[Shinkicker]

Great work, fair play!

11 clubs increased their average. The overall Premier attendance up 50k on last year, up nearly 300k since 2021, that's remarkable. How high can it go?
Im going to say not

[Shinkicker]

Im going to say not

I'm going to say not much. Due to the grounds not being able to hold anymore people. If you take the actual attendances against the capacity of the grounds, the ability to grow is limited unless there are ground improvements/expansion. Based on the Dalymount new last night, the costs are soring. So most clubs couldn't afford to pet in an extra row of seats nevermind a stand

[Shearer]

Final table, pending filling in a few gaps of official figures:
Treaty v Athlone - 787
Treaty v Bray - 902

They were announced on the night but somebody must have forgot to log them.

[culloty82]

Great work, fair play!

11 clubs increased their average. The overall Premier attendance up 50k on last year, up nearly 300k since 2021, that's remarkable. How high can it go?

And even the First's decline is solely down to swapping Dundalk in for Cork, which is no aspersion on their fans, more the latter enjoying a number of Munster derbies when they were relegated.

[LTFC]

Great work, fair play!

11 clubs increased their average. The overall Premier attendance up 50k on last year, up nearly 300k since 2021, that's remarkable. How high can it go?

Glass half full....we have grown again, up 38k on last year, 11 clubs with increases, and Derry growing, possibly getting closer to Dub clubs average net year, and all teams in top flight over a 2k average.
Glass half empty, the 38k increase , most of that is from 1 game, Bohs V Rovers in Aviva, probably 30k net. The other increases are marginal, offsetting some small falls, and the falling trend in Waterford and Galway would be a concern, only second season up. Rovers may have reached a current ceiling, 6k, and Pats growth seems to have slowed.

[LTFC]

Just a note, ahead of the FAI Cup final. Total attendance this season, including Presidents Cup, Premier Division, First Division, FAI Cup, and Play-off series, currently sits at 899,523 with one estimated figure of 4,500 from Pats v Galway FAI Cup game.

900K above, plus FAI Cup final + European games, would we hit 1m?

[BigEars]

It certainly does seem without stadium improvements for Bohs, Shels and Pats we could only look at relatively minor growth for the near future.

Derry's increased capacity does give them potential if they're performing well, and had Cork got their pricing right they'd have likely seen a significantly higher attendance, but they'll be back to the First Division next year anyway.

There is perhaps scope for another 1 or 2 derbies a year at Landsdowne, although replicating last year's season opener needs to be done first before we get ahead of ourselves.

Hopefully the increased media presence this year from Virgin Media's TV coverage and News talk on the radio proves to be a catalyst to push things on further, particularly outside the capital.

[Nesta99]

I think a good few years of 'sold out' at the 3 Dub clubs mentioned isnt a bad thing. The Irish sporting public suffer badly with FOMO, waiting lists for season tickets grow and then at some stage can justify expansion. Myabe in some cases that has happened but its imo its better to have 4k sold out than 8k half empty. There is bound to be a sweet spot but Tolka's small incremental increases are good. If they could extend the 'new' stand behind the goal and sell it out, then look to rebuild the Ballybough end x years later for example. Im not sure how much an impact media coverage works unless it is good, creating credibility, that LoI is the place to be rather than token coverage of the past. Product on the pitch matters more.

[toffeejay84]

[QUOTE=nigel-harps1954;2234548]Final table, pending filling in a few gaps of official figures:

Kerry v Athlone - 1st Aug
Treaty v Athlone - 19th Sept
UCD v Kerry - 19th Sept
Treaty v Bray - 10th Oct
Cobh v Dundalk - 17th Oct

Nigel, I'm also missing Wexford v Dundalk 5th Sep. Can't see a figure on LOI app or official website for it unless you have a different source?

Only Premier Division figure not yet published on the app or website is Waterford v Galway from the final weekend.

[nigel-harps1954]

Final table, pending filling in a few gaps of official figures:

Kerry v Athlone - 1st Aug
Treaty v Athlone - 19th Sept
UCD v Kerry - 19th Sept
Treaty v Bray - 10th Oct
Cobh v Dundalk - 17th Oct

Nigel, I'm also missing Wexford v Dundalk 5th Sep. Can't see a figure on LOI app or official website for it unless you have a different source?

Only Premier Division figure not yet published on the app or website is Waterford v Galway from the final weekend.

567 for the Wexford v Dundalk game.

Waterford v Galway was 3,211

[2 Year Contract]

4,503 at Shels vs Drita, surprised to see such a low figure for what was a do or die game. No doubt there’ll be an extra 6k barstoolers there for the Crystal Palace game next month despite it being a dead rubber

[nr637]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/292512121162625/posts/2296806787399805/
https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/574875666_10163326027999547_3704662141016007075_n. jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=aa7b47&_nc_ohc=lBCSHk1vQ14Q7kNvwGpDbsP&_nc_oc=AdnK-7JyXnDzvOELGOeJhjfBFtnaJ7VBiOX0ZPg21_-zla7HZMtLsJstRI7WIJT6Izw&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&_nc_gid=HA_hT1A8vGDc42S6trsGpg&oh=00_AfgDItBKlCpJKRCsvWVU7jzWiVzqyggypas9InfVcVW9 Tw&oe=69138F36

[Nesta99]

I feel like im cheating on Nigel by looking at that table!

[thebronze14]

4,503 at Shels vs Drita, surprised to see such a low figure for what was a do or die game. No doubt there’ll be an extra 6k barstoolers there for the Crystal Palace game next month despite it being a dead rubber

I don't think there will tbh. Palace aren't going to draw a massive extra crowd. Thought it was ridiculous people mentioning Aviva. If it's a sellout I would say it would be because there's at least 3k palace there

[ger121]

Are tickets even on sale for the Palace game? I looked online but could find nothing.

[trevy]

3648 at the play off final last night.

[outspoken]

3648 at the play off final last night.

That's a great crowd

[pineapple stu]

Gotta say, I know it's silly that fifth in the First could get promoted, but the crowds got the playoffs, plus the fact that fifth hasn't ever gotten promoted (or even gotten into the final I think) really justify the format

[MoydowMonty]

Gotta say, I know it's silly that fifth in the First could get promoted, but the crowds got the playoffs, plus the fact that fifth hasn't ever gotten promoted (or even gotten into the final I think) really justify the format

Bray came 5th last year I thought? And they got to the final

[pineapple stu]

You're spot on actually, yep. The were easily beaten by Drogheda, so my point just about still holds!

[outspoken]

Gotta say, I know it's silly that fifth in the First could get promoted, but the crowds got the playoffs, plus the fact that fifth hasn't ever gotten promoted (or even gotten into the final I think) really justify the format

Longford were promoted in 2020 after coming fifth.

[pineapple stu]

Fourth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_League_of_Ireland_First_Division). (I checked that one!)

[outspoken]

Fourth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_League_of_Ireland_First_Division). (I checked that one!)

Ah, the fact we lost on the last day and another result bailed us out had made me think we had finished 5th, fair play

[nr637]

2025 FAI Cup Final

Attendance: 35,252.

[nr637]

Just a note, ahead of the FAI Cup final. Total attendance this season, including Presidents Cup, Premier Division, First Division, FAI Cup, and Play-off series, currently sits at 899,523 with one estimated figure of 4,500 from Pats v Galway FAI Cup game.

899,523 + 35,252 = 934,775