FAI promoting the LoI

[pete]

What is the LOI competitors?

People attend Internationals & Croke Park as they are events. I don't think the LOI is in same market.

:confused:

[Lim till i die]

What is the LOI competitors?


Hard to know

The "barstool" folk I suppose would be the main market to target

Having said that I know lots of people who would rather do anything than go to a LoI game.

[Jamjar]

Dear God, that's awful

There's easier markets to target than women in fairness. Until all the grounds have proper jacks I wouldn't even bother :p

You're right. Maybe the FAI shouldn't bother their hole doing anything until the facilities are there to make people come back. The problem isn't attracting people to games, it's encouraging them to come back. I rembember a time in this country when every cinema was a flea pit, now most towns have a least one multiplex and people go to them. There was an interesting newsfeed on here about Norway expecting average crowds to be 10000 this season because a lot of the clubs built new stadiums.

[pete]

It begs the question: Which is more important in attracting crowds?
- Facilities
- Standard of football

[reder]

As someone who travels to the uk to watch Liverpool play home or away most weekends, I presume I am one of the potential audience.

Before anyone starts a local club whinge, I was born in Liverpool and lived there for the first 16 years of my life and missed 2 home games over a 10 year period.

I have attended about 4 EL games throughout Dublin over the past 4 years and have a few points I would like to make.

- The first and most obvious thing that turned me off straight away was the state of the grounds. The last game I attended was Shelbourne v Bohemians at the end of last season. The toilets in the Bohemians section were nothing short of disgusting and I will not believe that they passed a H&S inspection for one second. There wasnt even a light in them.

- In all the grounds I visited (Tolka Park, Dalymount, St Pats ground), the level of facilities in the ground were pathetic. The food available was over-priced crap food.

- Outside the ground there was no one available to direct people where to go or absolutely no signs. The first EL game I attended was in Dalymount Park. We went up to the turnstile to pay in but we told we had to go elsewhere and purchase a ticket. We naturally asked the steward where we can purchase ticket and we told "down there". It was a good five minutes away and no where near where the steward pointed. I think many dads & lads went for that walk and ended up hoping into the car and going home.

- I could be wrong but there were no concessions available for kids. Things like a child can get in for €1 when they are present with an adult is a good idea. Many clubs do this throughout europe and it attracts new young supporters to the clubs.

I have more issues but will stop there.

[reder]

It begs the question: Which is more important in attracting crowds?
- Facilities
- Standard of football

Both are a necessity for a properous league.

[harry crumb]

As someone who travels to the uk to watch Liverpool play home or away most weekends, I presume I am one of the potential audience.

Before anyone starts a local club whinge, I was born in Liverpool and lived there for the first 16 years of my life and missed 2 home games over a 10 year period.

I have attended about 4 EL games throughout Dublin over the past 4 years and have a few points I would like to make.

- The first and most obvious thing that turned me off straight away was the state of the grounds. The last game I attended was Shelbourne v Bohemians at the end of last season. The toilets in the Bohemians section were nothing short of disgusting and I will not believe that they passed a H&S inspection for one second. There wasnt even a light in them.

- In all the grounds I visited (Tolka Park, Dalymount, St Pats ground), the level of facilities in the ground were pathetic. The food available was over-priced crap food.

- Outside the ground there was no one available to direct people where to go or absolutely no signs. The first EL game I attended was in Dalymount Park. We went up to the turnstile to pay in but we told we had to go elsewhere and purchase a ticket. We naturally asked the steward where we can purchase ticket and we told "down there". It was a good five minutes away and no where near where the steward pointed. I think many dads & lads went for that walk and ended up hoping into the car and going home.

- I could be wrong but there were no concessions available for kids. Things like a child can get in for €1 when they are present with an adult is a good idea. Many clubs do this throughout europe and it attracts new young supporters to the clubs.

I have more issues but will stop there.

Good points there. All the Dublin grounds are a disgrace to the Celtic Tiger.

They say Tolka is supposed to be the best ground in the league:rolleyes:

And what about the "Stadium of ****e", what a waste of a natural amphitheatre.

[BohsFans]

The launch of the league is a big deal this Friday and will be promoted nationally from there.



At the home of Irish football don't forget!

[BohsFans]

The first and most obvious thing that turned me off straight away was the state of the grounds. The last game I attended was Shelbourne v Bohemians at the end of last season. The toilets in the Bohemians section were nothing short of disgusting and I will not believe that they passed a H&S inspection for one second. There wasnt even a light in them.

Agree with that.

No light, no running water, **** into a gutter on the floor. :mad:

Tolka is up there with United Park as one of the worst Premier grounds though!

[WeAreRovers]

Tolka is up there with United Park as one of the worst Premier grounds though!

Eh, Connacht St would do Tolka proud in its decrepit state. But Reder is of course 100% correct.

KOH

[Billy Lord]

I've made this analogy a million times before: if you go to a rubbish cinema and see a good film, will you come back? No. But if you visit a nice cinema and the film happens to be rubbish, will you return? Yes.

[galwayhoop]

I've made this analogy a million times before: if you go to a rubbish cinema and see a good film, will you come back? No. But if you visit a nice cinema and the film happens to be rubbish, will you return? Yes.

but if you go to a rubbish cinema and the popcorn is top-notch you could well go back ;)

[sligoman]

Ha ha, so long as the Town fan in question isnt on the poster campaign. ;)haha. As long as he didn't say 'coolaboola' on the ad, I'll be happy:D.

[Billy Lord]

but if you go to a rubbish cinema and the popcorn is top-notch you could well go back ;)

Maybe what the EL really needs is expensive-but-nice popcorn?:eek:

[Magicme]

but if you go to a rubbish cinema and the popcorn is top-notch you could well go back ;)

So thats why we have had an increase in fans...its the Mondogs!

I agree with you Reder, there is a lot of work to be done. We get slagged off coz we dont have massive stands in our ground, but the facilities we do have are top notch so the small numbers that do attend are looked after. Reder, dont judge all the eL clubs by the state of the Dublin grounds, go to Athlone & their lovely new stadium, go to Cobh and enjoy their lovely clubhouse, but more important than any of that, come to Mons and experience some Magic!

[Burnsie]

billy lord's analogy falls down because people who see a rubbish film in any ciname are unlikely to go see another one by the same director and with most of the same cast...

[BohDiddley]

Reder, your post is of a common enough type on this board, and I can see where you are coming from.
But Irish football grounds and their facilities and organization are 'pathetic' because support for the game here is pathetic. Facilities at British grounds may be top-notch now, but that certainly wasn't always the case, and it didn't stop people going to games.
You have valid links with Liverpool, so you are not typical. But you have to wonder if people aren't just looking for an excuse to take the BSkyB/Ryanair option.

[RonnieB]

billy lord's analogy falls down because people who see a rubbish film in any ciname are unlikely to go see another one by the same director and with most of the same cast...

I still keep going :D

[Tis-smeee]

Hve to say cork is the best facility wise, tho the jax are cat I would say shels is a ****hole but not much worse than alot of others.

From what I understand Waterford got the top points rating in iag results on the stands only

[pineapple stu]

It begs the question: Which is more important in attracting crowds?
- Facilities
- Standard of football


I've made this analogy a million times before: if you go to a rubbish cinema and see a good film, will you come back? No. But if you visit a nice cinema and the film happens to be rubbish, will you return? Yes.
I don't know if it's that clear cut. Donnybrook's a dump, but it sells out for most of the rugby games. Public perception should be a third option in pete's post, and then all three form part of the mix.

[DmanDmythDledge]

The radio ads won't be airing until March 12.:rolleyes:

[Jamjar]

The radio ads won't be airing until March 12.:rolleyes:

Thats more like it.....bet the FAI picked the 3.30 am 'liveline' repeat slot. That insomniac market really needs to be penetrated.

[WeAreRovers]

I don't know if it's that clear cut. Donnybrook's a dump, but it sells out for most of the rugby games. Public perception should be a third option in pete's post, and then all three form part of the mix.

But you can buy a pint at Donnybrook and the toilet facilities are good. Two things you can't say about the vast majority of our grounds.

KOH

[Student Mullet]

But you can buy a pint at Donnybrook and the toilet facilities are good. Two things you can't say about the vast majority of our grounds.

KOHWhatever about having a pint, the toilets in Donnybrook are a trough underneath the main stand and a sink with running water. There's nothing special about them.

Add this to winter rugby and the fact that you have to pay big bucks to get a roof over your head and see that the facilities in Donnybrook aren't what draws the crowd. To emphasise the point, Donnybrook hasn't seen any upgrading in 20 years or so (bucket seats aside), yet the crowds have increades massivley.

[WeAreRovers]

Whatever about having a pint, the toilets in Donnybrook are a trough underneath the main stand and a sink with running water. There's nothing special about them.

Add this to winter rugby and the fact that you have to pay big bucks to get a roof over your head and see that the facilities in Donnybrook aren't what draws the crowd. To emphasise the point, Donnybrook hasn't seen any upgrading in 20 years or so (bucket seats aside), yet the crowds have increades massivley.

Never been in the main stand but take your general point. However when I go I like the fact that I can get a pint and that the jax in both clubhouses are fine. Watching the genius that is Contepomi close up for €15 helps too.

KOH

[Student Mullet]

Watching the genius that is Contepomi close up for €15 helps too.You've the nail on the head there. Your 15 euro gets you a top quality product (probably the best 10 - 15 fielded by any province/club in the world) and that attracts the punters. That and the bit of hype the branch have managed to generate.

Also, supporters at the rugby are treated with genuine respect. When the branch got hold of some extra tickets for Croker they were raffled off to the season ticket holders and when the Leinster - Munster semi final sold out Lansdown, Leinster put tickets on sale by surprise at a low profile league game, to support the more loyal fans. If you compare this to all the dodgy dealings which surround soccer international tickets it's easy to see why professional rugby is thriving while the LoI is dieing on its feet.

I think blaming the league's bad reputation on the jacks in Tolka (or wherever) is a gross simplification of the problem.

[reder]

Facilities at British grounds may be top-notch now, but that certainly wasn't always the case, and it didn't stop people going to games.
You have valid links with Liverpool, so you are not typical. But you have to wonder if people aren't just looking for an excuse to take the BSkyB/Ryanair option.

Its true that the facilities at British grounds have only improved since the start of the PL. However, football is the working mans game in Britain and much like the GAA in Ireland a certain percentage of the population will always support their national game no matter what. I dont follow GAA at all but as I flick through the tv you always see Sunday matches with a few thousand people ppl standing on a muddy hill in the p1ssing rain.

I actually cannot for the life of me fathom why so many irish people support british clubs. Some however are fanatical and have gained a very deep understanding of what the club is about and I genuinely respect them. Most are just glory hunters, well to do types. Irish clubs could do well to have these people as they have money to burn. I know a steward in the Kemlyn Road Stand (centenary stand) and he tells me he regularly talks to irish families who come over and spend £500 stg in the club shop. Thats more than my season ticket!!. There is a major campaign (Reclaim the kop, RTK) in progress in Liverpool at the moment trying to educate people in relation to the traditions of the club.

I dont know if you are aware but we are playing Barcelona at home in the CL next tues. 23 people in Ireland have contacted me looking for tickets. Thousands are travelling without tickets. They have even started to appear at away games.

These people are just good time Charlies. They forked out €1,000 + for a rugby ticket last weekend because it is "the thing" at the moment and it was some historical republican bullsh1t event. (no disrespect meant there. I am just saying they are there for the event and not the game.) Clean up the grounds, hit the schools in the local area with special offers and they will come. Also the polish (in particular) and new communities are fanatical about the game, why not try and target these people?

I remember some time ago that a friend of mine who follows the EL, told me that Aldo was rumoured to have applied for a managers job at one of the Dublin clubs. I can guarantee you 100% that if he (or someone with his popularity) got a managerial job tickets sales and attendances at that club would rocket. If that club they cleaned up their ground, they would have sell outs every week!!

Any opinions on this?

[pete]

These people are just good time Charlies. They forked out €1,000 + for a rugby ticket last weekend because it is "the thing" at the moment and it was some historical republican bullsh1t event.


I believe they also known as event junkies - they will maybe attend 4-5 irish sports events a year & moan that don't have 100k all-seater stadiums to cater for them.

I agree with your comments on Dublin grounds. I have little if any improvements in any of these grounds in the last & years i lived in Dublin. Dalymount for all its derelict status once you can find the ticket hut has 1 comfortable stand whihc I am sure would make up well with similar leve in the UK.

I am sure dublin eL fans will criticise me again but their grounds are crap because they refuse to even consider ground shares. Cork City do not share with an eL club but rent from junior league but is effectively a ground share. In 3-4 months we may have 7000 all-seated covered stadium & decent facilities.

[WeAreRovers]

I think blaming the league's bad reputation on the jacks in Tolka (or wherever) is a gross simplification of the problem.

Don't get me wrong, I completely agree with you and I bow to no one in my admiration for the way Leinster go about their business - Rovers will be copying a number of their initiatives this season - but even Donnybrook offers a much better match day experience than any LOI ground.

For instance my girlfriend and her mates have no problem going to Donnybrook but wouldn't set foot on Dalymount, Richmond or Tolka - and she hasn't a clue who Contepomi is.

KOH

[BohsPartisan]

I am sure dublin eL fans will criticise me again but their grounds are crap because they refuse to even consider ground shares. Cork City do not share with an eL club but rent from junior league but is effectively a ground share. In 3-4 months we may have 7000 all-seated covered stadium & decent facilities.

Pete if we had agreed to the Shels ground share we'd be up the creek now. In a few years we'll have a 10,000 all seater covered stadium (though I'd support an area being reserved for terracing.) all to ourselves (though we'd be willing to rent out which is groundsharing in a way and in that respect we have groundshared with Rovers and CHF over the last couple of years!

[padraicoc]

Also the polish (in particular) and new communities are fanatical about the game, why not try and target these people?



If I were running a club my first signing would have been a polish player...

The polish would be easier convinced to watch a match here, I say this because they have never heard about the quality of our game, having said that most of my Irish friends have only ever 'heard' about our game too... think i'll just have to drag a couple of them along for our annihilation of Shams in tolka at the end of the month...

[Student Mullet]

For instance my girlfriend and her mates have no problem going to Donnybrook but wouldn't set foot on Dalymount, Richmond or Tolka - and she hasn't a clue who Contepomi is.Fair point, I think us UCD fans are spared the worst of the eL grounds. I've not been in the Connacht Street 'stand' for over a decade.

I think that too many people think that there's a magic pill solution to the league's problems, wheather it's clean jacks or hiring Aldo as a manager. In reality, almost every aspect of the league needs improvement and the attitude towards supporters is only one part. What sums it up for me is the fact that whenever we look for tickets to an away international through UCD, the club sends the FAI an e-mail saying that a sponsor is looking for a few tickets because if they said a supporter is looking for tickets, they wouldn't get them. That's the attitude we're up against and things like dirty jacks and sending supporters over to Connacht Street are the symptoms.

[BohsFans]

Eh, Connacht St would do Tolka proud in its decrepit state. But Reder is of course 100% correct.

KOH

16 mins. slower than usual! :p

[BohsFans]

For instance my girlfriend and her mates have no problem going to Donnybrook but wouldn't set foot on Dalymount, Richmond or Tolka - and she hasn't a clue who Contepomi is.



because it's socially popular at the moment.

Having never been at a rugger game, I doubt you get:
1. as much swearing,
2. the schooligans legging it around the place
3. clean toilet facilities EVERYWHERE in the ground (?)

[Student Mullet]

2. the schooligans legging it around the placeThe schooligans are all drinking behind the stand. I remember in my youth Donnybrook was the place to go. A pound in and you'd even get served wearing your school uniform.

[pete]

Moderator: Poll Added. 2 options, 1 answer (which is most important)

I would think the answer is obvious but won't judge in advance.

[micls]

I've made this analogy a million times before: if you go to a rubbish cinema and see a good film, will you come back? No. But if you visit a nice cinema and the film happens to be rubbish, will you return? Yes.


You might go back to the cinema but would you go to see a film made by the people who made the last one that was crap? If you did and again it was crap would you go to see another film by those makers?

And how long are you gonna keep goiong back to crap films before you decide youd prefer to see good films even if it is in a crap cinema

[charliesboots]

"....attracting thousands to Richmond Park and Turner’s Cross respectively."


was there really thousands at these?? :eek:

about 6,500 at Pats v Cork in Richmond in 99 although I think Dolan said there was 8 or 9k

[pete]

about 6,500 at Pats v Cork in Richmond in 99 although I think Dolan said there was 8 or 9k

I believe he meant the open days.

[charliesboots]

I believe he meant the open days.

Couldn't find what he was quoting, only thing I could think of when 'Pats', 'Cork' and 'thousands' were mentioned was the good old days of '99.

[gustavo]

Its undoubteldy the facilities that need improving , If all the games were being played in top class facilities it does subliminally make the football more appealing.

[pineapple stu]

But you can buy a pint at Donnybrook and the toilet facilities are good. Two things you can't say about the vast majority of our grounds.

KOH
You can buy a pint at Dalymount, Tolka and United Park (or is that one members only?), and the facilities aren't much different (a covered stand, an open temporary stand, the rest open terracing), but those are being mentioned as grounds which people wouldn't set foot in.

Your point about Contepomi is much nearer the mark, I think.

[Jerry The Saint]

Couldn't find what he was quoting, only thing I could think of when 'Pats', 'Cork' and 'thousands' were mentioned was the good old days of '99.

No harm done mentioning it. :D

[Tis-smeee]

We had two polish players last year but i never heard one Polish accent granted we were gash but your point is mute, I think its a chicken and egg situation you improve facilities and people come, the more people ,the more money ,the more money = more wages = better players = better standard= more people and so on but there has to be huge investment in grounds and Noel Mooneys ads will do **** all about that

[pineapple stu]

To be honest, I don't think many of the immigrants into the country these days are particularly concerned about settling down into their new community. They have their team in Poland they support (if they're a football fan), and a lot (as far as I'm aware) only plan to stay in Ireland for a couple of years anyway, so I don't think there's much to be gained from it. And if they are going back home only to be replaced, youve got a situation where you've to do a load of work to convince someone to come to your games only to have to do it all over in two years when he goes home and the next person comes. It's a bit like getting students to come to UCD games. By all mean try it, but be aware of its probable success rate...

[BohsFans]

It's a combination of both poll options, as per the Rosenborg example.

I think though they got big help with their stadium from the Government.

[WeAreRovers]

You can buy a pint at Dalymount, Tolka and United Park (or is that one members only?), and the facilities aren't much different (a covered stand, an open temporary stand, the rest open terracing), but those are being mentioned as grounds which people wouldn't set foot in.

Your point about Contepomi is much nearer the mark, I think.

Sorry for banging on about this but as an away fan I can't buy a pint in any of those grounds and home fans can't drink and watch the game at the same point. As Student Mullet alluded to, the way we are treated as 'customers' is a massive part of this too.

KOH

[Réiteoir]

I cant rem, but they are something along the lines of "Night out with the Girls" and a pic of a few women screaming their heads off at a match. Kinda to make you think that there is more to life than going to the pub and a Fri/Sat nite can be spent having great fun with your mates watching the game you love.

Dont quote me on that coz only saw them briefly a few weeks ago so cant rem, but they are very professionally done.

I've had a sneak peak at one of the others.

Slogan is "Babysit the kids this weekend?"

And a pic of the Lego Stand at Tolka Park on a match night...

[pete]

I think the standard of football has increased considerably in recent seasons so now just need the facilities to catch up. People travel to england & scotland for very average quality football so clearly its the facilities & event that attracts them.

[pineapple stu]

People travel to England and Scotland for very average quality football so clearly it's the facilities and event that attracts them.
I think the second is far more important that the first.

Sure they're dedicated football fans - they'd travel to watch their team play even in a dump of a ground...