LOI or EL [Archive]

geysir

21/02/2008, 5:50 PM

I wanted to ask how come the name change of the LOI to the Eircom league has been accepted and is in broad use by the fans.

It has always been the LOI to me. No matter who the sponsor is, I don't see that as a reason for the fans to adopt the sponsors name or simply use EL when referring to their league.
It used to be a bad joke when it was called the fried chicken league.

How would you like if your club's sponsors wanted the club to be named after them?

Aaron

21/02/2008, 5:51 PM

I call it the Eircom League of Ireland

Buller

21/02/2008, 5:53 PM

I just call it "Irish League" or the longer "LOI"...

It annoys me people who call it the "eircom", suffice to say these people are normally barstoolers or foreigners.

jebus

21/02/2008, 5:58 PM

It annoys me people who call it the "eircom", suffice to say these people are normally barstoolers or foreigners.

Really? The barstoolers I know call it 'that pile of ****', which is one of the terms I use for it on occasion, replacing that with the more affectionate this of course :)

HarpoJoyce

21/02/2008, 6:14 PM

Both, either and all. Whatever term correctly identifies the league. I use both including the initials.

The media and clubs rightly associate the sponsor with the competition. Using backboards during TV interviews help to publicise the sponsors, both local and national, and can attract further investment into the sport.

There is a steo-type in sport that the sponsor doesn't get full value for their investment as their name is not associated with the sport enough. Take the money and run. I hope that attitude is fading in domestic football.

I agree the 'chicken league' was used to disparage the league. But football still continued in the Pat Grace's Fried Chicken Senior League.
So what, along with the National Manager of the time, he was associated with Limerick.

ramsfan

21/02/2008, 6:23 PM

will always be league of ireland to me , depends on age i suppose
as a matter of interest can anyone remember previous sponsors
i remember bord gais league of ireland , was there anyone else

sonofstan

21/02/2008, 6:38 PM

i remember bord gais league of ireland , was there anyone else

Or the 'Bored? Gosh! ' league as Billy Lord in his then incarnation as a sports columnist used to refer to it in print....

A face

21/02/2008, 7:09 PM

Buller

21/02/2008, 7:13 PM

eircom are the sponsor lads .... they pay to have the name there. I like the idea that the league gets money for this. Thats why i call it the eircom League. And it far better that the Pat Graces Famous Fried Chicken league as well i might add.

We dont call the English Premiership the "Barcleys League", nor do we call the Scottish Premier League "Clydesdale League". It makes the league seem more amature in my opinion - especially if that sponsor changes regularly every few years.
That is why I call it the LOI/Irish League.

A face

21/02/2008, 7:16 PM

We dont call the English Premiership the "Barcleys League", nor do we call the Scottish Premier League "Clydesdale League". It makes the league seem more amature in my opinion - especially if that sponsor changes regularly every few years.
That is why I call it the LOI/Irish League.

Are those two leagues you mentioned now the benchmark?

How long has it been eircom?

Bunny Kelly

21/02/2008, 7:59 PM

What about the blue Sq Premier? While I'm not comparing it in quality to LOI/EL but in their domestic market both leagues are not exactly high profile so sponsor's expect extra pushing of their brand for investing in these leagues, also both league's need as much outside investment as possible.

This is not meant to be a dig at our domestic league but in truth the majority of football fans on this island do dismiss it

GreenStar

21/02/2008, 8:06 PM

We dont call the English Premiership the "Barcleys League", nor do we call the Scottish Premier League "Clydesdale League". It makes the league seem more amature in my opinion - especially if that sponsor changes regularly every few years.
That is why I call it the LOI/Irish League.

Well, whatever it IS, it most deifinitely IS NOT the Irish League. That's North of the border.

Con-Con

21/02/2008, 8:36 PM

Well anyone I talk to, wouldn't get the Irish league mixed up with north of the border. I always use LOI or the Irish league

GreenStar

21/02/2008, 8:45 PM

So, why does this website have a forum for Eircom League and a forum for Irish League? If they're both the same then they should be merged, no?

Buller

21/02/2008, 9:38 PM

So, why does this website have a forum for Eircom League and a forum for Irish League? If they're both the same then they should be merged, no?

But I thought it was the Carnegie League north of the border? :D I call our league the irish league. I call the northern league the Northern Irish League...

Dodge

21/02/2008, 10:18 PM

Call it League of Irelnd (or type LOI on t'internet)

Don't see why i should plug the sponsor. not like they care about the league or anything...

Réiteoir

21/02/2008, 10:21 PM

sometimes I use LoI - sometimes I use eL (always with the small e)

holidaysong

21/02/2008, 10:24 PM

Would usually use League of Ireland myself.

Magicme

22/02/2008, 9:06 AM

As have to use FAI eircom League of Ireland for any official work I do I kinda got used to calling it the eircom league.

Have to give the sponsors a plug or they will pull the plug.

The Lilywhites

22/02/2008, 9:23 AM

League of Ireland, always.

noby

22/02/2008, 9:37 AM

LoI ahead of eL for me. Some people I talk to use LoL and eh?

gufcfan

22/02/2008, 11:45 AM

I just call it "Irish League" or the longer "LOI"...

It annoys me people who call it the "eircom", suffice to say these people are normally barstoolers or foreigners.

I call it the EL, but i'm no barstooler.

Rovers1

22/02/2008, 3:25 PM

i call it "The League of Ireland"

Buller

22/02/2008, 6:22 PM

I call it the EL, but i'm no barstooler.

I meant just "eircom" singley! Not eircom League... :rolleyes:

(This is such a boring topic/thread: I demand everyone stops replying!!)

John83

25/02/2008, 10:08 AM

sometimes I use LoI - sometimes I use eL (always with the small e)
Me too.

We dont call the English Premiership the "Barcleys League"
Read the banner at the top of this page: http://www.premierleague.com/

The fans don't call it that, but the official line uses the sponsor. Listen to Sky's ads for the Premiership too - they'll use the sponsor's name. You tune it out because "the Premiership" is a strong brand in its own right, but it's there. Now, what the fans call it is another matter, and your point is taken.

Titan

25/02/2008, 10:21 AM

I was working for eircom when they started sponsoring the league and we all got a missive instructing us to encourage everyone to call it the eircom League. I was chuffed with this as straight away the other 12,000 eircom staff now at least knew the league existed!

I call it the eircom League in all official stuff and err the eircom League in unofficial stuff too.

It is definitely not the Irish League you might as well call it the bloody Bundesliga as call it that!

Steve Bruce

25/02/2008, 10:28 AM

The Irish League is run by the IFA, not the FAI.

Lim till i die

25/02/2008, 10:39 AM

I always call it LoI.

Which is grand when I'm typing it but it's a bugger to pronounce. :)

geysir

25/02/2008, 10:41 AM

Steve, would you call your league the CL?
How is it referred to in the media?

Steve Bruce

25/02/2008, 1:59 PM

Steve, would you call your league the CL?
How is it referred to in the media?

Nah, just the Irish League or IL(on forums).

eelmonster

25/02/2008, 3:39 PM

It's often referred to as the Carnegie Premier League in the press and on BBCNI & UTV too (where it's pronouced Car-knee-gee :) ).