The Gantry

Great to see that our problems with a lack of a gantry is now common knowledge as it was on page 61 in the Daily Mail today:

"With former player Seamus Coleman of Everton in the squad, Sligo Rovers were eager to host the Under 21 European Championship international between Ireland and Armenia on March 3.

Alas, the absense of a TV gantry at the Sligo Showgrounds meant the venue was unsuitable to Sky Sports, who are showing the home qualifiers live. That meant a late switch to Tallaght Stadium but Sligo insist the gantry will be in place by midsummer and they could get the last home qualifier against Estonia in August."

Surprised their was no mention of the €12,000 needed to raise it. Surprised the papers picked up on it but its still rather embarrasing.

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Originally Posted by thesilverfox

Great to see that our problems with a lack of a gantry is now common knowledge as it was on page 61 in the Daily Mail today:

"With former player Seamus Coleman of Everton in the squad, Sligo Rovers were eager to host the Under 21 European Championship international between Ireland and Armenia on March 3.

Alas, the absense of a TV gantry at the Sligo Showgrounds meant the venue was unsuitable to Sky Sports, who are showing the home qualifiers live. That meant a late switch to Tallaght Stadium but Sligo insist the gantry will be in place by midsummer and they could get the last home qualifier against Estonia in August."

Surprised their was no mention of the €12,000 needed to raise it. Surprised the papers picked up on it but its still rather embarrasing.

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What's embarrassing.. we dont have the money.. it's the way it is and hopefully it will be rectified by midsummer?

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Originally Posted by Only1Rovers

What's embarrassing.. we dont have the money.. it's the way it is and hopefully it will be rectified by midsummer?

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Just a bit embarrasing that we couldnt accept an international match in the Showgrounds. I can never remember the Showgrounds having never hosted an international match of any kind in my memory. We could have got money pumped into the local area and Rovers aswell. And then add in the fact of the Coleman factor, which would be a homecoming and could see a big gate in the Showgrounds from all over the north west and add in the fact of people travelling from throughout the country.

If it was Cork City, they would have said they had a Gantry - and got away with it.

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Originally Posted by Only1Rovers

What's embarrassing.. we dont have the money.. it's the way it is and hopefully it will be rectified by midsummer?

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Its a pity alright ,it would of been very useful for putting the away fan(s) in for the games against UCD and Fingal

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Originally Posted by avvenalaf

If it was Cork City, they would have said they had a Gantry - and got away with it.

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They would have said:

"Sure we don't have a gantry now, like, but if you give us an extra week before deciding where to host the game we'll definitely have one, boy"

Before the match gets rescheduled to be played in Bray, who have to make all their preparations at the last minute, and provide disastrously bad tea and coffee for the commentary team.

Up to now I never had a problem with remembering things but if my memory serves me right and I’m open to correction, didn’t our national broadcaster RTE broadcast live our Ford FAI Cup Semi-Final fixture versus Waterford from the Showgrounds and we didn’t have the fore mentioned gantry. Also didn’t Setanta Sports broadcast live our Setanta Cup fixture versus Cork from the Showgrounds without the benefit of the same fore mentioned gantry?
For me the need for such a gantry to broadcast an U21 fixture is just an excuse for not coming all the way to the outback of Sligo and stay within the comfort zone of Jackeenland. It’s just a down market attempt to pull the same stroke as Michael O’ Leary and Hanger 6. They know we don’t have the money to erect the gantry so it’s not their fault we lose out on the opportunity to house the game.

Ths standards expected by Sky Sports and UEFA for a fixture of this calibre are a lot different to what RTE require for a cup semi. This is a rare occasion where I think it's unfair to blame the FAI.

Dont see how this is embarassing , id rather see the money spent elsewhere (if we had it). The u21 game would be great but what happens the gantry if we redevelop the jinks avenue stand in the future? Put the money into the club where it can have more long term benefit not for one game so sky sports can come to town.

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Originally Posted by Dixie Dean

Dont see how this is embarassing , id rather see the money spent elsewhere (if we had it). The u21 game would be great but what happens the gantry if we redevelop the jinks avenue stand in the future? Put the money into the club where it can have more long term benefit not for one game so sky sports can come to town.

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Well said Dixie!

maybe there is a bigger picture here lads...would a live sky game with a decent crowd not generate more than the 12k needed for the gantry thus making it worthwhile?..just a thought.

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Originally Posted by Dixie Dean

Dont see how this is embarassing , id rather see the money spent elsewhere (if we had it). The u21 game would be great but what happens the gantry if we redevelop the jinks avenue stand in the future? Put the money into the club where it can have more long term benefit not for one game so sky sports can come to town.

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The jinks avenue stand may not be redeveloped for the next 5-6 years. There was a letter a few weeks from the dev committe saying it had done it's job and there'll be a meeting at some point to discuss future plans. So any redevelopment is a ways off.There's no harm putting up a gantry in the meantime. It can be alot more beneficial than one game. For one it would showcase the main stand which always has a good crowd in it for home games and looks alot better than the camera from the back of the stand. It's a more appealing angle and makes the set-up look more professional. It also opens up underage international games. they might not be worth loads of money but it would def bring in more funds than without those games and get people into the showgrounds who dont go normally. who knows they might like it and start supporting the club. stranger things have happened :)

There's no reason a seperate fund couldnt be established to put one up in say a years time. I'd like to see a gantry and it would free up the advertising space on the main stand. Maybe try to bring a sponsor on board and let them put their company across the entire top of the main stand. their brand would be seen every other week on MNS. This was mentioned a few years back but there was no point trying to get a sponsor when the camera faces out of main stand. bit of a catch 22.

Lads as I said after the announcment at the Fns forum of the U21 games they key question is how much the FAI would be giving Rovers for the U-21 games.

At the end of the day the FAI will get any Sky Sports money and I would have thought all the entrance money as well, Rovers would only be facilitating them with the FAI basically paying a hiring fee (with or without costs?) to Rovers for use of the Showgies for the few days (teams would have the use of the ground the night before the game also obviously).

The club have never come out and said how much the FAI would pay them for the use of the ground, if it is only say Eur 6,000 and the gantry costs Eur 12,000 whats the point in Rovers doing it when money is tight enough at this time.

Also as a I mentioned at the time why dont the FAI - lend/donate Eur 12,000 or build the gantry and that gives the FAI say two U21 matches at the showgrounds with the AFi paying of the gantry negating any hiring fee for those two games.

I think the idea that the U21 gate recipts and TV money would all come to Rovers is way wide of the mark.

Longford have had a few of these internationals in The Flansiro. Marthino should be able to fill in the blanks with regard to money.

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Originally Posted by avvenalaf

Longford have had a few of these internationals in The Flansiro. Marthino should be able to fill in the blanks with regard to money.

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jaysus I wish avvenalaf we had two internationals one in 2001/02 season and 2005/06? I havent a clue about whether we made money out of it? Longfordian would know better than me ...Longfordian?

If we're to believe what was in the match program for the Europa game and the letter we received before the AGM investing €12000 into a gantry would be a waste of money. I'm sure it would be "nice" to stage a U21 international at the Showgrounds but if it didn't come generous financial rewards for the club it's not worth it. I'm sure the FAI would be keeping what would be made on the gate.

A very interesting point Dermot Kelly made during his Chairman’s address at the AGM regarding ticket sales for the FAI Cup Final where the club could have generated €17K had the FAI paid over the commission to our club for tickets sales. In the present economic climate the FAI thought it best to keep the interest of Ticketmaster at heart rather than the participating clubs who, let’s face it, needed the money more.
No greater example is needed to indicate the total lack of due care and concern for money strapped clubs.

i agree with you there clubman!

I feel we are in the same situation as the "greens"!. The fai are running rings around us with the cup final ticket saga and the turner disgrace