Besides being populated by the 'Big Day Out' sport fan in this country, its also about tradition, stamina, stomach and committment. The typical Irish sports 'fan' doesnt have the tradition, stamina or stomach or is willing to give the committment to supprt their team over a long hard season in all weather, knowing as the vast majority of us do, that our team wont win anything.....again.
Its just not a tradition in this country like it is in other countries. GAA is about supporting your team for a couple of games a season over a short space of time in the summer (compare league vs championship attendances or a Leinster Hurling final vs All Ireland Final attandance). Rugby is about 3 home pool games and possibly a couple of knock out games - what's that...approx 7 or 8 home games a season for the most part? AIL is dead.
Supporting a team through 30 or 40 games a season is a totally different proposition and most couldn't be arsed especially if a perceived better product is being served up to them from the comfort of their sofa or bar stool in their nice warm living rooms or boozers. That's why it will always be alien to most people in this country. That's why being a LoI supporter will always be looked at as a curiousity, an oddity someone to be patronised and patted on the head as if we are all football eccentrics....maybe we are!