Irish League is much worse supported than the League of Ireland. League as a whole seems to be much better run though. IFA actually give a crap about their league.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
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Irish League is much worse supported than the League of Ireland. League as a whole seems to be much better run though. IFA actually give a crap about their league.Quote:
Originally Posted by Longfordian
This is it.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
I would argue that the FAI are similarly well run, just that certain individuals in positions of influence have aims other than promoting football.
What it costs to be allowed enter the LOI vs the prize-money is one thing that supports the above (that won't draw a solicitors letter).
It must have been a good week for some of those clubs as I check this a few times when our season is over and most of the dankse bank premiership crowds are well under 1k.Quote:
Originally Posted by JC_GUFC
I always think they would be better served moving to Friday nights, apart from the odd Ulster home game, they would have a free run.
This site has attendances for pretty much every league in Europe. Even the Faroes, Estonia, Luxembourg, etc. Interesting comparison (with the usual caveats on the figures that apply here, of course)
SPL average down 40% with Rangers, Hibs and Hearts in the First Division.
Hi Nigel, I was at the Bray v Derry game despite a big advertising campaign pre-match I would estimate approx 750. Derry brought very few supporters and had a weaken team a week before their Cup semi-final.Quote:
Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954
Updated final figures (not much extra updates really. Added in estimates of 700 for two Limerick games and 800 for Derry v Athlone as well as the Bray figure given):
PREMIER DIVISION
Athlone - 653 (754; 271; 200; 354; 462)
Bohs - 1,395 (1,597; 1,496; 1,488; 1,835; 2,366)
Bray - 718 (891; 965; 1,121; 952; 1,169)
Cork - 3,777 (1,965; 2,786; 2,128 FD; 1,693 FD; 2,681)
Derry - 1,106 (1,446; 1,460; 2,135; 1,965 FD; 2,436)
Drogheda - 1,064 (817; 977; 811; 859; 1,106)
Dundalk - 2,534 (1,997; 949; 1,355; 1,877; 2,371)
Limerick - 757 (1,649; 734 FD; 569 FD; 598 FD; 429 FD)
Pat's - 1,386 (1,687; 1,474; 1,346; 1,756; 1,631)
Rovers - 2,269 (2,763; 3,127; 3,779; 3,794; 3,611)
Sligo - 1,959 (2,342; 3,007; 2,103; 1,807; 1,756)
UCD - 397 (487; 506; 558; 610; 272 FD)
FIRST DIVISION
Cobh - 223 (439; 2008 - 1,122 PD; 681; 368; 403)
Harps - 449 (479; 429; 433; 644; 480) -
Galway - 975 (No previous)
Longford - 567 (379; 365; 315; 230; 260)
Rovers B - 231 (No previous)
Shels - 713 (1,114 PD; 1,187 PD; 781; 737; 972)
Waterford - 470 (478; 453; 466; 619; 434)
Wexford - 331 (227; 302; 216; 343; 494)
PREMIER AVERAGE: 1,502 (1,566; 1,630; 1,547; 1,512; 2,010)
FIRST DIVISION AVERAGE: 495 (391; 372; 578; 682; 417)
OVERALL AVERAGE: 1,160 (1,140; 1,125; 1,110; 1,095; 1,175)
OVERALL FIRST ATTENDANCE: 55,408
OVERALL PREMIER ATTENDANCE: 297,334
OVERALL COMBINED ATTENDANCE: 352,742
Whenever I look at the data on that site, it amazes me how many leagues have averages lower or slightly higher than the LOI, yet have teams in the EL & even the CL. Crowds it seems isn't everything when there is investment instead.Quote:
Originally Posted by pineapple stu
I'd like to see a study on the funding models of clubs in similar-sized leagues to ours. In a lot of cases, the interest is there but going to games just isn't particularly affordable for people, but they still watch on TV and the club benefits from the attention and their sponsors/investors benefit from the association. In Ireland, we have a rare situation where attendances at games more or less exactly matches the interest level. There's not a huge amount of untapped value there for businesses to explore, although we are seeing clubs like Dundalk do a great job of getting Fyffes involved in a mutually-beneficial relationship.Quote:
Originally Posted by ger121
To state the obvious one of the problems with LoI is that our own wealthy business people invest in the bottomless pit of the English and Scottish game. It still baffles me really that someone hasnt taken a punt on one of our own clubs that for a fraction of the cost to get a British club in to Europe (thinking of the likes of Sunderland) they would be almost gaurenteed European qualification with an outside chance of Europa league groups and just maybe one day a Champions league group slot. It would be a damn sight cheaper than investing in the Carliles or Gretnas. Ive often thought that one of these sheiks might get bored with buying a Man City type plaything and go for a proper footballing challange and see how change of a days interest payment of say 20mil could get them with a Rovers or Dundalk et al. Of course there has to be Association will for this too.
It helps that Fyffes are a Dundalk based and owned multi-national company. I dont think they saw much benefit to being a sponsor of Dundalk FC initially beyond a kind of local social responsibility. The positive perfect storm of new owners, a top manager, increased gate and the league win with the EA cup and Setanta final, throw in the rags to (relative) riches and some roy of the rovers stuff with some players and Fyffes have seen some actual benefit from the sponsorship. Over the main door of their premises in Dundalk is a big sign 'Proud Sponsors of Dundalk FC', it has been said that they have increased their sponsorship too. They have funded a promotional/inspirational type video on their own steam. Total Produce as a subsidiary of Fyffes are also on the back of the shirt. We are lucky to have an international brand associated with us and long may it continue. With such a main sponsor and the credibility associated, with the onfield sucess i'd hope that there are other at least local companies that want a little piece of what is happening in Oriel. The last day of the season became a high profile national event where even dyed in the wool GAA folk from Tipp and Wicklow (one chap is on central council at Croke Park) were texting with their congrats and saying that they enjoyed spectacle - I was genuinely surprised! Of course this is an oppertunity that DFC can build on and no doubts we will but other clubs are bound to be able improve things like sponsorship with the right people inolved and avoid negative publicity. It also helps that in Louth we dont have the mix of sporting success that Limerick FC, Cork, and Dublin clubs deal with as an aside in their area or County, Galway and Harps(?) too.
On thread the 2500 average in Oriel this season I think can be built upon as the final day scenario meant a lot of new and lapsed fans were in Oriel. Quite a lot of the European employees from the likes of PayPal were evident in attendence and of course we told them it was like this all the time:p Corks attendence speak for themselves, both Rovers in the mix and their crowds will recover, Derry should improve and Longfords first season back will replace UCD stats (sorry Stu). On your pint Charlie re investment (must have deleted a couple of lines) it would be interesting to see a piece of research looking at the domestic private and public investment in various leagues and then the external inward investment too. Maybe this info exists and i've just not stumbled across it but would be a super piece of work to see. In our own situation league membership cost and financial return would be an interesting contrast to see; factor in national associations' pay to employees and a sing song and legal threats to British media powerhouses might get the CEO's direct and more appropriate attention...in that when he gets that being one of the lads and buying big rounds isn't helping his FAI 'role' he might stamp some developmental legacy on the league that is not just jazzing up Dalymount.
Can ye tell its a quiet night at work after that ramble and after saying that we shall probably be slammed from now on!! ..... Yup the crazies landed in after the last sentence of doom, 2 hrs to home time ugh!!
"On your pint Charlie" freudian slip or i'm jaded, and giving Danny a run for his money for the crazy long post that most will see and go 'too much so not bothering to read';)
Very interesting first paragraph. I remember the huge investment made into QPR a few years ago to make them into a Champions' League team. I can't see that happening in the near future. I agree that it would be easier to get a LOI team into the Champions League than a club like QPR. ('Easier', but not easy). It would have to be a Dublin club picked for investment though - and I'd guess you'd have to even narrow that down to Shamrock Rovers or Bohs.
I'm guessing that Rovers played more games in Europe when they were in the Europa League than Munster or Leinster would play to win the Heineken Cup? Is it viable to have a football team that would be geared (almost) completely to playing in Europe?
The reason Irish oligarchs don't invest in the league has to do (apart from cultural factors) with the model of Irish capitalism. Irish capitalism doesn't really do investment at all, it leeches parasitically off privatisations and multinationals. Thus, the Premier League/SPL (or whatever it is now) are a better fit, because the value is created overseas and they don't have to build a project from the ground up with no assistance, something most of them have zero experience of.
I believe they are so happy with the relationship with DFC, that they doubled their sponsorship for 2015. Now before anyone thinks this is mega bucks, what they were giving was moderate compared to some other clubs, but its a step in the right direction. Whats more important is their non stop support in almost every other part of the club. We do indeed appear to be very fortunate to have them as partners.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
On the attedance figures, finishing on 2,500 was ok for a moderate catchment area, population wise, attracting 4,500 local fans on the final night was more impressive, however basic spectator facilites must be addressed to continue the good will and attraction of lapsed and new fans, families being the key market.
You do know that not all 4,500 were Dundalk fans right?Quote:
Originally Posted by oriel
4500 + you Cork folk id imagine was what was intended. Maybe you've started to erase the evening in question from memory;)
I still haven't seen an officiall attendance. I thought it was about 4-5000 in total. About 1,000 of whom were from Cork.Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesta99
I havent myself. There is a bit of a readjustment with fans' crowd estimates at Oriel I think. Attendances must have been over estimated in the past as when official attendances were released there was a lot of 'there wasnt less than x game last season' sor of discussions. For myself and while Oriel has changed a bit, there was a estimated 6-7000 at the 2002 Cup semi v Shamrock Rovers, I didnt feel that is was a bigger crowd than a few weeks ago.Quote:
Originally Posted by El-Pietro
Portadown have just tweeted to say there has been a 12% increase in premiership games up there, an equipment of an extra 109 fans at each game. That's an incredible stat, great to see.
They were, that's why I put that figure in, as it was the home support total on tickets sales and season tickets and approx compliments.Quote:
Originally Posted by El-Pietro
The away support was around 800 (700 terrace and 100 stand) giving a final total of approx 5,300.
This was one of only two home crowds that an exact figure wasn't given for, the other being the LC Final v Rovers, (3,500) same reason as the Cork game, final compliment and sponsor totals not fully counted.
BBC article on attendances.Quote:
Originally Posted by outspoken
Lists a few factors there, competitive league this season (which it is) and some clubs trialing Friday night matches.
Will be interesting to see if the figures hold up over the next few months. Dark, freezing, rain-soaked January afternoons will lower attendances, and with the inevitable postponements due to waterlogged/frozen pitches, matches on Tuesday nights won't be as well attended either.
I go to Institute matches myself, and attendances compared last season are improved, I'd say above that 12% average too. Promotion helped, but the biggest increase has been caused by the greater travelling support.
I go to see Warrenpoint a bit (use to go to Newry a good bit before they went balls up) and the away attendances def have improved.Quote:
Originally Posted by brendy_éire