Attendances 2022

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

UCD is in a pretty great postion in Dublin, as both Pats and Rovers are South West, it leaves South East kind of virgin territory. A pipe dream maybe, but there is no reason why UCD couldnt potentially be a team of an area of the city and the university team, and generate a strong core fan base not just directly connected to the university but people around South Dublin

There are other professional teams that grew out of Universities, Universitatea Craiova and FC Universitatea Cluj are both in the top division in Romania, Club Universidad de Chile and CD Universidad Católica are two of the biggest teams in Chile, and Universitario de Deportes are the most succesful in Peru. Not the same set-up as UCD but still, shows that being connected to a university shouldn't be a barrier for expanding.

Maybe we will have 3000 people at UC Dublin in the future.....

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I think the fact that the club is tied to the university is a major deterrent in drawing in new supporters, particularly ones that have no connection with the university. It’s almost like despite the team being in the countries top tier of football, people have the mindset of ‘ah sure that’s just some college team. Sure I wouldn’t start being a fan of DCU or someone so why would I support UCD’.

Although having said that, Cabinteely had a go in the league in that south east Dublin region and drew tiny crowds so maybe building a fan base from a tiny starting point is just too difficult when there are several other options to support in the city. Either that or there just isn’t the appetite for LOI football in what is an affluent and rugby dominated area

UCD deserve a LOT of credit for the way the play, and never being sucked into financial quagmires that have plagued the existence of many other LOI clubs, but it's hard to see how they'd ever even have a core of 500 fans never mind 3,000.

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

There are other professional teams that grew out of Universities, Universitatea Craiova and FC Universitatea Cluj are both in the top division in Romania, Club Universidad de Chile and CD Universidad Católica are two of the biggest teams in Chile, and Universitario de Deportes are the most succesful in Peru. Not the same set-up as UCD but still, shows that being connected to a university shouldn't be a barrier for expanding.

Maybe we will have 3000 people at UC Dublin in the future.....

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I was in Murcia city in Spain a few years back and their Uni team “UCAM” are v well supported in the city.
Probably helped by the fact they play at a great little ground in the middle of the city, former home ground of Real Murcia who moved out to a big stadium outside the city.

Late to this but I'm involved with Mount Merrion and there's definitely been a ramping up of activity with UCD this year, we've been a good few times, my young lad has been a mascot and ballboy. Big Mount Merrion presence at Richmond for the play-off final last year. That said lots of MM kids are now ST holders with their dads at Rovers, has become a big thing this season.

Worth pointing out too that South East Dublin has always been a Rovers hotbed - Dun Laoghaire, Ballybrack, Sallynoggin, Monkstown all Rovers and same heading west to Dundrum, Sandyford, Ballinteer and Rathfarnham.

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Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

Late to this but I'm involved with Mount Merrion and there's definitely been a ramping up of activity with UCD this year, we've been a good few times, my young lad has been a mascot and ballboy. Big Mount Merrion presence at Richmond for the play-off final last year. That said lots of MM kids are now ST holders with their dads at Rovers, has become a big thing this season.

Worth pointing out too that South East Dublin has always been a Rovers hotbed - Dun Laoghaire, Ballybrack, Sallynoggin, Monkstown all Rovers and same heading west to Dundrum, Sandyford, Ballinteer and Rathfarnham.

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Funny you should say that, i know a good few of the prople around Cabinteely and its amazing how many Fathers and sons are now ST holders or regular Rovers attenders now. Helped by the fact the kids were made feel completely unwelcome in Bray by the people there whatever the rights and wrongs

Rovers offers a great night out in top class facilities with a successful team and brilliant atmosphere for kids to experience. Once the kids go they want to return.

UCD is local and has the links with MMYFC but on the night of the play-off SF last year against Treaty for example with a big crowd there was no shop open and no match programme for sale.

Small things that mean a lot when bringing kids. Hard to convince kids to to go back not to mention the dads who were baffled that they couldn't even get a coffee on a freezing night.

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Originally Posted by WeAreRovers

UCD is local and has the links with MMYFC but on the night of the play-off SF last year against Treaty for example with a big crowd there was no shop open and no match programme for sale.

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In fairness, that was because of covid restrictions the club still had in place. Shop and programme only came back this year. (Well, programme was free online all last year, but not the same if you like your print copy of course)

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Originally Posted by 2 Year Contract

I think the fact that the club is tied to the university is a major deterrent in drawing in new supporters, particularly ones that have no connection with the university. It’s almost like despite the team being in the countries top tier of football, people have the mindset of ‘ah sure that’s just some college team. Sure I wouldn’t start being a fan of DCU or someone so why would I support UCD’.

Although having said that, Cabinteely had a go in the league in that south east Dublin region and drew tiny crowds so maybe building a fan base from a tiny starting point is just too difficult when there are several other options to support in the city. Either that or there just isn’t the appetite for LOI football in what is an affluent and rugby dominated area

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I think the location of the Belfield Bowl is a deterrent to any notion that the club could become more embedded in the local community It's buried away in the campus, so you'd never stumble upon it or pass it by normally if you were just a local resident, had moved into the area etc. Irish universities have extremely weak links in terms of identification with their local communities too (though the TUs may improve that a bit). With so many clubs to choose from in Dublin - and 2 other muhc bigger and more successful ones within just a couple of miles - why would anyone looking for an LOI team to support realistiically pick UCD?

32,412 the cup final attendance. Really poor shels crowd there. I saw the reports that they would be outnumbered by Derry but looking at pictures it’s by a huge amount. Ex shels men Cawley/Fenlon have mentioned that Derry have outnumbered them by 3 or 4 to 1. Great Derry crowd but that’s astonishing

Derry, Pat's, Cork, Bohs, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers. Are these the main clubs with the potential to bring good crowds to cup finals? Sligo maybe?

If Waterford ever sorted themselves out I’d say there’s potential there to bring a big crowd to a cup final…

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Originally Posted by legendz

Derry, Pat's, Cork, Bohs, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers. Are these the main clubs with the potential to bring good crowds to cup finals? Sligo maybe?

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Yeah would absolutely add Sligo Rovers to that, they travelled in numbers in 2010, and potentially Waterford.

Derry, Pat's, Cork, Bohs, Dundalk, Shamrock Rovers, Sligo and Waterford seem to be the clubs with that can attract support in good numbers. Waterford the only one outside the Premier currently. If all 8 are in the Premier Division the year after next, the Premier Division should potentially have better attendances.

Majority of provincial clubs can attract a good bandwagon support when they need to

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Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Majority of provincial clubs can attract a good bandwagon support when they need to

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Yeah when we had our heyday a lot of the johnny come latelys were out in force for both 03 and 04 finals for us. In RDS in 07 diff story was poorly attended that season

Always wondered what we would bring if we got there. Depending on the circumstances it could be very low, less than Shels this year or if the bandwagon came out in force we could bring a sizeable crowd. I know most of my Dublin based friends would go anyway despite never setting foot in FP

I always thought Donegal people have generally been particularly attached to their county, so just as the GAA team are well supported, Harps should be able to bring a Derry-level crowd to Lansdowne?

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Originally Posted by joey B

If Waterford ever sorted themselves out I’d say there’s potential there to bring a big crowd to a cup final…

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They had a bit over 2k at the promotion play-off on Friday. It'd be interesting if they got to a Cup final in the next couple of years to see how much attractive that is compared to a play-off.

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Originally Posted by Kiki Balboa

UCD is in a pretty great postion in Dublin, as both Pats and Rovers are South West, it leaves South East kind of virgin territory. A pipe dream maybe, but there is no reason why UCD couldnt potentially be a team of an area of the city and the university team, and generate a strong core fan base not just directly connected to the university but people around South Dublin

There are other professional teams that grew out of Universities, Universitatea Craiova and FC Universitatea Cluj are both in the top division in Romania, Club Universidad de Chile and CD Universidad Católica are two of the biggest teams in Chile, and Universitario de Deportes are the most succesful in Peru. Not the same set-up as UCD but still, shows that being connected to a university shouldn't be a barrier for expanding.

Maybe we will have 3000 people at UC Dublin in the future.....

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Sad truth of it is, third-level students these days want to spend as little time on campus as they can. When I was at uni, you needed to put in the hours in the library between classes and into the evenings. Now all the resources are online, and you can skip lectures because the notes – and maybe the recording – are in the VLE. Where I work, a common student request is for classes to be consolidated into as few days per week as possible. Partly it’s because rents are unaffordable so they’re commuting very long distances, but also because Covid opened the genie’s bottle on online and hybrid learning. Could be a lot of real estate on HE campuses in the next decade, though I hope not.

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Originally Posted by culloty82

I always thought Donegal people have generally been particularly attached to their county, so just as the GAA team are well supported, Harps should be able to bring a Derry-level crowd to Lansdowne?

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Like most places it's all about the bangwagon! The crowds for the GAA last year were absolutely pityful! If Harps were pushing for honours we would have much bigger crowds. The biggest games in recent years have had FP packed to the rafters. I guess we won't know unless we have a bit of success!