Realistic ambition...

What would you consider realistic targets for the league to pursue over the next year/5 years/10 years, etc?

I know everyone would love to have 60 000 attendances with 20 million per team in TV rights, but this is what I think is realistically achievable if the league is managed properly:

Within 2 years:
-All clubs operating on a sustainable financial footing with proper implementation of licensing

-Coordinated league marketing campaign, centrally from the FAI, and on a club level.

-Average attendances up to c.3000


Within 5 years:
-All stadia up to a certain quality, with proper toilet, changing and media facilities, and a certain proportion of covered seats for both home and away fans

-Continuation of marketing campaign and increased media presence, with 2 live games a week on TV, which are heavily promoted

-Increased advertising revenue due to above

-Average attendances up to c.4000+


Within 10 years:
-An Irish club to have qualified for the Champions League Group Stages

-Further development of marketing and promotion

-Further improved facilities, such as increased capacity, better media facilities, etc.

-Average attendances up to c.6000+


Any thoughts? Realistic or unrealistic? (assuming the league is run properly!)

1 season without *

I think most people will attend games in which the "product" is attractive.
By product you need local players and decent grounds. The ground doesn't need to be as fancy as The New Finn Park that is under construction, it just has to be clean with decent facilities unlike current FP.

League of Ireland clubs need to work harder on their links with Junior clubs. How many young players in their areas have moved to England / Scotland when they hit the age of 16? How many make it? Surely the young lad is better off plying his trade early on in the LOI and when he hits 19/20 the chance is always there to move on if he has developed enough.

At Harps our lack of youth development has seen us miss out on both of Ireland's first choice 'keepers (Given and Bonner) over the past 20 years.

International recognition is always going to draw people out to games, if Deegan/Powell/Murphy or whoever made the Irish squad for S Africa (not likely but for the sake of making a point) then I know Bohs would have an increase in attendance.

Barring all that I still think Mr.A's idea of monkey knife fights is a winner. If not then naked eastern European women at half time will always draw a crowd and increase the popularity of the league.

My main aim would have to be having all clubs in the leauge having stable finances.
Weather that be by making the league go part time again or otherwise,it just has to be done if we want to have a proper running league in the country.

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Originally Posted by peadar1987

What would you consider realistic targets for the league to pursue over the next year/5 years/10 years, etc?

I know everyone would love to have 60 000 attendances with 20 million per team in TV rights, but this is what I think is realistically achievable if the league is managed properly:

Within 2 years:
-All clubs operating on a sustainable financial footing with proper implementation of licensing

-Coordinated league marketing campaign, centrally from the FAI, and on a club level.

-Average attendances up to c.3000


Within 5 years:
-All stadia up to a certain quality, with proper toilet, changing and media facilities, and a certain proportion of covered seats for both home and away fans

-Continuation of marketing campaign and increased media presence, with 2 live games a week on TV, which are heavily promoted

-Increased advertising revenue due to above

-Average attendances up to c.4000+


Within 10 years:
-An Irish club to have qualified for the Champions League Group Stages

-Further development of marketing and promotion

-Further improved facilities, such as increased capacity, better media facilities, etc.

-Average attendances up to c.6000+


Any thoughts? Realistic or unrealistic? (assuming the league is run properly!)

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I wouldn't! 20,000 at most, I like the sort of you and a few others against everyone!

A week without a new thread on how to fix the league.

No way we'll get crowds up to an average of 3000 in 2 years, that'll take a lot longer I think.

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Originally Posted by CSFShels

A week without a new thread on how to fix the league.

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It's more of a thread on what constitutes "fixed"

Improving media coverage alone wont solve the leagues attendance problems I think the clubs need to get more involved in their communities to promote the club its shocking the lack of kids and teenagers or anybody wearing Town jersys in longford.Clubs must try harder. Also although summer football has helped the big clubs in europe its killing the smaller clubs attendances as people are buisy during the summer so are less likely to go to a match as apposed to the winter when theres no G.A.A and very little to do. A return to winter football would help attendences but stunt european progression. I was thinking as well that were probably not far off a team making it to the europa league group stages I hope shams come second because i think they cold do a job next year :) anybody agree or disagree??
My first post!

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Within 5 years:
......proper toilet.....

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Let's not get ahead of ourselves now.

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Originally Posted by peadar1987

What would you consider realistic targets for the league to pursue over the next year/5 years/10 years, etc?

I know everyone would love to have 60 000 attendances with 20 million per team in TV rights, but this is what I think is realistically achievable if the league is managed properly:

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If the league is managed properly, the following will happen.

2 leagues of 12.

The banning of weeknight league games bar international weekends. No "preferences".

All cup games played in midweek.

European progress to group stages

One station showing LOI football, committed to selling the league with a dedicated preview show, 1 live game per week shown at a different time to all the others for maximum audience, and a highlights show of every game from both divisions, full of goals instead of tedious chat.

Enforcement of punishments to those who don't comply with licencing requirements, regardless of the club, division, or status.

But then again, that would be if the league was been run properly.

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Originally Posted by kdjaC

1 season without *

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Couldn't put it better myself. I'd also include players not having to take wage cuts and/or not getting paid at all.

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Originally Posted by joey4ireland

My post, why have cup games on midweek? I can't see the benefit of that

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It doesn't disrupt the league programme, it doesn't leave clubs without a game until the semi final if they get knocked out early, and it doesn't give those who make it that far the opportunity to postpone league games until later in the season, thereby giving them an advantage, and the table a lopsided look. Apparantly the Setanta Cup, and League Cup Final are on weekends, which allows those clubs due to play league games then the chance to postpone them. Playing them in midweek would cut down on that abuse of the system.

Apart from here, Britain, and France, all other countries play all their cup games in midweek, bar their version of the FAI Cup Final. The CL final this year is on a weekend, while every other round is on in midweek.

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Originally Posted by joey4ireland

Nah I prefer it the way it is.

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I respect that, but people's preferences are part of the overall problem. If the league is going to be run smoothly and efficiently, like other leagues, then there will have to be radical changes, and they will have to be accepted.

It is crazy that clubs have 2 or 3 games a month in mid-season, then have 2 games a week near the end, as a result of postponements and other cancellations. It is bizarre that 3 tv networks cover the league, it is odd that live games are shown at the same time as other games. As it is, cup replays are always in midweek, so why shouldn't first ties? It's quite annoying that league weekends are broken up once a month for another competition, and that's when you're in it, it's really infuriating when you're not and you're idle for the week.

International weeks for example, are condensed into a restricted time frame every year, everyone knows when they are and can plan accordingly. It's not how it used to be, when countries could play when it suited them. I think most will agree the current system is much better. It doesn't take away the excitement or dilute the competition.

If we're going to run the league seriously, then organising games will have to be part of that. It is realistic, but requires people to swallow their personal preferences for the good of the league.

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Originally Posted by mypost

people's preferences are part of the overall problem.

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I think this is one of your funnier posts.

You seem to specialise in getting wound over issues no-one else cares about.

Realistic Ambitions?

Fans to wake up and take control of their destinations. It's your club, make sure it is run the way you want it.

Every club to undergo a rigorous strategic review of where they are and develop a plan. Note, plans consisting of "Paying first team everything we have" are not acceptable.

Clubs to engage with their communities and realise that no one owes them a favour anymore, they have ballsed up enough chances. It is up to them, not the League, to win the hearts and minds of their communities

Right, I'm stopping now before I really hit my stride.

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Originally Posted by MariborKev

Every club to undergo a rigorous strategic review of where they are and develop a plan. Note, plans consisting of "Paying first team..." are not acceptable.

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Sorry, just trying out my new official "Tom Coughlan-vision" specs.

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Originally Posted by MariborKev

Realistic Ambitions?

Fans to wake up and take control of their destinations. It's your club, make sure it is run the way you want it.

Every club to undergo a rigorous strategic review of where they are and develop a plan. Note, plans consisting of "Paying first team everything we have" are not acceptable.

Clubs to engage with their communities and realise that no one owes them a favour anymore, they have ballsed up enough chances. It is up to them, not the League, to win the hearts and minds of their communities

Right, I'm stopping now before I really hit my stride.

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Unfotunately, without a significant degree of intervention and regulation from the league, you're always going to have problems.

If any one club were now to invest in sustainable development of the fanbase, at the expense of wages, they would more than likely be relegated, which would cause the fanbase to take a massive hit, and be immensely unpopular. It is the league's responsibility to stop clubs from acting in this manner, and until they start showing some balls and enforcing proper initiatives onto the league clubs, you're always going to have rogue boards like those at Cork, Bohs, and previously Drogheda and Shels, making a joke out of our league.

Only then will clubs be able to start acting in anything like the manner they should be to provide proper, steady growth.

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Originally Posted by peadar1987

If any one club were now to invest in sustainable development of the fanbase, at the expense of wages, they would more than likely be relegated, which would cause the fanbase to take a massive hit, and be immensely unpopular.

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Without the risk of sounding glib chief, you're wrong and that is exactly the mindset of clubs here. Look at the likes of Exeter City and other Supporters Trust controlled clubs in the UK to see what can be done.

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Originally Posted by MariborKev

Without the risk of sounding glib chief, you're wrong and that is exactly the mindset of clubs here. Look at the likes of Exeter City and other Supporters Trust controlled clubs in the UK to see what can be done.

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Fair enough, we'll just have to disagree on this one. (Although Shamrock Rovers are a heavy weight sitting on your side of the scales!)