Atmosphere at LOI Grounds

I do think that the struggle to keep crowds coming to LOI grounds is partially due to the lack of atmosphere. There is nothing worse that going to any sporting event that has no atmosphere!

I remember the days at Finn Park when Harps last got promoted. The atmosphere at every match was excellent, particularly good when Derry and Shamrock visited. Now, the atmosphere is pure dull. No singing and very little colour. You would see more foreign merchendise at matches than Harps gear.

Its a similar story at most LOI grounds including Bray, Galway (a little better), UCD, Cobh etc. It doesn't take a huge crowd to make a great atmosphere. It takes organisation by clubs and supporter clubs. I remember the good days at Finn Harps - you would love to go back for the next match regardless of the result because of the atmosphere there. Now its dead and the crowds are down as a result.

Even a bad, boring match is enjoyable with a good atmosphere.

Hopefully clubs can put more effort into organising singing/atmosphere groups including an underage singing group and encourage ALL fans to join in. Also, the promotion of flags, scarfs, jersies should be encouraged more.

Its no conincidence that the teams with the greatest flare/atmosphere/colour have the best crowds - Cork and Derry.

Its time to raise the stakes!!

Some things that I think clubs should do to encourage atmosphere:

1. Organise an adult singing group, band and underage singing group for every home match. Hand out songs on paper before each match.

2. Hand out free mini flags to all supporters every 10 matches and tell them to bring them back to every match.

3. Put songs in the programme and hand out leaflets encouraging a better atmosphere, also with words of songs.

4. Get some large flags for every match - like most clubs already do.

Any other ideas?

What ever your stance on summer v winter football, there surely can be no debate which is better for atmosphere. You only have to go to a match in July to see how poor the atmosphere can be. There is something about going to watch football under floodlights imo ! I agree the lack of atmosphere is hurting the game.

P.S. Finn Park be prepared to defend yourself in this thread as there is one or two posters on here who will have a right go at you for what they will see as an attack on the league.

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Originally Posted by Rovers Maniac

P.S. Finn Park be prepared to defend yourself in this thread as there is one or two posters on here who will have a right go at you for what they will see as an attack on the league.

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I think everybody realises that a lot of grounds stand out for poor atmosphere - Bray and Harps seem the most obvious. Its difficult to stand there for 90 minutes with no proper atmosphere that makes football special

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Some things that I think clubs should do to encourage atmosphere:

1. Organise an adult singing group, band and underage singing group for every home match. Hand out songs on paper before each match.

2. Hand out free mini flags to all supporters every 10 matches and tell them to bring them back to every match.

3. Put songs in the programme and hand out leaflets encouraging a better atmosphere, also with words of songs.

4. Get some large flags for every match - like most clubs already do.

Any other ideas?

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clubs are very reluctant to do anything like that. anything thats done in the eircom league is by independent ultra groups.

All clubs can do is put the infrastructure in place - that means covered terracing. Organising the fun is just obviously false - these things have to be organic if they're to have any real meaning. I think such initiatives actually dilute the atmosphere, and sparks the rows about language used and abuse given out (which is all part of it).

Biggest problem I'd say is people getting older and having more reponsibilities so getting less drunk at the matches. Time and money would be better spent targetting younger kids with family stands and activities to attract the families and get them going regularly when they're 7 or 8. They'll naturally grow into the role as vocal fans as they get older.

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Originally Posted by Rovers Maniac

What ever your stance on summer v winter football, there surely can be no debate which is better for atmosphere.

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Summer !!

For us its summer hands down, although i do remember some great nights that were really great back in the day but yeah, summer football has lead to more consistant atmosphere filled games at the Cross.

And its as simple as suggested. If you are going to buy a jacket for yourself, buy one in your club colours, a hat/cap likewise. Absolutely no effort other than turn up and you are already adding to the atmosphere.

Song sheets, collections for drums, away trips on buses to start songs. Start with the keeper and finish with the striker, have a song for every player. Flares, confetti, flags, banners, anything that adds to the game.

Raise money through fanzines and collections and keep it going.

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Originally Posted by A face

Summer !!

For us its summer hands down, although i do remember some great nights that were really great back in the day but yeah, summer football has lead to more consistant atmosphere filled games at the Cross.

And its as simple as suggested. If you are going to buy a jacket for yourself, buy one in your club colours, a hat/cap likewise. Absolutely no effort other than turn up and you are already adding to the atmosphere.

Song sheets, collections for drums, away trips on buses to start songs. Start with the keeper and finish with the striker, have a song for every player. Flares, confetti, flags, banners, anything that adds to the game.

Raise money through fanzines and collections and keep it going.

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Hate to break the news having 3 or 4 guys beating a drum senseless and another guy with a trumpet is hardy what i would call a good atmosphere, no offence !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IZGwcXQtgk :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Macy

All clubs can do is put the infrastructure in place - that means covered terracing. Organising the fun is just obviously false - these things have to be organic if they're to have any real meaning. I think such initiatives actually dilute the atmosphere, and sparks the rows about language used and abuse given out (which is all part of it).

Biggest problem I'd say is people getting older and having more reponsibilities so getting less drunk at the matches. Time and money would be better spent targetting younger kids with family stands and activities to attract the families and get them going regularly when they're 7 or 8. They'll naturally grow into the role as vocal fans as they get older.

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Bad language etc does not have to be part of it. Bad language should be banned from all grounds.

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Originally Posted by Macy

Time and money would be better spent targetting younger kids with family stands and activities to attract the families and get them going regularly when they're 7 or 8. They'll naturally grow into the role as vocal fans as they get older.

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The family stand malarkey hasn't worked out in Bray. The lads who sing stay over in the new stand and there's been no noticeable increase in families attending Bray games since the Shed was torn down and replaced with that gazebo.

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Bad language etc does not have to be part of it. Bad language should be banned from all grounds.

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:D

Players and managers are the worst for bad language. You can censor fans all you want but the players aren't going to watch their mouths when they've something infinitely more important to be doing, i.e. playing the match.

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Bad language etc does not have to be part of it. Bad language should be banned from all grounds.

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I've a feeling the Town End would be empty if that was the case!

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Originally Posted by Rovers Maniac

Hate to break the news having 3 or 4 guys beating a drum senseless and another guy with a trumpet is hardy what i would call a good atmosphere, no offence !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IZGwcXQtgk :rolleyes:

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For the amount of people there is unreal. On par with something in Brazil in fact. Fair play to them.

What would you call a good atmosphere as a matter of interest?

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Originally Posted by A face

For the amount of people there is unreal. On par with something in Brazil in fact. Fair play to them.

What would you call a good atmosphere as a matter of interest?

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A dublin derby, proper derby game between two sets of clubs that love their club and with a huge amount of tradition, well over 100 years each so things can get pretty tense but it's magic.

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Bad language should be banned from all grounds.

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Post of the month :)

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Bad language etc does not have to be part of it. Bad language should be banned from all grounds.

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It might not have to be, but it is, and you can't in one breath be saying that you want to see better atmosphere and then introduce bans on bad language. It's that type of nonsense that is at least a contributory factor in killing the atmosphere in the epl. Take away the right to say f*ck and you take away the right to say f*ck the FAI (as Lenny Bruce nearly said).

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Originally Posted by Rovers Maniac

A dublin derby, proper derby game between two sets of clubs that love their club and with a huge amount of tradition, well over 100 years each so things can get pretty tense but it's magic.

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And barely 3,000 between the 2 of them!

Spare me!

In Finn Park its frustrating trying to get an atmosphere going. One lad organises the drums, flags, crowd covers, etc. The FBTN supporters club usually try to organise something but really thats not enough, it takes more people to get involved.
We usually end up with the usual 10/15 people singing every week.
In Derry both times this year the crowds all sang and there was a very good atmosphere, I had mates up who normally slate the LOI, since that game they have spoken about the atmosphere and how great the game was. (btw, it was a poor game of football)
I totally agree with fp, atmosphere is a massive part of attracting fans.

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Originally Posted by Sam_Heggy

I had mates up who normally slate the LOI, since that game they have spoken about the atmosphere and how great the game was. (btw, it was a poor game of football)

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That says a lot really. Most people don't know the difference between a good game of football and a bad game (most games are boring by nature, even Brazil are boring most of the time). It is the way the product is presented that is important and atmosphere is extremely important

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Originally Posted by Pablo

And barely 3,000 between the 2 of them!

Spare me!

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what ,some change?

His point relates to the amount of noise & atmosphere ,not the attendence figure.
As anyone who's been to the cross knows,when the away side scores it goes awfull quiet(not that rovers have done much there in recent years!)

atmosphere & attendance do not necessarily go hand in hand.

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Originally Posted by placid casual

what ,some change?

His point relates to the amount of noise & atmosphere ,not the attendence figure.
As anyone who's been to the cross knows,when the away side scores it goes awfull quiet(not that rovers have done much there in recent years!)

atmosphere & attendance do not necessarily go hand in hand.

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Bang a drum army !

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Some things that I think clubs should do to encourage atmosphere:

1. Organise an adult singing group, band and underage singing group for every home match. Hand out songs on paper before each match.

2. Hand out free mini flags to all supporters every 10 matches and tell them to bring them back to every match.

3. Put songs in the programme and hand out leaflets encouraging a better atmosphere, also with words of songs.

4. Get some large flags for every match - like most clubs already do.

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Half of these things are in no way up to the club to organise (and Id be embaressed if they did) and the other half are ridiculous, like song sheets. You're not meant to be in a choir. What do you mean by adult and underage singing groups? Why couldnt all the "singings" stand together? And they really shouldnt have to be organised. Either there are people willing to sing or there arnt. Im not a fan of bands at football matches either, if you ever see a proper atmospher on the continent or whatever you wont see or hear a band there. Another thing you said about wearing a jersey, I dont see how that's so important, most of our singing section dont wear jersies. I could go on but I have to leave work in a minute. Fair play for trying to create an atmosphere but in my opinion the generated atmosphere you're suggesting is the wrong kind.

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Originally Posted by Joey Killester

Half of these things are in no way up to the club to organise (and Id be embaressed if they did) and the other half are ridiculous, like song sheets. You're not meant to be in a choir. What do you mean by adult and underage singing groups? Why couldnt all the "singings" stand together? And they really shouldnt have to be organised. Either there are people willing to sing or there arnt. Im not a fan of bands at football matches either, if you ever see a proper atmospher on the continent or whatever you wont see or hear a band there. Another thing you said about wearing a jersey, I dont see how that's so important, most of our singing section dont wear jersies. I could go on but I have to leave work in a minute. Fair play for trying to create an atmosphere but in my opinion the generated atmosphere you're suggesting is the wrong kind.

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Regardless of what is said here it does take organisation.

The club is the fans and the employees so both shoulkd work together to make sure that there is a great atmosphere.

Something needs to be done at Harps anyway, fans won't come back if the atmosphere is crap.

Generated atmosphere is the only kind ;)

is there not some sort of group up at finn harps already who try to add a bit of colour and that. they hve a few big banners and that massive illuminous jersey. not sure what there like at home(will see friday) but they travel with good colour anyway.

there's nothing wrong with harps fans... we just havn't had a lot to sing about this year. and the numbers havn't been great cos the team has been playing shocking at times.

i would like the singing to happen in the stand but they have all gone behind the nets and the noise generated just goes up into the air so its lost to the rest of the ground. finn park isnt a great place for acoustics either, the noise either gets trapped in the shed where it cant be heard to away fans or if its out in the open you need big numbers singing to make it carry.

when we have the new stadium which is more like an arena, other teams will certainly not like coming there with the noise we'll generate.

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Originally Posted by the-blue-harp

the noise either gets trapped in the shed where it cant be heard to away fans

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you don't sing for the away fans,you sing for your own team:rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by finnpark

Generated atmosphere is the only kind ;)

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No its not, atmosphere is generated by the fans themselves, not by the club. It doesnt matter to me what you do though, so i dont know why Im even bothering arguing! :)

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Originally Posted by Rovers fan

you don't sing for the away fans,you sing for your own team:rolleyes:

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yea thats not the point i was making, i was making the point that you can be singing on one side of the pitch and you cant hear it on the other. so in the stand the atmosphere is great, but on the other side of the ground (were the away fans are) you cant hear it. merely!

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Originally Posted by the-blue-harp

there's nothing wrong with harps fans... we just havn't had a lot to sing about this year. and the numbers havn't been great cos the team has been playing shocking at times.

i would like the singing to happen in the stand but they have all gone behind the nets and the noise generated just goes up into the air so its lost to the rest of the ground. finn park isnt a great place for acoustics either, the noise either gets trapped in the shed where it cant be heard to away fans or if its out in the open you need big numbers singing to make it carry.

when we have the new stadium which is more like an arena, other teams will certainly not like coming there with the noise we'll generate.

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agree with that when i was in ballybofey for the playoffs there was sum atmosphere in the shed end with town and harp fans singin!

Was at the Bohs v St. Pats match during the week and stood with the Boo Boys for the first half. I have to say, those kids make some noise. Some of their chants about Pats were quite, ahem, creative. :)

i find in united park the atmosphere is better with a good away crown ie bohs rovers derry to name three.gets a bit of banter going back and forward.as regards flags and that the drogs ultras do a great job i think and they get funded independently by the rest of us having whip rounds etc.best way to be for ultras because get too cosy with the club and your looking for trouble

i was at Finn Park friday night,and the Harps lads were very quiet, maybe ye should all come back over to the shed stand? a roof always creates more noise.

Just read the thread in it's totality and I, for one, am embarrassed with it. The opening post and it's idea are nothing short of cringeworthy.

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Originally Posted by Rovers Maniac

Bang a drum army !

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Are you a bawbag??

You sound loo-laa!!!