Travel Expenses?

(Maybe this has been done before, put anyway)

80% of teams in the Premier League come from the Leinster area, with the majority of those teams now coming from Dublin. Does this put regional teams at an unfair disadvantage when it comes to travel costs of buses, food, accommodation etc. over the length of a season? For example:

Total mileage to Away games for St. Patrick’s Athletic: 1228km
Total mileage to Away games for Sligo Rovers FC: 6068km

Should the FAI put a Travel Expenses system in place to help level the playing field or is it a case of you can’t help where you live!

but then other things cost more in Dublin that around the country. We going to have everything adjusted?

While it might be a disadvantage to Galway and Sligo, the teams are all in that league on merit and will change over the course of time

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Originally Posted by Dodge

but then other things cost more in Dublin that around the country. We going to have everything adjusted?

While it might be a disadvantage to Galway and Sligo, the teams are all in that league on merit and will change over the course of time

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Dont know if id agree with that (apart from the drink)

A dublin team will have 12 trips under 50km, 2 about 90km and 2 trips at about 210km.
A regional team will have 12 trips at about 210km, 2 about 175 and 2 trips at about 140km.

Bus hire aint cheap.

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Originally Posted by redobit

Does this put regional teams at an unfair disadvantage?

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A disadvantage yes but not unfair.

Derry City will have to undertake no less that 9543km to away games this season. This will also require overnight stays in Waterford x2, Wexford x2 Limerick x2 and Cork x1. The time is surely right for an 16-18 team league, which will balance the amount of travelling and decrease the number of times a team plays another team in one season. For example, Bohs will play every team in the top tier 4 times not including cup games in the league cup, Fai Cup, Setanta Cup etc.

Limerick will probably get less points than Waterford this season, which is a disadvantage in terms of our promotion chances, and I'd like to see the FAI take action on it.

Why don't Sligo simply ask the FAI for the following example schedule


Sunday PM - Drive down to Dublin in a luxury air conditioned coach

Monday Evening - Play St Pats at Richmond Park - then retire to a B&B in Inchicore

Tuesday Evening - Play UCD at the Belfield Bowl - spend the night in the University Halls

Wedesday Evening - Head down the road to the SDCC Stadium to play Rovers - negotiate a decent room rate with the Maldron

Thursday Evening - Take a nice seaside trip down the coast - resulting in them playing Bray that evening - sleep on the platform in the Dart Station next door

Friday Evening - Get said Dart back into the city - then hop on the Airport Bus - getting off at Santry - short walk up to the Morton Stadium - play Sporting Fingal

Saturday Evening - Make the short journey to Dalymount, and play the fixture vs. Bohs - then it's a nice walk down to the Busaras where the squad could sleep in the station hall whilst waiting for a scheduled Bus Eireann service back West.


Travelling expenses slashed to a minimum - sure they could get a group deal on a dozen or so Rambler Tickets easily

The obvious solution is to relocate Sligo and Galway somewhere a little more accessible. Like Wicklow.

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Originally Posted by baz-dcfc

This will also require overnight stays in Waterford x2, Wexford x2 Limerick x2 and Cork x1.

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Require an overnight stay?

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

The obvious solution is to relocate Sligo and Galway somewhere a little more accessible. Like Wicklow.

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Smashing Idea, A la MK Dons, we could have The WW Tribesmen or the WW Culchie Rovers

Thats the spirit. Think of it as bettering yourself socially

Won't be long before you can eat something other than ham sandwiches, then you'll stop watching killinaskully. By the end of the year you might even wear jeans with a belt.

When you start wearing tracksuits and injecting heroine, you've gone too far

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Originally Posted by baz-dcfc

Derry City will have to undertake no less that 9543km to away games this season. This will also require overnight stays in Waterford x2, Wexford x2 Limerick x2 and Cork x1. The time is surely right for an 16-18 team league, which will balance the amount of travelling and decrease the number of times a team plays another team in one season. For example, Bohs will play every team in the top tier 4 times not including cup games in the league cup, Fai Cup, Setanta Cup etc.

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Harps are in much the same location as Derry (only about 35 miles of a difference) but we rarely, if ever, do an overnight stay in Limerick. There is no reason why you couldn't leave Derry at 10.30/11.00am on a Friday morning for a trip to Limerick. Stop around Galway for a pre-match meal at 1.30/2.00ish and you would still be in Limerick by 4.00pm. The expense of travelling on a Thursday to Limerick, staying overnight, hanging around all day Friday (and meals on a Thursday evening and probably two on a Friday) must mean huge expenses. I know, last season, Harps travelled up/down to Waterford as well on one-day trips (once for a game that was postponed an hour before kick). The same I would say is true of our trips this season to Limerick, Waterford and Wexford. Now, if the kick-offs were at 2.00pm on a Saturday/Sunday, we would have to do an overnighter, but where possible, we always do day trips. If Derry are going to do 7 overnights this season, I'd estimate each overnight to cost in the region of €1,500 - €2,000 EXTRA on top of bus hire. Then again, Stephen Kenny had Derry staying overnight on all trips to Dublin last season so he likes his nights away. I agree, getting the best preparation before a game is vital, but the costs involved in so many overnights is huge.

Everytime you think of the hassle of travelling to Dublin redobit - just think " hey its not all bad - I could be from Dublin".

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Originally Posted by Dodge

then you'll stop watching killinaskully.

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Your actually suggesting someone watchs that?

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Originally Posted by harps1954

Harps are in much the same location as Derry (only about 35 miles of a difference) but we rarely, if ever, do an overnight stay in Limerick. There is no reason why you couldn't leave Derry at 10.30/11.00am on a Friday morning for a trip to Limerick. Stop around Galway for a pre-match meal at 1.30/2.00ish and you would still be in Limerick by 4.00pm. The expense of travelling on a Thursday to Limerick, staying overnight, hanging around all day Friday (and meals on a Thursday evening and probably two on a Friday) must mean huge expenses. I know, last season, Harps travelled up/down to Waterford as well on one-day trips (once for a game that was postponed an hour before kick). The same I would say is true of our trips this season to Limerick, Waterford and Wexford. Now, if the kick-offs were at 2.00pm on a Saturday/Sunday, we would have to do an overnighter, but where possible, we always do day trips. If Derry are going to do 7 overnights this season, I'd estimate each overnight to cost in the region of €1,500 - €2,000 EXTRA on top of bus hire. Then again, Stephen Kenny had Derry staying overnight on all trips to Dublin last season so he likes his nights away. I agree, getting the best preparation before a game is vital, but the costs involved in so many overnights is huge.

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They stayed overnight in Sligo for I think their cup game against us last season iirc.

Our chairman estimated it would cost about €3000 i think for each overnight stay for mervue and salthill games.

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Originally Posted by harps1954

I know, last season, Harps travelled up/down to Waterford as well on one-day trips (once for a game that was postponed an hour before kick). The same I would say is true of our trips this season to Limerick, Waterford and Wexford. Now, if the kick-offs were at 2.00pm on a Saturday/Sunday, we would have to do an overnighter, but where possible, we always do day trips.

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Maybe that's part of the reason why Harps are still stuck in the first.

Apart from costs I don't see what the problem is in travelling for 3-4 hours for a game, especially in a league where everyone is pretty much in the same boat (ie part time). The difference between a part-time and full-time player isn't the level of training possible, it's recovery, so full time sides are one up on that score. In saying that I wonder if there could be a case made for a certain share of the gate going to the away side (as it used to in the English leagues, though I'm not sure if it operated here). 10% of gate take would at least make it a bit less difficult and for teams who bring big support with them mean they can get a little something back from it.

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Originally Posted by Charlie Darwin

The obvious solution is to relocate Sligo and Galway somewhere a little more accessible. Like Wicklow.

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Ha! Good luck getting planning permission for anything off Wicklow County Council.

Might have better luck just south of the border in Wexico.

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Originally Posted by Spudulika

Apart from costs I don't see what the problem is in travelling for 3-4 hours for a game, especially in a league where everyone is pretty much in the same boat (ie part time). The difference between a part-time and full-time player isn't the level of training possible, it's recovery, so full time sides are one up on that score. In saying that I wonder if there could be a case made for a certain share of the gate going to the away side (as it used to in the English leagues, though I'm not sure if it operated here). 10% of gate take would at least make it a bit less difficult and for teams who bring big support with them mean they can get a little something back from it.

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It's an idea alright, I think it did happen in our league before. Clubs who bring big away support would get something back but the majority of clubs don't bring much away support. The last two games in Tallaght for example, 3000 odd at both games, shligo had thirty fans maybe (fair enough it was a monday) and bray brought less than twenty. Just say 3000 paid in on the night that would equate to a four grand payment to clubs who brought no-one with them, couldn't see it as a goer.

particularly when of 3000 that attend a rovers game 2500 may be season ticket holder. Granted not all will attend but add in sponsors, patrons etc and you might have only 500 paying customers on the night. Half them are students, OAPS or kids. The "gate" receipts might be only €8,000 or so. No way should an away team get half of that

(and Rovers would by far the highest attendances in case anyone thinks I'm trying to take a pop at them)

I heartily endorse the idea of split gates.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

particularly when of 3000 that attend a rovers game 2500 may be season ticket holder. Granted not all will attend but add in sponsors, patrons etc and you might have only 500 paying customers on the night. Half them are students, OAPS or kids. The "gate" receipts might be only €8,000 or so. No way should an away team get half of that

(and Rovers would by far the highest attendances in case anyone thinks I'm trying to take a pop at them)

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Not half, but 10% would be okay. It probably sounds too goodie goodie, but it would spread money around and little and give a bit of a chance to small clubs. The main problems will remain though - fiddling the numbers, spending the windfall on players.

There is a system in some countries regarding away games that I heard at a conference in London some years ago, I think it's in the J-League, where the league pays clubs 35% of their travel costs each year and prize money is lower overall. I could be completely wrong but someone working for a Japanese employer might enlighten me - something similiar works like this in their corporate world. I think the travel costs are calculated centrally and dished out instead of Billy O'Leary sticking in an invoice for double the cost).

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Originally Posted by Spudulika

Not half, but 10% would be okay. It probably sounds too goodie goodie, but it would spread money around and little and give a bit of a chance to small clubs. The main problems will remain though - fiddling the numbers, spending the windfall on players

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10% of what though? How are season tickets or double match tickets included? Should the away side pay 10% of the costs incurred to promote the match?

Just not workable

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Originally Posted by Dodge

10% of what though? How are season tickets or double match tickets included? Should the away side pay 10% of the costs incurred to promote the match?

Just not workable

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Sounds a difficult way to redistribute funds. Why should bigger clubs fund smaller clubs to that extent anyway ? Shams have the biggest crowds but in my opinion have done the best promotional work, why should they not benifit from that promotional effort ? Proposal is a charter for lazy clubs - why bother, sure we can cash in on other clubs efforts ;)

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Originally Posted by Spudulika

I think it's in the J-League, where the league pays clubs 35% of their travel costs each year and prize money is lower overall. I could be completely wrong but someone working for a Japanese employer might enlighten me - something similiar works like this in their corporate world. I think the travel costs are calculated centrally and dished out instead of Billy O'Leary sticking in an invoice for double the cost).

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I worked for a Japanese company in Japan. My travel costs were just a monthly bus/train pass, and I bought it with my own money, but received the same amount as part of my monthly salary. There are limits to how much you can claim though, and there are websites companies can check to see if the employee is trying to cheat a little (by buying a more expensive pass at the start, then buying a cheaper one from then on but still being reimbursed for the higher amount ). This would be absolutely standard as a way of paying travel costs.

No idea if J-League travel costs are centrally dealt with, but I do know that in the Asian champions League, the away teams get a subsidy for their travel costs.

And as for the issue of LOI travel expenses (and the away team getting some % of the gate - wtf??) - I'd say it's nonsense, each club should take care of itself.

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Originally Posted by marinobohs

Sounds a difficult way to redistribute funds. Why should bigger clubs fund smaller clubs to that extent anyway ? Shams have the biggest crowds but in my opinion have done the best promotional work, why should they not benifit from that promotional effort ? Proposal is a charter for lazy clubs - why bother, sure we can cash in on other clubs efforts ;)

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I HAVE IT QUOTED!!! A BOHS FAN PRAISING THE EFFORTS OF SHAMROCK ROVERS!! NO EDITING NOW MB!!

Seriously though, it is an unworkable idea. How do you determine what a fair percentage of the gate should be? and what about other activities that the home club will have budgeted this money for, like wages, youth development, ground upkeep, and so on.

the idea of a centrally managed travel fund is interesting, would probably take a bit of work to make it function properly though.

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Originally Posted by osarusan

but I do know that in the Asian champions League, the away teams get a subsidy for their travel costs

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UEFA give all entrants money to cover costs too