Marketing the EL

Looking at a lot of threads recently about why the league is struggling etc there seems to be a consensus that the league is not being marketed correctly/sufficiently, it got me thinking. What could be done?

While I have no background in marketing I tried to think of a few common sense things

Most if not all clubs would have a marketing dept, what if they got together monthly or bi-monthly to coordinate a focused and streamlined strategy, the league should not just pay lip service to this and should provide a budget to ensure clubs can develop a decent marketing strategy

Technology should be embraced, text updates and goal flashes should be promoted, use of the internet for delayed match highlights etc would be a profit generator, the technology to do this is there.

Clubs need to identify their target market, they should make contact with local schools and junior clubs etc for 2 obvious reasons: firstly you will hopefully pre-empt sky sports etc and create support – junior supporters clubs etc, and of course clubs can identify talent – I know a lot of clubs do this already but this should be a standard.

If clubs could come together with TV3 ( for example ) and broker a deal for live game and highlights package, there is no doubt that there is a market for live footie on TV – RTE are screening the confederations cup as we speak, this market needs to be tapped into, this would be a symbiotic relationship and RTE display a palpable lack of interest in the league at the moment anyway

Finally, and probably most importantly, players from the league need to establish themselves in the senior squad, when any player has been called up to the squad the daily rags are filled with it, this gives the league a huge profile for that week.

While this wouldn’t be a complete list of what needs to be done, and some clubs probable already do all this, its something to ponder

Posters! :o Heh.

Christ, get full page adverts in the papers! I'm sure some fans would donate towards this, I know I would, it wouldn't cost much if a few did it and the club helped, and if its a well designed advert it could draw attention. Maybe I read the wrong papers, but I never see that shít!

There was an idea set forward on the Shels board, after it was noticed on the Bohemians board, to do posters for the games for people to print out to put in Work/College etc, but don't think this had been taken up to its full advantage. Also, I hardly ever see posters in town for games, I've seen Shels ones by the flats on Kevin street, and out beside Drumcondra station, thats it! Never even seen any for other clubs.

Radio adverts, would be cool, and good. Would get alot of exposure that way. It appears that Cork's RedFM are very into their team, would be nice to see that sort of commitment from stations around the country.

TV deal as you said would be great, some of RTE2's premiership ads were great, something like that (complete with dramatic music) would catch the attention of people.

ARG! You have me going nuts here! :o Feel like spray painting my work's wallas with ads! ;)

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Originally Posted by EnDai

ARG! You have me going nuts here! :)

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I know what you mean

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Originally Posted by EnDai

There was an idea set forward on the Shels board, after it was noticed on the Bohemians board, to do posters for the games for people to print out to put in Work/College etc, but don't think this had been taken up to its full advantage. Also, I hardly ever see posters in town for games, I've seen Shels ones by the flats on Kevin street, and out beside Drumcondra station, thats it! Never even seen any for other clubs.

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Galway have posters around the city, in shop windows where ye can buy tickets. Wondering does it work at all? It could get a few impluse buyers, I'm sure.

This may sound stupid but posters are only seen by people that look at them, i think that clubs need to be more pro-active, getting people who wouldnt normally come across the league to take notice

[QUOTE=EnDai]Posters! :o Heh.
some of RTE2's premiership ads were great, something like that (complete with dramatic music) would catch the attention of people.
/QUOTE]

Yeah i think thats a great idea.Tg4 do something like that for most of the live games they show.I've always wondered why it is that rte do not want to cover el matches yet when they do they never advertise them,imo the reason is that they are just showing it as a token jesture and donnot really care how many people watch it.In their add for Rte sport they include every sport under the sun which they cover but not he el or the fai cup even do one of the clips is from a shels match.Some of the adds for the gaa championship are very effective,i presume its the gaa themselves who pay for this or a sponsor?Would it not be possible for the el to try and arrange for one to be put together?Would Rte even be interested in showing it?

Pains me to say it (ouch) but the GAA are the perfect example of how to market a game. they market the game as a whole, and the same should be done for the Eircom League.

The GAA have nifty ad's on tv, great brand association and now they even have the option to deliver goals after games to mobile phones. Now the GAA are big and can do all of this becuase the TV & sponsor backing is there.

Tv stations are not willing to dip into their sports budget to competively bid for Eircom League games. They'd rather spend it showing games from foreign shores and showpiece nothing tournaments (confederations cup).

The Eirom League is currently stuck between a rock and a hard place. TV companies are not that interested becuase of the product on display, but without TV the game cant draw new support and therefore improve the product on the pitch.

The Setanta cup is a welcome addition and their coverage provides the medium through which it can be promoted. However I for one dont want to subscribe to Setanta so I dont see these games. Like alot of people. I think Setanta should air these games free and draw in an audience. Then down the line, pay-per view (not yearly subscription to entire channel) could come in.

There are lots of issues/problems/concerns about Eircom League football and these have no doubt been raised over and over again. If we as supporters of Eircom League football want every aspect of it to improve, then we the supporters should get involved. What makes anyone think things will change by themselves.

So I put forward the idea for supporters of the Eircom league to come together for the benefit of the game. We could found an Eircom League Supporters Association or we could gather into regional user groups. An association would be ideal and give a professional front to further supporter ideas etc etc. By coming together supporters have more power than just existing seperately. We can all sit here for days, weeks, months, years like we have done and talk about these things. If we want a stronger league let's get set-up together and go out there and do it .

What do you think ?

I wonder if we did something like wrote letters/petitioned the FAI to fund an advertising scheme for the EL what would happen? Like a TV ad thats good like the GAA one's, you know - catches your attention. I mean, that in itself would be more effective than posters (that said, the new billboard sized GAA posters are quite good!) etc combined with radio (thought I do think radio would be great).

If nothing else it would be nice to see their reponse (if any), we need advertising for our league, and if the people running it can't be arsed to promote it what hope do we have? And what better place to start than on TV? Surely the FAI have to back something like this? It's not like theres not enough quality footage to make a short, compelling, advertisement.

This is the kind of response i was hoping for,

I think the GAA have a vested interest in promoting every game, its centralised and coordinated, the El seems to be fragmented, some clubs promote better than others, surely between them they can meet and come up with a strategy

if Ireland ( fingers crossed ) qualify for the world cup then football will be on a high in this country - this needs to be tapped into

With 2 more months of premiership-free time now is also a good time to try to entice new supporters, for any/every club, and regain old supporters who have lost touch with the EL.

There is no coordinated effort & eircom do nothing!

Think about all the other sports in this country & you will see their sponsors marketing their sport.

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Originally Posted by pete

There is no coordinated effort & eircom do nothing!

Think about all the other sports in this country & you will see their sponsors marketing their sport.

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Didn't the LOI run TV adverts a good few years ago??

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Originally Posted by garykelly

Pains me to say it (ouch) but the GAA are the perfect example of how to market a game. they market the game as a whole, and the same should be done for the Eircom League.

The GAA have nifty ad's on tv, great brand association and now they even have the option to deliver goals after games to mobile phones. Now the GAA are big and can do all of this becuase the TV & sponsor backing is there.

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This only happened once the big companies came on board. To take hurling as an example, the majority of advertising and publicity was created by Guinness once they took over the sponsorship. The GAA themselves are rubbish at advertising games - how much advertising do you see for club finals on St. Patrick's Day for example? Would be a prime occasion that families in Dublin could go to after the parade and they could have family tickets etc to boost the crowd.

Unfortunately, the mentality with all sports organisations in Ireland is to get the sponsorship and leave the sponsors do all the work then. The league (similar to the GAA) would most definitely not pay for TV advertising, even for general publicity for the league - they expect Eircom to pay for that if they want it.
IMO it would be better to get a sponsor on board who really wants and needs the publicity, even if they pay less money. Look at the publicity that Setanta generated over just one cup competition. Why? Because they are desperately trying to get their name out there and attract customers. Until either the League or its sponsors remove the proverbial finger, the marketing will remain rubbish.

i think the fai are actualy starting to get their fingers out in regards to marketing (around the dublin area anyway) was in a few pubs keoghs cafe insane and 2 others and they had posters in the toilets up advertisisng the el and what matches were coming up over the next few weeks from both divisions in the dublin area

A few ideas that could promote the EL without actually costing the Association much money.

1/ English Pools coupons... lobby to get EL matches put on Pools coupons during the summer when the English Leagues including the Premiershi* are in their close seasons. At present they use Australian matches to fill the void.

2/ Produce a weekly goals package to be shown on Eurofoot the Euronews Highlights package. This channel can be seen in Hotels across Europe in something like 6 major European Languages.
It is also widely available on Cable TV packages offered all over the continent.
These same highlights could be shown on Eurosport; Sky Sports and other TV networks, including ESPN in the Americas.

Producing this package of goals could be done by harnessing all the TV networks currently covering the domestic League. Profits could be shared between the EL/FAI and the networks concerned.
At the end of the season a DVD Goals of the season could be produced for sale at home and by mail around the world. It could also be ordered via the Internet etc.

and before you say the fractured fixture list would mitigate against the Pools idea... you could do it a week in advance i.e use the following week's fixtures and use this week as the deadline....

Those channels wouldnt show it they just wouldnt unfortunately

A Face/EnDai,

A group of us are working on getting the NLSA (National League Supporters Association) up and running. It's arisen out of the initiative to get the tickets back for the Israel game that the FAI wanted to take off the various EL supporters groups.

Our biggest problem to-date has been getting people who want to get off their arse and do something. As per usual - people are quick to moan but very, very slow to do anythign to help improve their lot.... :confused: :(

We already got the first draft of a manifesto of fans demands/activities etc. I've made a note of your names and we'll PM you both to see if you want to get more involved.

Anyone else who's interested in helping out, please PM me.

Thanks,

Steve

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Originally Posted by CollegeTillIDie

A few ideas that could promote the EL without actually costing the Association much money.

1/ English Pools coupons... lobby to get EL matches put on Pools coupons during the summer when the English Leagues including the Premiershi* are in their close seasons. At present they use Australian matches to fill the void.

2/ Produce a weekly goals package to be shown on Eurofoot the Euronews Highlights package. This channel can be seen in Hotels across Europe in something like 6 major European Languages.
It is also widely available on Cable TV packages offered all over the continent.
These same highlights could be shown on Eurosport; Sky Sports and other TV networks, including ESPN in the Americas.

Producing this package of goals could be done by harnessing all the TV networks currently covering the domestic League. Profits could be shared between the EL/FAI and the networks concerned.
At the end of the season a DVD Goals of the season could be produced for sale at home and by mail around the world. It could also be ordered via the Internet etc.

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Some excellent ideas there. If you produced and sent the goals to the channels you mention they would show it, why not? Sky have shown EL stuff before, the FAI cup final gets a thirty minute highlights programme repeated regularly on Sky every year and Sky Sports News has shown Irish football highlights before. They'd be getting them for free and it'd take up very little space in their news programme which they're always looking to beef up anyway as it's usually fairly lacking in content. Eurosport would show anything, once they don't have to go out of their way at all or pay money to get it they'd show it imo. Not too sure about ESPN though.

The DVD idea is a brilliant one too, sold on the FAI website (don't laugh) and hopefully a few places would pick them up. You could make a bit of money on that, espically if each club sold it too.

The main thing that needs to be done is the FAI to get off their arses and to market the game.

We used to have signs advertising our next home game on the main roads into the town back when we had home games.

'The main thing that needs to be done is the FAI to get off their arses and to market the game.'

Lads, ye can blame the FAI all ye want for it but the reality is the clubs have to take most of the blame and get up off their arses. The full time players in this country have it handy and are getting away with doing a few hours training 5 or 6 days a week for a nice handy wage packet :mad: .

Obviously posters all around towns, local radio stuff, newspaper ads, etc are your basics. General PR stuff locally (like a group of us Drogs organised a big supporters pr day last season which resulted in our biggest league attendance since we got promoted - if that could be done a regular basis......)

But the people that should be hit are the kids in school - this is the generation that can be brainwashed - majority of our generation, forget about them, they've sunk too far into their barstools. Getting the players to go to the schools constantly (and i dont mean a couple of times a year to each school or doing it for a year or 2) - I mean that every school has players in EVERY week for the next number of years, talking to the kids about last weeks match and next weeks match, taking a PE session, etc (obviously this can only work with the full time teams but they should be doing this constantly by them and they should lead the way).

Brainwash the kids basically :D

Obviously it would be good if the FAI could lead the way and come up with a marketing programme that clubs must abide by every season - but whats stopping the clubs taking the initiative :confused:

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Originally Posted by bigmac

Until either the League or its sponsors remove the proverbial finger, the marketing will remain rubbish.

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Yeah cos i'm sure they'll wake up one morning and have an epihany and say "what have i been doing all this time. must sponsor eircom league"

They are never going to get the finger out. But let's just point the finger, blame someone for all our troubles and just sit here and talk.