https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soc...clubs-36598541
Over 1 million revenue made from LOI TV last year,128% increase since 2021
Scanlon believe’s dodgy boxes are causing the same again being lost though
“social media presence continues to grow, with Instagram views up 284 percent to 67.9million, TikTok views up 123 percent to 21million, and YouTube highlights views up 45 percent to 1.7million.”
Irish by birth ,Harps by the grace of god.
The usual heavy Dublin bias there. I get why Virgin would think Dublin derbies would have TV appeal - but surely the majority of those interested in a game like Shels-Pats will be actually at it ? As opposed to screening home games for the likes of Waterford or Derry against the best-supported clubs, because away fan numbers to those places will be relatively low - so there would be a lot of motivated non-travelling fans keen to watch.Originally Posted by nr637
Derry only being screened once in the first 10 games is pretty disgraceful to be honest, given that they're title challengers and now also with the James McClean angle too (which would presuably attract people usually not interested in LOI). It just shows how Dublin-focused this coverage is (despite Galway being visited twice).
11 Dublin teams v 9 non Dublin teams in the 10 games with everyone being show. It’s pretty balanced considering the Dublin teams have the biggest support bases.
6 of the 10 televised games (60%) being located in Dublin, whilst only 40& of the Premier Division clubs are.
The Bohs v Pats game throws the figures. If Bohs v Pats was in Dalymount on a Friday night, only one game would be shown that weekend and the percentage would be 50%. Any club located outside of Dublin who are riding high after the first round of games will feature more in the latter rounds.
The Derby games are the biggest attraction and the only other real derby game is Dundalk v Drogheda which is on the viewing list. With stadium capacities mostly below 6k then the expected tv viewing figures for these games should be the highest. I understand your James McClean point but one fairly high profile signing doesn't guarantee winning the league and therefore shouldn't warrant more tv time. Derry attendance figures should rise with McClean in the team but if they are on a bad run these will drop off. However if Derry are on a winning run attendance will be good and I'm sure they will feature on VM a bit more. Remember there is always LOI TV so if someone really wants to watch a game they can do so for a small fee.
Also, the televised fixtures were announced before James McClean was announced as a new signing for Derry. To be honest if it had’ve been the other way around I feel they’d have featured more than once in those first 10 games as Virgin do seem to like the angle of the ‘big names’ on their coverage which is also part of the reason why they had shels/duff on so much and Kenny/Pats when he returned initially
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Does that mean if Bohs sign Dele Ali they'll be on even more?
But 50-50 isn't balanced either, when you have a 40-60 split.
Do we have statistical evidence to say that Shels v Pats, for example, would draw a bigger TV crowd than for example Cork v Rovers (in general - obviously not this year) ? Or Derry v Rovers? Or do we just all nod along with the belief that Dublin teams are always the biggest draw, no matter which ones it is or how they're doing in the league?
Also - as I outlined earlier, a very high proportion of those most motivated to watch both teams at a Dublin derby (i.e. their main siupporters) will be at the game (and yes - I know away tickets are limited). Whereas when any of the Dublin clubs play away - especially in places like Cork, Derry or Sligo - there are literally thousands of regular supporters of one of the two teams playing who don't go/can't go - and therefore dependent on wathcing on TV. So which is realistically going to attract more hardcore LOI fans/watchers?
With the exception of Bohs-Rovers, it honestly feels like there is a lazy assumption that the Dublin teams and Dublin derbies is where all the big TV interest is at in the league. But unless there are actual audience viewing stats to prove that, it's all just assumption/opinion/prejudice.
They've more chance of getting Delhi Belly.
I'm not a dub, and don't live there, so I've no bias in this. But considering the 4 Dublin clubs had the highest average attendance last year, and also all 4 finished in the top 5, it makes sense from a commerical interest to have a mild bias towards showing those sides.
When RTE were the ones showing the league, that bias seemed excessive, where as right now they've got the balance right imo.
The most watched match on LOITV last year was Bohs vs Pats
https://x.com/leagueofireland/status...351497390?s=46
Paaatrick's Agletic
In your example above you mention Cork and Derry v Rovers, the big audience attraction there would be Rovers or it could be Bohs or Pats. If Derry played Cork, Galway or Waterford the figures would be less and I'm sure you'll agree with this. So the biggest attraction are the Dublin clubs, until a club from outside of Dublin overtake rovers and attracts more viewers. This may be Derry who have assembled a great squad this year and hopefully somebody can take the title from Rovers. I don't think it's a lazy assumption, it's more of an accepted fact. Someone also posted here that Bohs v Pats was the largest audience on LOI TV last year. When I'm sure most people on here would have thought it would be Bohs v Rovers or Rovers v Derry in the title race. If Derry V Rovers was on VM I'd be watching Bohs V the bottom club on LOI TV.
Mentioned on one of the podcasts last year, matches invovling Dublin teams have consistently higher viewing figures.
With Virgin, they're a commercial company, so it makes sense they'll pick Dublin teams, and ideally Dublin venues as it saves on their travel costs.
Personally, I'd be happy not having any matches from the Brandywell on TV, as it affects attendances. Not as much as it did in the past, but still an impact.
I subscribed for LOITV last year. The coverage was fine. I know highlight shows have gone a bit out of fashion but I think they should offer a preview show and a highlights show, a collaboration between VM and LOITV.
So does that mean that EVERY Dublin derby is gong to draw the biggest TV crowds in the league? Because that is the assumption here.
But that actually reinforces the point I'm making. I suspect that, for example and in general terms, a Derry-Rovers or Cork-Rovers game would draw a bigger TV crowd than a Shels-Pats game. For reasons that I've otulined a couple of times already.
Virgin didn't say that Dublin derbies draw the biggest crowds - just games involving a Dublin team.
You're unintentionally agreeing with me here.
Does a game involving one of the main Dublin teams usually draw a good TV crowd? Yes. Does that game have to involve TWO Dublin teams to do so? No. And often the fact that a proportionately very small number of fans travel from Dublin for games in places like Sligo, Cork, Derry etc means that the TV audience is likely to be amplified by screening Dublin clubs in such away locations. More so than screening a Dublin derby, when the majority/a high proportion of those interested amongst both fanbases will be at the game instead.
You seem to be overlooking the fact that the people who select the matches, Virgin, have access to literally all viewing figures and have televised games such as Cork vs Dublin clubs, as well as Dublin derbies, so they have the data to compare.
The fact that they’ve opted for the derbies in their first announcement of fixtures over the other options should probably tell you all you need to know given that as Brendy says, they’re a commercial company and putting on the matches that do the best viewership numbers is obviously in their best interests
If Pats/Shels/Rovers play Bohs in Dalymount for example, you have only 450 away fans at it, meaning there are thousands watching at home. Bohs sell out Dalymount so they too have thousands watching at home.
The other option being say Cork at home to one of the Dublin clubs. Yes you have a lot of the away club’s fans watching on tv, but for Cork they aren’t selling out and the figure of fans watching on tv is likely to be lower than the amount a Dublin club would have when their home ground is sold out
Last edited by 2 Year Contract; 25/01/2026 at 12:11 AM.
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