2026 Attendances

[1983Hoop]

I have noticed when comparing crowd sizes between Dublin and Belfast cubs people tend to use the whole of the county of Dublin as a population against the population of Belfast City. Dublin City itself is just under 600k and this is traditionally up until 2009 where the 4 major clubs were based and mainly attracted their support from. Football is popular in the County of Dublin but would come under serious pressure from the GAA in North County Dublin and rugby in South County Dublin. There has been a huge influx of people into Dublin over the last 20 odd years or so and unfortunately the majority of people don’t seem that interested in the league speaking from personal experiences. There are many attractions competing for punters on a Friday evening in Dublin compared say to Belfast at 3pm on a Saturday. Facilities or lack of in 3 of the 4 grounds is a big turn off especially for say non Dubs and also at times the standard of the product on offer. I work with football fans from across the world and when I ask them have they gone to a game here the list above is usually the reason why they may have gone to 1 and no more or haven’t gone at all.

[EalingGreen]

welll you have 6 out of 20 if you include Bray and UCD with Rovers,Shels , Pats and Bohs but the problem with starting new clubs Dublin City, Cabinteely is they have no support and are reliant on investment which when it runs out there goes the club

I'm not talking about "parachuting in" new clubs - that clearly doesn't work.

Admittedly from the perpective of someone with no direct knowledge of Dublin football, I was thinking more of already well-established, existing clubs which might, in time, aspire to Senior status.

[EalingGreen]

Football is the number 1 sport by a country mile in London, at best footballl is fourth in Dublin in terms of support behind GAA football, Hurling and Rugby the crowds for the Dubs in football and hurling and Leinster for Rugby would be higgher than all the Dublin clubs together......maybe not every match but on balance

That's one way of measuring it.

But "support" isn't binary i.e. a lot of people who attend Leinster or GAA games have also an interest in Football.

While your definition of "biggest" doesn't take account of the number of people who play the various codes - local, schools and colleges, youth football, LSC etc - plus the various other volunteers and administrators etc. In that respect, Football must be much closer to GAA and Rugby than you allow.

All of which is before you account for the the ability to pack out Lansdowne with 50k for ROI games, never mind "TV football fans" - Celtic, Man U, L'pool etc - who might conceivably be recruited to the joys of local football*.


* - Not just instead of, but as well.

[Glen Of Aherlow]

It needn't go that far, or even as far as London - twice the population of ROI, but 7 x PL clubs, 6 x EFL clubs and a dozen(?) more within the immediate surrounding areas.

I'm merely making the point that there must be a lot of untapped potential in Dublin, yet the FAI/LOI appear to be concentrating more on developing clubs in the provinces, including places which have never had LOI football before. (I always think there must be a reason for that)

The LOI clubs currently in Dublin have a lot of untapped potential which , apart from Rovers , can only be realised through large investment in outdated stadiums with restricted capacities . Surely it’s better to realise the full potential of these clubs rather than introduce new clubs which will also be looking to draw from the same pot where finances are concerned

[BigEars]

The LOI clubs currently in Dublin have a lot of untapped potential which , apart from Rovers , can only be realised through large investment in outdated stadiums with restricted capacities . Surely it’s better to realise the full potential of these clubs rather than introduce new clubs which will also be looking to draw from the same pot where finances are concerned

If any Intermediate/Junior Dublin clubs are ambitious enough, they'll have their chances to develop through the National League.

But there's no question we'd be better off as a league overall if we try to develop the big 4, Dublin clubs + UCD and Bray, than have 20 smaller clubs in Dublin all trying to operate at Senior level.

All that'd do is dilute resources and talent, so we don't have talented players playing with other talented players and most will end up with poor facilities.

[Roones26]

Not 1 crowd within even a couple of hundred of 1000 this weekend in the first division

[outspoken]

Yeah Longford crowd looked very small, disappointed given it was a nice day. Hopefully that win might draw a few out next week.

[MoydowMonty]

Our 2 games at home to Wexford last season didn't even break 450. So 542 last night is an improvement. If we somehow went every home game getting minimum 500 at each I think that could be called a success.

[legendz]

Leagues with most aerial play as per aerial duels per 90' ball in-play...
https://x.com/i/status/2035401054402273568

From comments elsewhere on here seems Treaty are joining the hoof ball brigade. Kerry's brand of football so far this evening is poor as well. VM don't even acknowledge First Division except for the promotion-relegation one off playoff. In terms of podcasts - LOI Central Premier focussed only.

First Division playoff is a lifeline but the division as a whole gets low national coverage.

[Roones26]

Yeah Longford crowd looked very small, disappointed given it was a nice day. Hopefully that win might draw a few out next week.

I'd worry about some of these as well with the clubs counting all season ticket holders as attended whether they are there or not so I think the actual crowd is probably smaller ?

[Buckett]

Ya can't be showing the first division on a national broadcaster, it's absolutely shyte. If a floating sports fan saw it and assumed that the Premier was basically the same, the sport here would never grow! It's the graveyard for good reason. If a club doesn't like it, step up and get yourself out of it!

[outspoken]

I had heard VM were going to show the goals from the FD this season but some of the footage simply wouldn't be broadcastable on TV.

[nigel-harps1954]

Ya can't be showing the first division on a national broadcaster, it's absolutely shyte. If a floating sports fan saw it and assumed that the Premier was basically the same, the sport here would never grow! It's the graveyard for good reason. If a club doesn't like it, step up and get yourself out of it!

Au contraire, isn't that exactly how we expect to get bums on seats, if it got a bit more coverage?

I had heard VM were going to show the goals from the FD this season but some of the footage simply wouldn't be broadcastable on TV.

Audio issues were the reason I was given. Most of the commentary sounds horrible, and not even just the commentary itself, the sound is awful.

[cobhlad]

Not 1 crowd within even a couple of hundred of 1000 this weekend in the first division

Very early in the season for things to be falling off to those numbers. Can’t blame the weather, or any big clashes.

Tough for the clubs. Is there any real way to grow First Division attendances?

[outspoken]

Au contraire, isn't that exactly how we expect to get bums on seats, if it got a bit more coverage?



Audio issues were the reason I was given. Most of the commentary sounds horrible, and not even just the commentary itself, the sound is awful.

Sorry that's what I meant. Again, I'd never criticize another commentator, most of the lads in the FD are volunteers but some of the carry on couldn't be put on TV

[legendz]

Very early in the season for things to be falling off to those numbers. Can’t blame the weather, or any big clashes.

Tough for the clubs. Is there any real way to grow First Division attendances?

The playoffs are a lifeline but since Waterford - no clubs have looked likely to earn promotion via the playoffs.
FAI Cup semi finals aren't played in neutral venues. League Cup finals used to have a home team. When Bray took on Waterford in the promotion/relegation playoff, if it was over two legs having a bumper crowd when hosting the Premier opponent would be a big event.
There's no major incentive for finishing 2nd or 3rd. The deck chairs of the playoff lifeline possibly could be adjusted. Down to the clubs & FAI to work that one out.
Treaty for their region are underperforming. Are there many other clubs where a sizeable support would be expected..

[Roones26]

Au contraire, isn't that exactly how we expect to get bums on seats, if it got a bit more coverage?



Audio issues were the reason I was given. Most of the commentary sounds horrible, and not even just the commentary itself, the sound is awful.

I think there's a nuance to this piece, like you do want to see it get more coverage, but you also need to have it presented in a way that doesn't confirm people's pre-existing biases and I'm not certain that showing a game on TV with, with respect, a minimal attendance will do much positive

I genuinely don't know what the answer to the FD is, a lot of them are provincial clubs, which we can litigate again what an acceptable attendance is, but I think even being charitable, you would expect it to be better than that. Perhaps there is a piece in the structure that its too difficult for clubs to compete with 11 clubs for 10 places I think its a super challenging one

[Longfordian]

Sorry that's what I meant. Again, I'd never criticize another commentator, most of the lads in the FD are volunteers but some of the carry on couldn't be put on TV

You wouldn't necessarily need to broadcast the commentary if you were just showing the goals? Could just have graphics and maybe crowd noise or someone introducing it. Not 100% ideal but better than not showing anything.

[2 Year Contract]

You wouldn't necessarily need to broadcast the commentary if you were just showing the goals? Could just have graphics and maybe crowd noise or someone introducing it. Not 100% ideal but better than not showing anything.

Isn’t that what they do anyways for the premier division goals? They play the goals and Tommy Martin gives a quick run through description from the live studio

[nr637]

Not 1 crowd within even a couple of hundred of 1000 this weekend in the first division

Yes, but a consistent average of over 500 per game is the level that the First Division has reached and consistently over a 36 game format.