Respect for LOI increasing

**bennocelt** · 06/10/2008, 6:09 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

No. it was just the football, we'd be OK. A lot of people who aren't obsessed with football might be more willing to go to games if the grounds (and related facilities/amenities) were better.

yeah Dodge i understand that, but whats the point of trying to attract them anyway, let them follow the rugby or ga

**Keen2win** · 06/10/2008, 6:25 PM

Originally Posted by bennocelt

yeah Dodge i understand that, but whats the point of trying to attract them anyway, let them follow the rugby or ga

Money. Plain and Simple.

**Saint_Charlie** · 06/10/2008, 7:29 PM

Originally Posted by elroy

Tribune had a nice little big at us yesterday with their 'poll' as to why there was a relatively poor attendance at the Pats game.

What was their findings then?

**John83** · 06/10/2008, 8:54 PM

Originally Posted by Saint_Charlie

What was their findings then?

That most of us were on foot.ie, bitching about the media bias. There were some other 'funny' bits in the pie chart, but I don't remember them.

**The Sheliban** · 06/10/2008, 11:50 PM

I don't see any evidence for a new respect for the League.
They said the same about Bohs performances in Europe in the nineties, Shels, Derry and Cork (and now Pats) in the last ten years and the perception is always of the "plucky" - God I hate that word - little Irish side nearly getting through.
The only respect we'll get is if one side gets through to the Group stages of the Champions League or UEFA Cup and that will only happen through a combination of fortunate draws and incredible performances.
And if it happens, the rest of the teams will be battling for 2nd place in the league every year.

**The Rebel Ram** · 07/10/2008, 1:23 AM

Does anyone think that it is the cost of getting into a game.
I think the �15 is way over priced, for a family to attend, 1 or 2 parents with a couple of kids it's an expensive night out.
If it is reduced to �10 next season with pay cuts to reflect this then I recon there will be an increase in attendances.
I think the recession can be a good thing for the league.
There won't be as many travelling to England for the weekend a few times a year.
People won't be working as many shifts or overtime which has impacted on attendances too.
The price has to be reduced though.

**Macy** · 07/10/2008, 8:37 AM

Originally Posted by John83

That most of us were on foot.ie, bitching about the media bias. There were some other 'funny' bits in the pie chart, but I don't remember them.

The only mention of the League of Ireland that I could see in the whole paper was that poll. Just because we're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get us.

**Steve Bruce** · 07/10/2008, 10:16 AM

Can I say that the Linfield example isn’t really a good one. I would say vastly more than 50% of the Linfield support is from other areas outside of South Belfast. We have a big support base in West/North Belfast, Lisburn, Bangor, (North Down), Carrick, Ballymena, Coleraine, Londonderry, Larne, Newtownards etc.

Basically the Linfield support is Northern Ireland wide concern. Unionist South Belfast has shrunk massively over the last load of decades and the Linfield support has expanded to further a field. You just go to a typical Linfield game and you hear all sorts of accents.

Now if you had of used Ards as an example that would have been better. Especially since they have been away from Newtownards for quite some time and there support base has shrunk big time as they are no longer part of the Newtownards society. However if they got a stadium in Ards again, they would no doubt get a large part of there support back.

**Martinho II** · 07/10/2008, 9:10 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Bruce

Can I say that the Linfield example isn�t really a good one. I would say vastly more than 50% of the Linfield support is from other areas outside of South Belfast. We have a big support base in West/North Belfast, Lisburn, Bangor, (North Down), Carrick, Ballymena, Coleraine, Londonderry, Larne, Newtownards etc.

Basically the Linfield support is Northern Ireland wide concern. Unionist South Belfast has shrunk massively over the last load of decades and the Linfield support has expanded to further a field. You just go to a typical Linfield game and you hear all sorts of accents.

Now if you had of used Ards as an example that would have been better. Especially since they have been away from Newtownards for quite some time and there support base has shrunk big time as they are no longer part of the Newtownards society. However if they got a stadium in Ards again, they would no doubt get a large part of there support back.

why where are ards based now and how far away is their ground from newtownards???