National Newspapers Coverage On Rovers

**srfc1928** · 15/05/2009, 9:52 AM

I know this has been an issue for a long, long time. But the coverage in the national newspapers towards Rovers has hit an all time low this season. I bought the Mirror today as ive got p1ssed off with buying the Star. The Mirror has an 8 page pull out every friday on LOI (as most of ye know). In todays edition there is nearly 2 pages on the Pats V Rovers game containing 3 seperate articles, we dont get a mention in 1 of them not the words 'Sligo' or Rovers is mentioned never mind players, mangement, form etc.
As ive said i usually but the Star but in last saturdays edition, they had a decent sized article covering the Rovers v Shams game, it was all about shams and i can still remember the info on Rovers "Stephen parkhouse and Sean Doherty are ruled 50/50 to play" that was it. An absolute joke.

Its been the same all season, weve received no coverage whatso ever in any of them. A bit of balance is needed if they want people to continue to buy their papers

Rant over

**Rory H** · 15/05/2009, 10:00 AM

I don't know...I think it is pretty fair tbh.

**red_away** · 15/05/2009, 10:03 AM

Totally agree SRFC1928 - this has been an issue for decades and i cant see it changing!

Normally the journalists and photgraphers for national papers are based in dublin and stay in dublin and only come down the country for big matches (not always but mostly).

Hence the dublin teams get more stories, coverage, photos etc and generally can get more sponsorhip due to this exposure!

Its just a case of the country as a whole been dublin centric - i dont think anything will change this state of affairs!

**Dodge** · 15/05/2009, 10:37 AM

Another point to remember is that journalists are lazy and will print pretty much anything if the clubs come to them. I know for a fact that bott Pats and Shamrock have fairly active press people sending out releases and making players in the clubs available for interviews every week. All interviews are done by phone so location shouldn't really be an issue

**srfc1928** · 15/05/2009, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Another point to remember is that journalists are lazy and will print pretty much anything if the clubs come to them. I know for a fact that bott Pats and Shamrock have fairly active press people sending out releases and making players in the clubs available for interviews every week. All interviews are done by phone so location shouldn't really be an issue

Fair point, but still if they want people to buy their paper and give a balanced preview it doesnt take much effort

**Rovers1** · 15/05/2009, 11:35 AM

I think it has alot to do with our league position. At the end of last season i noticed The Star had interviews with Rommy, O 'Grady (X2) and Gavin Peers. The papers just give more coverage to the teams in the top 3/4.

**dong** · 15/05/2009, 12:10 PM

Agreed. Was much better towards the end of last season. Although the Dublin Clubs do feature more as a general rule.

**SligoBrewer** · 15/05/2009, 3:39 PM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Another point to remember is that journalists are lazy and will print pretty much anything if the clubs come to them. I know for a fact that bott Pats and Shamrock have fairly active press people sending out releases and making players in the clubs available for interviews every week. All interviews are done by phone so location shouldn't really be an issue

This is true. Rovers press releases by comparison to say Shamrock or Pats are very small.

**Mayo Red** · 15/05/2009, 8:33 PM

I'd have to agree with ya, srfc1928. This has been happening for years but we used to get the odd article written from our viewpoint. Instead I've noticed that this season it seems especially bad. Every time there is an article previewing a match Rovers are involved in no matter whether it is in The Star or The Mirror, it reads from the angle of the opposing team even when we are at home. Then there's only the small token blurb at the end mentioning one or two injuries we have??

For whatever reason, press releases or league position etc it's still not right, but then I guess we're not fashionable enough, nothing new there!! Cue "No one likes us, we don't care" chant!!

**The Midget Gem** · 15/05/2009, 8:54 PM

I agree with this. Always thought it myself. I'd read the papers daily and going by what is in them about us, in comparison with other teams, it really is horrible. Indeed taking into consideration our league position i don't blame the journo's one bit, who wants to hear about a team underpreforming and near the drop zone. But at the start of the season reading the build up to the season, very little coverage was done on Rovers which was annoying for me, considering we are representing the league in Europe this year.
It seems the only time we get big coverage in the national press is when our Chairman has to come out and say we are lobbying the league for a return to winter soccer.
Again just a little note, not sure if many on here get the Mail On Sunday? But they do write up on the league every week. On any matters to do with the league (usually they pick a club and write about it regarding news, etc). But i have not seen a report on the Rovers in this section for nearly 2 years now(and at that it was about Toolin and Winter Soccer

), and there has been reports on every club from Wexford Youths to Kilkenny City.
But maybe, maybe we are just not that exciting to write about, or furthermore read about?

**Guts&Glory** · 16/05/2009, 8:31 PM

Originally Posted by SligoBrewer

This is true. Rovers press releases by comparison to say Shamrock or Pats are very small.

Most journos just lift their material from websites anyway.

Test it out - compare match previews you read to the club websites and even what is posted on foot.ie re stories and rumours......it is where they seem to get most of their stuff.......saves them doing any legwork

**Rory H** · 16/05/2009, 8:35 PM

Originally Posted by Guts&Glory

Most journos just lift their material from websites anyway.

Test it out - compare match previews you read to the club websites and even what is posted on foot.ie re stories and rumours......it is where they seem to get most of their stuff.......saves them doing any legwork

thank god for that