Lack of initiative shown by League

**joeSoap** · 29/01/2010, 9:38 AM

I work in advertising and therefore are probably more aware of where adverts are placed than others might be. I find it quite ironic that this site now boasts a rather large noticeable advert from Allianz advertsising its forthcoming sponsorship of its league campaigns. I wonder if the FAI were approached to do something similar for the league? And if so, what its response was.

This is in no way a criticism of the site for getting advertising revenue from the GAA, I applaud it. But surely this sends a message to the LOI and surely tells them that they need to be more proactive, especially now in times of dwindling attendances.

**weecountyman** · 29/01/2010, 9:56 AM

joeSoap, it all comes from how difficult the situation is for a governing body to try a be all things to all men. It's been mentioned on other threads how P1 could do this and that, or even that a management company be established to oversee the running of the leagues. A specialist CEO brought in and a top notch operations team running it. They'd be able to create events, which is what Irish people are now into. No longer to sit in a crumbling cowshed, but to have "entertainment" served up in comfortable surrounds. If this happens then the LOI will grow, but as it stands the LOI/FAI are non-staffed to make it happen.

**joeSoap** · 29/01/2010, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by weecountyman

joeSoap, it all comes from how difficult the situation is for a governing body to try a be all things to all men. It's been mentioned on other threads how P1 could do this and that, or even that a management company be established to oversee the running of the leagues. A specialist CEO brought in and a top notch operations team running it. They'd be able to create events, which is what Irish people are now into. No longer to sit in a crumbling cowshed, but to have "entertainment" served up in comfortable surrounds. If this happens then the LOI will grow, but as it stands the LOI/FAI are non-staffed to make it happen.

I'm not talking about a massive PR operation here. I'm talking about a small outlay of advertising revenue to help generate attendance-something that Allianz see fit to do for their GAA sponsorship. It's all about getting the message out there, and it looks like the FAI couldn't be arsed doing it for the LOI.

**weecountyman** · 29/01/2010, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by joeSoap

I'm not talking about a massive PR operation here. I'm talking about a small outlay of advertising revenue to help generate attendance-something that Allianz see fit to do for their GAA sponsorship. It's all about getting the message out there, and it looks like the FAI couldn't be arsed doing it for the LOI.

I understand what you're saying, but the FAI would have to get in an outside agency for this and as a result costs would rise. In order to get bang for buck they'd have to put on a fullscale PR campaign, and it would pay off. I wonder if the FAI dedicated 20% of each International gate to the development of a proper league pyramid would it make any difference.

**dahamsta** · 29/01/2010, 11:23 AM

What do they need an agency for? Those ads are delivered via AdWords, which a monkey could run. Or they could contact me and run a campaign directly; I'd even be willing to give them the run of the site for a limited period, for a fair price. The cost would be a fraction of newspaper or TV reporting, either way.

I don't understand why they've never been in touch. They've plenty of monkeys like*.

adam

* Ah. That might explain it.

**John83** · 29/01/2010, 11:27 AM

Last year, Derry went boom, Kildare aren't coming back any time soon, Cork are still tottering on the brink, and it's no secret that the rest of the clubs aren't exactly triple-A rated on the stock market. Getting the clubs to the point where the league's media coverage isn't all about unpaid wages and winding up orders is a far higher priority than advertising.

**Enruoblehs** · 29/01/2010, 11:40 AM

How many people on this site are not aware of everything that the FAI would be advertising?

**dong** · 29/01/2010, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by joeSoap

I'm not talking about a massive PR operation here. I'm talking about a small outlay of advertising revenue to help generate attendance-something that Allianz see fit to do for their GAA sponsorship. It's all about getting the message out there, and it looks like the FAI couldn't be arsed doing it for the LOI.

That pretty much sums it up I think.

**Longfordian** · 29/01/2010, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by dahamsta

What do they need an agency for? Those ads are delivered via AdWords, which a monkey could run. Or they could contact me and run a campaign directly; I'd even be willing to give them the run of the site for a limited period, for a fair price. The cost would be a fraction of newspaper or TV reporting, either way.

I don't understand why they've never been in touch. They've plenty of monkeys like*.

adam

* Ah. That might explain it.

Strange alright. They spend enough time fretting about what's posted on here, you'd think they might want to use it to their advantage for once.

**dahamsta** · 29/01/2010, 12:23 PM

Actually I won't fault the FAI on that, they've never contacted me directly about the site and indirect requests have always been polite and non-demanding. Even the clubs aren't too bad about it, although they are snakey in that they generally send a lackey to do their dirty work. The players are the worst, particularly in the other leagues. Primadonnas. "Dey sed I are a bad player, and I are NOT!"

**Longfordian** · 29/01/2010, 12:26 PM

I know they do keep a close eye on it though and like to know who's who on here if possible. Suppose it's no great surprise.

**dcfcsteve** · 29/01/2010, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by joeSoap

I work in advertising and therefore are probably more aware of where adverts are placed than others might be. I find it quite ironic that this site now boasts a rather large noticeable advert from Allianz advertsising its forthcoming sponsorship of its league campaigns. I wonder if the FAI were approached to do something similar for the league? And if so, what its response was.

This is in no way a criticism of the site for getting advertising revenue from the GAA, I applaud it. But surely this sends a message to the LOI and surely tells them that they need to be more proactive, especially now in times of dwindling attendances.

As you work in advertising, you'll understand how advertising weights work. In order for the FAI to put together an ad campaign that made any sort of impact with the target age groups/audience, it would need to be purchasing decent weights across a range of media. All very expensive and too complicated for the FAI to do without paying both an ad agency to design and create and a media planner to place.

As Pineapple Stu stated, they've got more fundamental issues to worry about right now. The phrase 'you can't polish a turd' springs to mind.

Originally Posted by dahamsta

What do they need an agency for? Those ads are delivered via AdWords, which a monkey could run. Or they could contact me and run a campaign directly; I'd even be willing to give them the run of the site for a limited period, for a fair price. The cost would be a fraction of newspaper or TV reporting, either way.

I don't understand why they've never been in touch. They've plenty of monkeys like*.

adam

* Ah. That might explain it.

Adam - monkeys aside, there would be zero point whatsoever in the FAI paying to promote the league on a site for hardcore league followers.

Everyone on here knows that the league exists, is broadly positive about it, know if they have a local club or not, knows when the season will have begun etc etc etc. As the saying goes, you don't preach to the converted. It woudl therefore be pointless for them to do anything here.

They could do advertising elsewhere, but as stated above it would need to be done properly as part of a planned campaign. And the FAI doesn't have the expertise or the priority, let alone the inclination, to do this.

**joeSoap** · 29/01/2010, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

As you work in advertising, you'll understand how advertising weights work. In order for the FAI to put together an ad campaign that made any sort of impact with the target age groups/audience, it would need to be purchasing decent weights across a range of media.All very expensive and too complicated for the FAI to do without paying both an ad agency to design and create and a media planner to place.

Wrong. Foot.ie represents the core nucleus of die-hard League of Ireland football fans and you can rest assured that there are literally hundreds of people that visit the site that don't attend games but might if they are sold to them correctly. I don't know what Adams rates for advertising are, but I'm sure they are ultra-competitive. Sites like this are the prime area to target and you don't have to appoint an external agency or anything like that to know this. Plus production costs are a pittance. They simply have no excuse.

**Schumi** · 29/01/2010, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by dcfcsteve

The phrase 'you can't polish a turd' springs to mind.

You should watch more Mythbusters.

**dcfcsteve** · 29/01/2010, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by joeSoap

Wrong. Foot.ie represents the core nucleus of die-hard League of Ireland football fans and you can rest assured that there are literally hundreds of people that visit the site that don't attend games but might if they are sold to them correctly. I don't know what Adams rates for advertising are, but I'm sure they are ultra-competitive. Sites like this are the prime area to target and you don't have to appoint an external agency or anything like that to know this. Plus production costs are a pittance. They simply have no excuse.

Out of curiousity JS, what's your role in the world of advertising ?

**dahamsta** · 29/01/2010, 12:49 PM

I agree with joeSoap. Advertising is not just about blanket coverage, particularly in this case because all sorts of targetting oportunities exist. I can't argue about "polishing a turd" either, but lack of communication with the fanbase is a huge part of why the league has become a turd; both from the clubs and the FAI.

**razor** · 29/01/2010, 2:15 PM

I'd much prefer they put all their effort into shafting our delinquent chairman.

**Scrufil** · 29/01/2010, 2:41 PM

He's not a delinquent he's a 'Gillygaskon'!

**gael353** · 29/01/2010, 3:10 PM

Its not just advertising though, i think it helps if you have the national broadcaster offering unriveled support to you to enhance sponsors to join your party. as a main sponsor they can advertise your product anytime including during after and before rival sports programming. They can invent a series of programming which will support your sports body and offer it free while charging other sports for even a half hour of very limited coverage. such programminig can even have no mention of sport but the usage of ¨county¨ flags/banners/names can be used to support this endless propaganda that is the rte,gaa alliance