eircom league magazine

**padjoe** · 26/08/2004, 12:29 AM

hey all eircom league fans,
im trying to set up an eircom league magazine at the moment. i have sent a proposal to tv3 and they are looking over it.
any one think there is a market for it ireland. i have just beem looking over some of your posts and see that the majority of you are unhappy with the coverage.
do you think a magazine would improve it? i am trying to set it up to be similar to when saturday comes.
let me know your views im curious to know.
i dont think its a waste of time i'd like to set up for a fortnightly/monthly edition.
cheers

**adamcarr** · 26/08/2004, 12:34 AM

Originally Posted by padjoe

the majority of you are unhappy with the coverage.

What Coverage?

Great Idea. Id say there would be a market for it. Good luck with it, if you do decide to make the magazine!

**dcfcsteve** · 26/08/2004, 11:26 AM

Hey Padjoe,

I'd say there is a market. Up until approx 4 years ago there was a regularly monthly magazine that survived ok until the government ban on tobacco advertising removed one of it's core sources of income. They relied a lot on International team coverage though to keep their sales up, and had a couple of pages on the Irish League as well to try and get a few sales that way.

Since then, however, the Eircom League has genuinely grown in support, so I'd expect that a well-written magazine that attracts regular advertisers and is sensibly priced would do ok. It won't make you rich, but it could be an enjoyable way to earn a few quid !

Two key things to it's success though - I would push for as many subscriptions as you can possibly get, particularly at the very beginning. A large percentage of new magazines of any variety never make it beyond issues 3 or 4, as their cash dries up. Likewise, try and pin down some longer-term advertisers - e.g. sell the back page for a year etc. If you focus on giving the magazine a solid financial base to take it near to or at break-even, then you won't have to live or die by the vagaries of shop sales.

The biggest problem you'll face, though, is distribution. The last Irish Soccer Magazine was done by a company in Bray (from memory) who do a range of Irish mags on sports etc. They already had established distribution links nationwide, and also links with advertisers. As a TV channel TV3 won't be of much help to you in this - you may be better speaking to one of the magazine houses in Dublin. You'll need a well thought-out business case though.

Finally - if Northern Ireland can sustain its own soccer magazine, there should be no reason why the Republic/whole island can't !

Best of luck,

Steve

**padjoe** · 26/08/2004, 2:17 PM

well i want to set up into a format to deal with many aspects of the league.
i am not doing it to make money because no profit would be made for at least a year and i would be lucky to get it to that far.
i agree with you both. the reason i want to bring tv3 on board is because of their weekly highlights programme. i would be able to use them to endorse it and maybe use their logo just like the channel 4 serie A magazine.
i would like to use it as a messageboard for supporters clubs.
it really would need guest writers as well to give it a bit of an edge.
we'll see any way it is only in the planning stages but i welcome all the advice positive and negative.
it'd be nice to get going before the start of the new season.

**max power** · 26/08/2004, 2:47 PM

well i can provide some photos etc for ya, sportsfile will charge ya 25 plus for each photo.....

also we will be doing article on the One F site that you can use as well, some have appeared in our programme already.

**Slash/ED** · 26/08/2004, 4:21 PM

I think it's a great idea, good luck with it.

**ShelsTim** · 26/08/2004, 6:08 PM

Fantastic idea, I was just thinking of the idea myself yesterday. I think regular input from fans is a good idea, provided they don't go overboard. Writers like Noel King and Rico would give it respectability among long-term fans and viewers of TV3's thing aswell. Interviews with players/management/FAI suits etc. would be essential if it's to be reputable. If you need any help at all from an unexperienced, unqualified Shels fan, I'ld be only too glad, I did formerly run a website with reviews and Editorials, if you want my e-mail just say so.

**De Town** · 26/08/2004, 6:11 PM

That would be a great idea and people would buy it aswell, well i kno i would!

**TonyD** · 26/08/2004, 8:50 PM

Terrific idea. The plan to base it on WSC seems a good one to me. That started as a rough and ready fanzine, and is always a good read. I think the best bet to to follow a similar format, i.e articles from supporters about their clubs, well thought out editorials, letters page, etc. Stay away from celebrity columnists and bland say nothing interviews with players and managers. Is your plan to sell by post initially, or through the shops ?

**A face** · 26/08/2004, 10:15 PM

Lads, what would need to be in a National magazine ??

What would people like/need to see in a mag ??

Articles and opinion pieces etc would have to be in there but what else would need to be there.

**Slash/ED** · 26/08/2004, 10:34 PM

Classic match reports would be something I'd like to read. You could take match reports from old EL matches and the LOI V English league matches they used to have and put them a couple into every magazine. That would be something I'd like to read anyway.

**brendy_�ire** · 26/08/2004, 10:55 PM

An Under 21 section would be good. The U21 League gets virtually no coverage at all, even from the FAI themselves.

Special features on some junior leagues would be nice.
On the back few pages a database of all results, tables and upcoming fixtures from various different leagues around the country would be great also.

**A face** · 26/08/2004, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by Slash/ED

Classic match reports

That would be good alright ..... maybe even focus on players from a few years back and give some info about them. This kinda thing maybe !!!
Days gone by !!

**padjoe** · 26/08/2004, 11:56 PM

i would like to distribute to shop while also have it on sale on matchdays.
come on keep the ideas coming. if anyone would like to come in on the idea with me say so. as i have already said i am not in this to make money. i am sick of the non-existant coverage so if i want coverage have to make it myself. the sticking point in the whole thing is simple do i make it monthly or forthnightly because i dont think there is enough happening in the league to make it forthnightly but on the other hand so much could happen in the league results wise i could end up missing the boat if i go monthly.
i do want to make this happen and i would love to see it reality for the new season.
i want to explore the first division i want to put forward ideas of revamping it.
ex-internationals who played in the national league and one or two other ideas i have been toying with. everything going in it will be linked to the eircom league and irish soccer. but no emphasis will be placed on the national squad. i dont think thats even irish anymore really.
i love the format of when saturday comes and i think that is the best way of having it succeed. fans could contribute themselves as well as fan clubs keeping members updated.

**town73** · 27/08/2004, 11:25 AM

Fair play padjoe. Great idea. I would suggest starting out monthly and then maybe fortnightly as it progresses. Make it feature-based. Let me know how the idea progresses (PM me). I might be able to help out in the future.

**De Town** · 27/08/2004, 11:29 AM

I would start fortnightly and if it doesnt quite work out, go monthly because as you said padjoe, you could miss a lot of action if you go monthly and then you could fall behind

**town73** · 27/08/2004, 11:35 AM

I'm thinking in terms of pressure and being able to generate the articles, costs, etc.

**harpskid** · 27/08/2004, 1:21 PM

Great idea. I would help out in anyway i could.

Agree with brendy - the under 21 league should have a section dedicated to it as it gets f*** all coverage from anywhere else.

**padjoe** · 02/09/2004, 11:53 PM

hey all,

another step towards an eircom league magazine has been made its suddenly become a very real possibility. so if any one has any ideas in what they would like to see then send me a pm or email or just say it here.
no one will be ignored and the first division will be dealt with as well as other ideas i am toying with currently.
maybe just maybe i can get this off the ground. it'd be great if ic ould do before the new season that is my aim.

cheers

**Paud C** · 15/09/2004, 11:17 AM

Hi ya Padjoe,
Interested to hear about your plans for an Eircom league magazine as I am at present attempting to get one together for the start of next season. I was wondering how you're getting on yourself, have you made a start on it etc? It would be great to hear from you. Good luck