Dear FAI, your league has started...

**nigel-harps1954** · 13/03/2013, 11:41 AM

Originally Posted by bullit

It's a bad decision imo considering that one of the participating teams in the LOI reside outside of the ROI and are in the LOI and a lot of people(me included,Dundalk,Harps,Derry fans) live just outside of ROI with UK ip connections.I use proxy sites to overcome this but not everyone is so internet savvy.
They should at least put an "Island of Ireland" limit on the block.Also if anyone has a Youtube upload for Mondays programme can you's put a link for it here please? Cheers.

Nope. Don't know what kind of backward interwebs you have in Dundalk, but it works fine here.

**peadar1987** · 13/03/2013, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Dodge

Why not? Why not look to every available resource? If the FAI aren't bothered, then what impression does that give others? Do you think Airtricity or other potential sponsors would appreciate the extra exposure? Can you possible tell me one downside of the FAI tweeting LOI info?

A few people seem to be saying that because the clubs aren't doing as much as they could, the FAI shouldn't have to do anything. That's just daft. If everybody waited until every other possible party was doing as much as they humanly could before lifting a finger, nothing would ever get done. The push needs to come from both sides. The clubs have to help themselves, sure, but the FAI need to do whatever they can to help facilitate that as well. And national promotion of the league would certainly both achieve that, and fall outside the remit of any one club.

That said, I agree with Legendz on one point, it should be something the clubs themselves lobby for, and in this respect, I'm not sure the clubs are doing as much as they can. Maybe that's something that we as the fans can bring to the clubs' attention.

**BonnieShels** · 13/03/2013, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Nope. Don't know what kind of backward interwebs you have in Dundalk, but it works fine here.

Maybe he lives in Jonesboro up the sliproad.

http://goo.gl/maps/4SWnE

**osarusan** · 13/03/2013, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by legendz

He made a fair point. Easy to take it out of context if you want to. For more new fans, I wouldn't look to the FAI.

He didn't make a fair point. It wasn't taken out of context. For more new fans, clubs should be doing everything they reasonably can to attract fans. And clubs should expect no less than the same from the FAI. Clubs should expect this even if their own efforts have been limited.

**A face** · 13/03/2013, 1:16 PM

Originally Posted by osarusan

He didn't make a fair point. It wasn't taken out of context. For more new fans, clubs should be doing everything they reasonably can to attract fans. And clubs should expect no less than the same from the FAI. Clubs should expect this even if their own efforts have been limited.

I have to agree with this. I think its agreed that clubs need to be doing their own bit and for the clubs that aren't or expect it to be done for them then its probably down to people at the club and/or fans to get these people out of the dark ages or out of the position where they are able to make that decision.

That said, the FAI as administrators of the league definitely, and that without any doubt, need to be marketing the league as a product. I'd like to say that they should be doing everything within their power but (c'mon, its the FAI we're talking about here) that's unlikely but there is no way they could pass the buck here. Its slap bang centre of their remit and i dont think any stakeholder in Irish football should be thinking otherwise.

Its a basketcase of an organisation, i hear ya, but that changes nothing ..... they run the league and marketing is a huge part of that.

**A face** · 13/03/2013, 1:43 PM

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-29120515.html

**legendz** · 13/03/2013, 4:15 PM

Originally Posted by A face

http://www.independent.ie/sport/socc...-29120515.html

The only suggestion he makes in the article is: Something radical, perhaps, like a long-term strategic plan for the League. How about that for a starting point?

It's a vague suggestion though without any substance.

The near demise of Derry was down to their dual contracts. Both Cork and Derry were facilitated being put straight into the First Division and the FAI made if clear they wanted League of Ireland in both cities.

**bullit** · 13/03/2013, 4:28 PM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Nope. Don't know what kind of backward interwebs you have in Dundalk, but it works fine here.

I live in County Armagh.I,m sure not all Harps supporters live south of the border.Insted of responding like a spam bot read the point being made properly

**BonnieShels** · 13/03/2013, 5:19 PM

Originally Posted by bullit

I live in County Armagh.I,m sure not all Harps supporters live south of the border.Insted of responding like a spam bot read the point being made properly

So you don't live in Jonesboro... Right...

**MeathDrog** · 13/03/2013, 6:09 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

The MLS is a joke league with a few washed up Europeans (bar Robbie Keane) .

Why is Robbie Keane excluded from that phrase.

**nigel-harps1954** · 13/03/2013, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by bullit

I live in County Armagh.I,m sure not all Harps supporters live south of the border.Insted of responding like a spam bot read the point being made properly

Nonsense.

**BonnieShels** · 13/03/2013, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by bullit

I live in County Armagh.I,m sure not all Harps supporters live south of the border.Insted of responding like a spam bot read the point being made properly

In fairness... a lot of them might live east of the border.

**nigel-harps1954** · 13/03/2013, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

In fairness... a lot of them might live east of the border.

Depends what side of the border you're on.

**BonnieShels** · 14/03/2013, 9:30 AM

Originally Posted by nigel-harps1954

Depends what side of the border you're on.

Ah jaysus Nige!

**oriel** · 15/03/2013, 10:26 PM

Originally Posted by bullit

I live in County Armagh.I,m sure not all Harps supporters live south of the border.Insted of responding like a spam bot read the point being made properly

Yep real pain in hole this blocking, and agree, RTE should have allowed access to the whole Island, I live 5k over the border in S Armagh and noticed this was blocked from this season. Suppose we dont pay RTE licence, but I did for years and years.

Bullit..............pints on Good Friday ????

**Finlay Harp** · 17/03/2013, 3:53 PM

Originally Posted by BonnieShels

In fairness... a lot of them might live east of the border.

Technically that would be me on the County Down coast

**BonnieShels** · 18/03/2013, 2:41 PM

Originally Posted by Finlay Harp

Technically that would be me on the County Down coast

True... But I was more thinking of Strabane Harps fans.

**mypost** · 19/03/2013, 5:41 PM

Originally Posted by A face

I have to agree with this. I think its agreed that clubs need to be doing their own bit and for the clubs that aren't or expect it to be done for them then its probably down to people at the club and/or fans to get these people out of the dark ages or out of the position where they are able to make that decision.

That said, the FAI as administrators of the league definitely, and that without any doubt, need to be marketing the league as a product. I'd like to say that they should be doing everything within their power but (c'mon, its the FAI we're talking about here) that's unlikely but there is no way they could pass the buck here. Its slap bang centre of their remit and i dont think any stakeholder in Irish football should be thinking otherwise.

Its a basketcase of an organisation, i hear ya, but that changes nothing ..... they run the league and marketing is a huge part of that.

FA's don't market leagues. They get broadcasters to do it for them. Sky market the EPL every few minutes. RTE market the LOI every few weeks.

Clubs should market themselves more, but they're just happy to afford next month's wages. The good news story recently wasn't that the league was starting, but that they turned a profit from last year's season.

Originally Posted by MeathDrog

Why is Robbie Keane excluded from that phrase.

Because Robbie Keane is Ireland's record goalscorer, and delivers at every level of the game, for club and country.

**peadar1987** · 19/03/2013, 5:47 PM

Originally Posted by mypost

FA's don't market leagues. They get broadcasters to do it for them. Sky market the EPL every few minutes. RTE market the LOI every few weeks.

Clubs should market themselves more, but they're just happy to afford next month's wages. The good news story recently wasn't that the league was starting, but that they turned a profit from last year's season.

Maybe we shouldn't just ape the EPL. It's pretty obvious the LOI is a completely different product.