New League of Ireland Company for 2020

**nigel-harps1954** · 16/06/2018, 1:19 PM

https://www.independent.ie/sport/soc...mpression=true

Well, this was rather unexpected. Discuss.

**pineapple stu** · 16/06/2018, 1:54 PM

Hm.

The cynic would say it's a largely meaningless fop when clubs should be focussing on other issues (e.g. more prize money, a proper pyramid, etc)

**David BOHie** · 16/06/2018, 1:59 PM

I think if you found a pyramid system you wouldn't see a great geographical spread. So I actually don't mind the lack of proper pyramid system. You'd imagine Kevins, Bluebell, Cherry Orchard and Crumlin and maybe Sheriff would all give teams like Athlone a good game. But I'm glad we sacrifice the marginal increase in quality in favour of a better spread.

Scotland also don't have a proper pyramid system, it's closed at the bottom. That's the system I think we should use.

But in terms of the rest of your post, there definitely needs to be more prize money and better management of the league. The fixtures being front-loaded is a big problem. The season isn't long enough. An increase in length of season should be at the end of the season, not the beginning as is currently being done. Firstly the weather is a bit better in October than February and it's better for clubs in Europe not to be idle for weeks while they wait for their europa league match and then teams can have a proper off-season around christmas.

**colonelwest** · 16/06/2018, 2:01 PM

Been talk of something along those lines the last year or two to be fair where the clubs and the FAI go halvers on the running of the league basically. Personally I think it's the best way to go as both sides can be checks and balances etc on the other like with the we cannot tell you how much we make off commercial/ tv deals for the league due to confidentiality clauses line the clubs get fed these days. An important thing that the graveyard isn't being forgotten and can see either the PCA rebranding to include the first clubs or a new entity being created for all league clubs as part of the organisational structure of the new ownership of the league. Be interesting to see if it'll be 50/50 with the league or if the FAI will keep a majority stake.

For all the moaning about the FAI over the years (and I include myself in that) and the yearly shenanigans with a club or two, licencing, other assorted madness that goes on I think on the whole since they took over the running of the league we are, generally speaking, in a better place then we were pre them running things. Clubs on the whole now as well are in a better position to be proper stakeholders in the decision making and running of the league, will still of course get the me feiners but think a joint enterprise is the best move going forward myself where the clubs have all the information on the running of the league, commercial rights etc etc and can make decisions from an informed POV. Collective bargaining is always a stronger place to bargain from and this will strengthen the league imo.

**pineapple stu** · 16/06/2018, 2:44 PM

Originally Posted by David BOHie

Scotland also don't have a proper pyramid system, it's closed at the bottom. That's the system I think we should use.

Scotland does at least have play-offs between league and non-league. Some non-league clubs are quite happy where they are, but at least the option is there. Even that's much better than what we have.

The thread about where the new clubs are going to come from does touch on the point that you can't just create a club and expect them to want to go into the LoI First Division. You need a club to grow organically, generate some local publicity, support, community spirit, etc, and then build on a promotion push into the league. The Cabo route can't be expected to work.

Similarly, the likes of Athlone and Wexford could do with being relegated so they had a promotion push to contend with rather than being so far adrift year after year (bad examples here as I know both have been promoted in recent years, but in general, it's been a problem with lots of clubs)

A pyramid is badly, badly needed. It wouldn't bother me if it meant a more Dublin-centric league. If St Kevin's could draw a crowd in a decent ground, then let them enter the league. If they don't have a decent ground, no promotion.

**sidewayspasser** · 16/06/2018, 3:01 PM

Creating this LoI company certainly reduces the chances of ever getting a proper pyramid system in place, and I largely agree with Stu's view on that.

However, on the more positive side, that company would provide a means for more transparency on the TV and sponsorship contracts, and to make sure any income from these contracts stays with the league and isn't used to pay off the Aviva debt.

**oriel** · 16/06/2018, 3:36 PM

Possible suggestion of re-branding too, I sincerely hope they avoid that awful term 'premiership' used in SPL and NI. Anytime its used people just think of the current Premier League in England and even they moved away from that term around 10 years ago.

Having a better marketing approach and an actual TV deal the league clubs could control would be two key improvements. The prize money needs to be looked at in more detail also, bigger sponsorship should allow for more monies to be given, the current deal is ridiculously low, needs to be doubled. Then again what SSE Airtricity give to the FAI is confidential, so who knows what the real figure is before they allocate to the LOI.

**nigel-harps1954** · 16/06/2018, 4:56 PM

Number of points I have on it, now that I'm on the laptop rather than the phone.

1. A new entity, separate from the running of the FAI, will have the power to negotiate it's own sponsorship deals. Attracting in a big name title sponsor has to be a main priority. As it stands, SSE Airtricity sponsorship also doubles up with FAI sponsorship. A standalone league sponsor, and maybe even a standalone First Division sponsor alongside a Premier Division sponsor, could provide great benefit to the league itself.

2. This new entity should have it's own dedicated marketing and advertising group. Full time employees working on gaining a larger audience for the league itself can only be seen as positive.

3. TV deals can now be open to discussion. Centralised tv rights through the FAI should be no more. A domestic Irish TV deal can be negotiated with Virgin Media, RTE, Eir Sports and with TG4. International TV rights should also be open for discussion. Approaching the likes of Sky Sports to show a few games in the summer for a small fee is now open, to try and open up to the UK market in the same way the GAA have done somewhat successfully.

4. Transparency. Nobody knows what goes in and out in terms of finances to the league. You'd certainly hope that this new entity would be a bit more transparent.

On the other side of the coin, does this new entity take over the running of the underage leagues too? Does the FAI still take charge of that?

Do we lose any current TV deals?

Will the FAI still have charge over the league committee or will it be open to the clubs? It's been labeled a joint venture, but, who votes in who? Or does anyone get voted in at all?

There's a million and one if's and but's over this.

**disgruntled** · 18/06/2018, 12:12 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Scotland does at least have play-offs between league and non-league. Some non-league clubs are quite happy where they are, but at least the option is there. Even that's much better than what we have.

The thread about where the new clubs are going to come from does touch on the point that you can't just create a club and expect them to want to go into the LoI First Division. You need a club to grow organically, generate some local publicity, support, community spirit, etc, and then build on a promotion push into the league. The Cabo route can't be expected to work.

Similarly, the likes of Athlone and Wexford could do with being relegated so they had a promotion push to contend with rather than being so far adrift year after year (bad examples here as I know both have been promoted in recent years, but in general, it's been a problem with lots of clubs)

A pyramid is badly, badly needed. It wouldn't bother me if it meant a more Dublin-centric league. If St Kevin's could draw a crowd in a decent ground, then let them enter the league. If they don't have a decent ground, no promotion.

I've been saying this for years but there's to much vested interest for anything like this to happen.
At present it doesn't matter who manages the League if half the clubs are struggling anyway.
Put a proper pyramid plan in place & support it properly.

**sullanefc** · 18/06/2018, 6:04 AM

I must be the only one against a pyramid system. Prefer a well run franchise model myself.

**pineapple stu** · 18/06/2018, 6:59 AM

Needs money to get a franchise off the ground. None on offer, so not an option (in my view)

An existing club, with existing officials and an existing community presence, given the opportunity to organically grow, is the only way for the LoI at present.

And it's needed because not all the current clubs will last the next ten years. It's four years since we last lost a club (Rovers B), and that must be a record.

**sbgawa** · 18/06/2018, 8:02 AM

I suspect that when TV rights are offered for LOI they will either go unsold or for a pittance.
I don't like being negative but the TV audiences are not there to justify weekly live coverage.
Rte only do it as a Public service Obligation / part of the overall FAI deal and I doubt Eir are paying anything (I could be wrong) for the matches they show.

A new overall sponsor for the League could maybe bring in more money...
The new investors coming in Waterford /Dundalk / Maybe Galway are starting to make the league more attractive so maybe I am being to negative.

Having dedicated staff answerable for the league development can only be a good thing.
But I would welcome the fact that the FAI are staying involved rather than leave it to the clubs

**bohsmug** · 18/06/2018, 10:22 AM

Yeah I'm glad of the FAI involvement. The more they're involved the better to be honest. I know that might sound sarcastic but it's not. The clubs really don't run a good league at all.

**David BOHie** · 18/06/2018, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Scotland does at least have play-offs between league and non-league. Some non-league clubs are quite happy where they are, but at least the option is there. Even that's much better than what we have.

The thread about where the new clubs are going to come from does touch on the point that you can't just create a club and expect them to want to go into the LoI First Division. You need a club to grow organically, generate some local publicity, support, community spirit, etc, and then build on a promotion push into the league. The Cabo route can't be expected to work.

Similarly, the likes of Athlone and Wexford could do with being relegated so they had a promotion push to contend with rather than being so far adrift year after year (bad examples here as I know both have been promoted in recent years, but in general, it's been a problem with lots of clubs)

A pyramid is badly, badly needed. It wouldn't bother me if it meant a more Dublin-centric league. If St Kevin's could draw a crowd in a decent ground, then let them enter the league. If they don't have a decent ground, no promotion.

Originally Posted by pineapple stu

Needs money to get a franchise off the ground. None on offer, so not an option (in my view)

An existing club, with existing officials and an existing community presence, given the opportunity to organically grow, is the only way for the LoI at present.

And it's needed because not all the current clubs will last the next ten years. It's four years since we last lost a club (Rovers B), and that must be a record.

Are Cabo not just that?

**pineapple stu** · 18/06/2018, 12:06 PM

Well, yes and no I suppose.

Yes, they're an existing club with a decent community involvement.

But their entry to the league was in the fashion of a franchise. They were invited on the hope they'd grow (and also desperation on the FAI's part), not because they'd earned it.

They had no senior club before. They didn't win a league to get promoted - so they had no related surge of interest. They had no time to build a side and were always going to struggle in the First Division, which they did - and you can't grow a club at the bottom of the graveyard. That's what I reckon can't work.