Thread has seriously gone ta fuq lately!!
https://www.rte.ie/news/2020/0620/11...irus-weddings/
I wouldn’t be surprised if something similar affects our games. The players , coaches etc could be part of the 500.
Eamonn Sweeney has a back page feature on LOI in today's Sun Indo, he is comparing crowds to other sports in Ireland, saying we should be thankful for what we have, but nonetheless seems to be having a dig at LOI bigger games v these Sports. He mentions Kilbeggan races crowd of 3,770 was bigger than the avg in LOI last season (2,159) and in same comparison that Rovers being best supported (or Shams as he says) have a lower avg than this. There were other races listed like Tramore with 8500 for a summer meeting.
Now he does admit but leaves it to the every last part that he loves the LOI, I just think some of the comments are misleading.
For example, for the race meetings he lists like Galway, Listowel, are these not more festivals really, and marketed as a holiday week and primarily low frequent held events? Yes I get the fact the LOI is not brilliantly supported, but at same time I was disappointed he didn't reinforce this point when comparing the other sports he listed, like the Connaught GAA QF (8k) - was less than the big matches at Tallaght, he listed Rovers v Bohs at 7k but didn't list Rovers v Dundalk this season at 7.5k.
We all know GAA is better supported, but these are 4-5 max big games a year- possibly less for most counties, LOI is 40 weeks, and I just don't think he made that point fairly that from this group, we are probably the most consistent in attending sport in Ireland.
The racing comparison which is primarily a gambling sport is surely more on the festival ticket and must get huge govt support compared to LOI football.
Interested on what others think if they read the article.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
There's no point listing the reasons why people should attend LOI matches to people on this forum, it's just preaching to the choir.
It's unfair to compare crowds with the likes of the Galway Races, which is rag-week for adults and not many actual regular race-going punters.
For non-LOI fans, I think they just look at it as the amateur run competition that it is. Very little media exposure, no household names, looks terrible on tv(apart from maybe Tallaght), poor facilities, there's always some negative story about the league, like unpaid players or match fixing allegations.
It needs a LOT of investment and a cultural change.
Comparing the LOI to horse racing crowds is misleading for example I was a member in Naas racecousre a few year back and can speak to my experiences. The main race day of the year is the lawlors grade 1 in January it always attracts a huge crowd compared to their usual turnout a few thousand at least. Their normal turnout would be in the low hundreds at best. Its a bit like him singling out the biggest games of our season if it suited him.
Nonsense article. Can't compare racing and LOI ffs with the government funding HRI get, betting levies and media rights. They don't need crowds at all - COVID doesn't affect them the way it does other sports, hence they're getting in as many meetings (with zero attendance) as they can since lockdown was lifted.
There have always been plenty of lower level race meetings with a man and a dog at them. On the other end of the scale, the crowds at the €80+ million Curragh have been shocking given the facilities and highest level of racing on offer (they hid the attendance figures last year it was that bad on Guineas weekend).
Anyway isn't Sweeney a Sligo Rovers fan? Why is he using his column to have a cut at the LOI. We all know the faculties are rubbish and the crowds are terrible overall. What's his point? Everyone in Sligo unsurprisingly seems happy to bin this season!
I was reading last night, the article took a lot of flax from LOI fans on twitter, some comments which were even 'liked' by Dan McD, his colleague !
Another angle I got, and this is sometimes a comment from fans who clubs are not having good seasons 'well its not a great standard this year' he didnt say this but I got a feeling it was in his thoughts.
Comparing racing attendances, sorry, mostly summer festivals v LOI indeed, scrapping the barrel with that.
#DundalkFC - First Irish club to win an away game in Europe (1963), first Irish club to win points in a group stage in Europe (2016).
You could turn Sweeney's "argument" on its head and say the highest attendances (7-8k) at Turner's Cross and Tallaght in recent seasons are just a wee bit shy of the EPL, vis-a-vis Bournemouth (10-11k, is it?).
...Schwanholz, Herisau: a little bit of heaven...
Does ES even go to loi matches any more? The book he had in mid 90s about Sligo Rovers I thought was a superb book imo!
Gary Cronin is he the right man to manage Longford Town?
I was really thinking generally with mess after mess and aterix's all over league tables in the past. I understand though why you might think I was being specific to current circumstances.
I agree on one level about preserving a business ie a club. But such a business in LoI is not in isolation either, a part of a collective. While things are changing daily but if Sligo were top of the heap would they have a different argument on the resumption of the league?
I cant think of a properly suitable example but to take a punt - If Tesco stores were to reopen but 2 or 3 said nope, there would be a kickback and consequences for those specific stores...I know its a ****e example.
When SRFC II were to join the 2nd tier its was an issue that the FAI were not following the majority consensus. The resumption of the league on whatever basis should also be based on a majority bases no? Especially when there are financial assistance packages on the table.
I looks like a dose of opportunism to avoid a relegation battle as much as it is a business decision - maybe one and the asme.
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