Croker open for business in 2007

**dublinred** · 19/01/2006, 6:23 PM

just to summarise back to topic , the FAI will be paying 1.2m a game plus % of gate for 3/4 of a stadium , bucket seats not allowed on hill , GAA have no intention of putting seats on Hill so we will be playing with one side of the ground empty,

**Karlos** · 19/01/2006, 6:54 PM

What will the situation be with away fans?

As far as I'm aware 10% of ground capacity must be offered (allthough not always accepted) to away supporters. So in the case of Holland or someone that would mean approx 7,000 seats given up.

My question really is a) where will the away fans sit and b) due to the shape and design of the stadium, how many empty seats/sections will be needed to separate opposition fans as I'm assuming it's not as easy as giving a team one end as you could do with the North Terrace etc for large away support. Is Croke Park easy to segregate?

Anyone any thoughts on this? As you might have already guessed, I've never set foot inside Croke Park for personal reasons that would only take this thread WAY off topic.

**geysir** · 19/01/2006, 10:16 PM

Originally Posted by KarlosIRL

My question really is a) where will the away fans sit and b) due to the shape and design of the stadium, how many empty seats/sections will be needed to separate opposition fans as I'm assuming it's not as easy as giving a team one end as you could do with the North Terrace etc for large away support. Is Croke Park easy to segregate?

Separate opposing fans, segregation, very strong words Karlos.
That's a new phenomenon for Croker to experience

Why not call it a reserved hospitality section for visiting fans, more in keeping with the Croke pk. ethos.

**Karlos** · 19/01/2006, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

Separate opposing fans, segregation, very strong words Karlos.
That's a new phenomenon for Croker to experience

Why not call it a reserved hospitality section for visiting fans, more in keeping with the Croke pk. ethos.

was asking for that, wasn't I...!!!

although back on topic, I was thinking more about this in the UEFA context where we must provide 'reserved hospitality' (

) seating for our vistors. I'm assuming Croker wasn't designed for such an experience and just wondering what the logistics of arranging it will be.

Just hate the thought of seeing columns of empty seats in an attempt to create a boundary where 'hospitality seating' begins and ends....!!!

**klein4** · 20/01/2006, 8:24 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

klein you are an awful fool to beleive there is a thug/hooligan element to any extent, close to that in soccer in the uk, there is no organisation amongst "thugs" or hooligans in gaa, there may be the odd **** head or fella who is ****ed that gets thrown out for being too ****ed/leary/gives a fella a smack, but doesnt this happen on every saturday night in every town in ireland??? THis has nothing to do with thuggery among gaa fans or followers to suggest so is just pure ignorance.

when you have your facts and know what you are on about come back and discuss in a democratic way, dont just spout dictatorial minure.

sorry just got round to reading this rubbish now. I think you misread my post. the hooligan referance was a joke about the amount of violence that takes place on the pitch.who needs hooliganism when you have an all in running battle between the meath and mayo teams? dictatorial minure(manure???)? Its a total fact that there used to be fights on hill 16 all the time when dublin where playing. If you cant remember than the ignorance is on your part not mine. so please hold off on your pompous advice.

**geysir** · 20/01/2006, 8:29 AM

Karlos, you would expect if the risk factor is eliminated (i.e. we don't get England or NI) that the FAI will reserve an area and nobody worries too much about a bit of mixing. There was some quite obvious crossover with Irish fans in the visiting fans allocated area at Landsdowne, I don't think there was much fuss made about it.
What size are the blocks of seats? There is a map of the seating arrangements somewhere on the web. Dare I say it, bite the bullit, there might be something on the GAA web site.

**klein4** · 20/01/2006, 8:33 AM

in fairness to the GAA their website has a hell of a lot more useful content on it than the FAI one.

**Jerry The Saint** · 20/01/2006, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by londonred

just to summarise back to topic , the FAI will be paying 1.2m a game plus % of gate for 3/4 of a stadium , bucket seats not allowed on hill , GAA have no intention of putting seats on Hill so we will be playing with one side of the ground empty,

(69000/82500)*100 = 84% of a stadium

The situation with bucket seats has yet to be confirmed but indications are that the FAI will ask UEFA/GAA nicely if they can put them in. This would allow for full segregation of away fans (in theory) but some may have other issues

with giving over the Hill to England/NI/Meath fans.

If they're not allowed it isn't the end of the world and may well help the atmosphere, as has already been stated, by allowing the pitch to be placed a lot closer to the Canal End. (Croke Park pitch size of 144.5 m x 88 m vs. Lansdowne which is around 100m x 70m).

The stands at Croker are built to modern stadium standards so any segregation required will follow the usual procedures at any stadium with continuous seating. There will probably be some small empty space and heavy stewarding in the relevant section and there may be a need to put up fences to separate the back of the stand area. (Slightly) Controversially, the new Hill was built specifically to allow segregation!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:C...rk_seating.jpg

**paul_oshea** · 20/01/2006, 1:00 PM

in croke park you can walk from one end of the stadium to the other!!!

**Tired&Emotional** · 20/01/2006, 1:03 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

in croke park you can walk from one end of the stadium to the other!!!

Would imagine there may be restrictions on this - depending on the oppposition perhaps!

**paul_oshea** · 20/01/2006, 1:11 PM

well i should have said there is usually stewards in the way, but no gates, well not last year anyhow which was the last time i was there and did it!

btw, i dont see how seats stop ppl from trampling on eachother, would they not make it easier as people fall over seats and people jump over seats to get out??

also the hill for the dubs v meath was definately more packed than the 13,500 said were in it last year, they were half way down the bloody exits some ppl!!! and there was literally just standing room.

**Jerry The Saint** · 20/01/2006, 2:48 PM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

in croke park you can walk from one end of the stadium to the other!!!

Or, more accurately, you can walk from one end (Railway End) all the way around the stadium and back to the same end (at the opposite side).

Very handy if you need to meet people (especially at the bars in the Premium Section

). Apparently it was one of the first big stadiums to be oriented horizontally rather than vertically - i.e. Cusack Lower tickets allow walking access to Lower Tier of the entire ground but not Cusack Upper, etc. As I said a few temporary fences and extra stewards should put paid to that facility soon enough.

**ThatGuy** · 20/01/2006, 3:49 PM

Originally Posted by pete

Are you a Bohs fan or just a GAA person lurging on this forum? When have you ever commented on the eL positively?

I'm a Bohs fan and I don't have any blind agendas to push like some of you guys. If you like the EL do you have to hate the GAA or vice-versa? No. The issues do not go hand in hand at all.