Landsdowne Re-Development

[Pád Von Tirpitz]

50k is too small for rugby but not for soccer, wait till you see the turnout for the serbia game.

Hold on there - did you see the turnout for the rugby friendly with the Pacific Islands? Where do you get the idea that rugby is guaranteed better crowds than football? There are just more 'meaningless' football games but we would attract as many people for the qualifiers as they do for their matches. 50k has suited them all these years.

[Stuttgart88]

50k is too small for rugby but not for soccer, wait till you see the turnout for the serbia game.

I think 50k is about the right number for both games. I suppose it's easy to say from my smug poosition as a long time block booker, but I think it's important that there should always be tension for seats, rather than having a stadium that can accomodate as many people that'd want to attend at peak demand. 50k should create a good noise with the right people there. Even in the good old days of great crowds and atmosphere at Lansdowne, only a bit more than 50k was ever there anyway.

I think the numbers at Croker for the rugby this season will probably be as high as last year, but I think the demand for tickets will be well down and many of the places will be filled with less-than-enthusiastic fans. The rugby crowd (which includes most of my mates) is much more full of fairweather fans than the football.

[Schumi]

I think the numbers at Croker for the rugby this season will probably be as high as last year

I wouldn't be surprised if Italy wasn't full. The other will be though.

[Stuttgart88]

I wouldn't be surprised if Italy wasn't full. The other will be though.

I think it'll be full but because people who go to the g;lory games will give their ticket to a teenage realtive who'd be excited to go, that kind of thing. it'll be interesting to see.

I actually think 55k for a Wednesday night dead rubber against Cyprus at a time when interest in the football team has allegedly never been so low, was an astounding number to be honest, even if tickets were sold in blocks.

[jbyrne]

Hold on there - did you see the turnout for the rugby friendly with the Pacific Islands? Where do you get the idea that rugby is guaranteed better crowds than football? There are just more 'meaningless' football games but we would attract as many people for the qualifiers as they do for their matches. 50k has suited them all these years.

there was a 43,000 attendance at that match. pretty good for a match against a makey up team.

in my experience the demand for all the Ireland rugby matches (except the odd friendly against very low ranked opposition) is generally far higher than the football. the fact that all international rugby games are at the weekend may somewhat explain this. the FAI have had problems filling the ground for some home qualifers and i think the novelty of playing at croke park helped swell attendances in the last campaign

[pete]

I have been to a few Italy rugby games at Lansdowne & they were not close to being full - weather a big factor though. I will be surprised if Croke park full for Italy - I would expect easy to get ticket on the day.

[jbyrne]

I have been to a few Italy rugby games at Lansdowne & they were not close to being full - weather a big factor though. I will be surprised if Croke park full for Italy - I would expect easy to get ticket on the day.

i'm sorry but that just is not remotely true. yes, its not as difficult to get Italy than the other home 6N matches etc but Ireland V Italy is always more or less full

[gspain]

Last Italy game at Lansdowne was soldout as was the pne before. One wasn't full because there was 20 miles of bollards on the Naas road and no work being done that saturday.

All 3 rugby home games will be totally soldout and no sign of a public sale yet. I doubt if there will be one. A limited number were sold through the rugby supporters club and soldout pretty fast.

While football is still a far bigger sport than rugby in this country from a participation point of view I think posters here are seriously underestimating the spectator pulling power and tv attraction of the Ireland rugby team.

For the first time ever a rugby match (England at Croke Park) was the most watched sporting event on RTE last year. A football match had been the most watched for every year bar one (GAA final was top event a few years back) since 1990.

[Stuttgart88]

For the first time ever a rugby match (England at Croke Park) was the most watched sporting event on RTE last year.

Don't you think that was in an exceptional context?

I think both sports have a loyal hardcore and a lot of fairweather. I'm not too fussed if the fairweather element is reduced so am not fussed at the prospect of a 50k stadium. In fact for soccer I think it's ideal.

[gspain]

Don't you think that was in an exceptional context?

I think both sports have a loyal hardcore and a lot of fairweather. I'm not too fussed if the fairweather element is reduced so am not fussed at the prospect of a 50k stadium. In fact for soccer I think it's ideal.

It was a special case although I don't have the figures to hand viewing figures for rugby Internationals have risen significantly in recent years. Now 3 Triple Crowns in recent years has been a huge contributing factor. It would appear that the rugby team is in decline so it will be interesting to see the figures for this year.