Suggestions for FAI el fans forum

[Schumi]

I'd agree on the fines, it's all very well saying that an independent body does the fines but the FAI must tell them what to fine people for. On the others, they seem to be doing what they can with some difficult situations.

[pineapple stu]

To be honest, this all sounds very similar to what was going on when I was in meetings with the FAI - they'll tell you things, make you feel part of the team (guided tours,sneak previews of some big presentations), but ultimately there's no real information there, and no real indication that things are going to change in response to the queries raised. The buck-passing on issues such as the fines (first blaming the government, then a mysterious independent body) is nonsensical.

I'd like to see some good come out a series of meetings like this, but it doesn't appear a huge amount has changed.

[pete]

Any reason given for the two week gap to the mid-December cup final Is it so they can be more like the Super Bowl and give the players a bye week to prepare for the big game?

This is to allow for possible league playoffs.

Fines decided by Disciplinary Committee & apparently nothing new there. System is to be revamped though.

I think the overall message was that they are trying to run the league without favouring any clubs. Commercial revenue & promotional expenditure increasing significantly sometimes by leveraging off Internationals. FAI there as a resource for clubs & fans but need to ask.

[John83]

To be honest, this all sounds very similar to what was going on when I was in meetings with the FAI - they'll tell you things, make you feel part of the team (guided tours,sneak previews of some big presentations), but ultimately there's no real information there, and no real indication that things are going to change in response to the queries raised. The buck-passing on issues such as the fines (first blaming the government, then a mysterious independent body) is nonsensical.

I'd like to see some good come out a series of meetings like this, but it doesn't appear a huge amount has changed.

Are you saying that they're wrong on the flares issue? Because that's all they blamed the 'government' for.

They didn't really deal with fines much. It was only raised directly in relation to flares. Fran Gavin said that the only fines he dealt with personally last year were in relation to things like eircom logos not being displayed properly.

Apart from the fines, what specific issues do you think they fudged on?

[sullanefc]

This is to allow for possible league playoffs.

Why not have the league playoffs after the cup final? Why does the Cup have to be played after the league finishes?

Or it could be played the week before the last league game. Give every team bar the cup finalists the penultimate weekend off, and then all the final league games are played a week later.

I'm sure there are other options, but playing the cup final 2 weeks after the league finishes is silly IMO.

[John83]

Why not have the league playoffs after the cup final?

I wouldn't disagree that the final is too late. The week isn't just for the playoffs, it's for unforseen circumstances delaying the league a week in general. If you accept the final should be after the league (and I don't), then that makes sense. Of course, if you don't book the venue in time, that's pointless too.

The argument given for not holding the cup final earlier was something along the lines of that they felt it detracted from it as a big event.

[Schumi]

I think having the cup final after the last league games is better but the play-offs could be played afterwards. The ideal (I think anyway) would be to start the season a few weeks earlier and have the cup final is mid-November at the end of the season but there seems to be an issue of clubs' accounts not being available until the start of February for licencing.

[pineapple stu]

Are you saying that they're wrong on the flares issue? Because that's all they blamed the 'government' for.

They didn't really deal with fines much. It was only raised directly in relation to flares. Fran Gavin said that the only fines he dealt with personally last year were in relation to things like eircom logos not being displayed properly.

Apart from the fines, what specific issues do you think they fudged on?

I can obviously only go on what's here (and in the seven other threads across the forum) as I wasn't at the meeting myself, but it's on here that the fines were decided by an independent board and so the FAI couldn't really comment, which is as much a fudge as appointing a three man board to pick a new manager so you can wash your hands when we lose/draw with Cyprus again.

The general atmosphere queries go beyond flares - banners, fanzines being banned has nothing to do with the government, and neither does this threat to ban standing in seated areas.

Obviously with so many various threads on the issue, it's quite possible I've picked up cross wires on something, but that's my take on it anyway. Remember, I've had many more of these meetings than you, and I started off thinking they were great and ended up realising we were just being pandered to to keep us happy.

[MariborKev]

The general atmosphere queries go beyond flares - banners, fanzines being banned has nothing to do with the government, and neither does this threat to ban standing in seated areas.

To be fair, the only real question asked round atmosphere was flares. There were lots of questions on other matters and to be fair to Mooney and Gavin, they did try and let everyone ask questions, rather than one or two figures dominate proceedings.

I am sure if we asked Mooney to convene another meeting with Joe McGlue to discuss atmosphere issues , this could and would be arranged.

Gavin said himself he thought common sense was missing in some of the fines.

It was a meeting between the fans and the people who run the League. We are never going to see eye to eye on everything, but there were very few questions they didn't answer.

For example one of the Pats lads brought up the rescheduling of the League game after UEFA tie. He was unhappy the game was played on the Sunday, clashing with the Leinster final. Gavin told him that Pats insisted the game was played on that day.

Another point that hasn't been raised her was the new ticketing deal with Ticketmaster. Fran Gavin outlined this to us our group was on the tour. There is a deal so that anyone can buy tickets for any game through ticketmaser. They will install machines for the clubs etc. Some clubs are resisting this

eircomloi.ie will soon be offering Chinese and Polish versions of the site, and clubs will be able to avail of these services for translated version. The FAI is also working to offer a standardised site template for all clubs(similiar to the Premium TV setup in the UK) if they want it.

[monutdfc]

The FAI is also working to offer a standardised site template for all clubs(similiar to the Premium TV setup in the UK) if they want it.

Excellent!

[micls]

They will install machines for the clubs etc. Some clubs are resisting this

Why the rolleyes?

Dealing with ticketmaster for every game means paying them a fee for every ticket.

Meaning prices go up. Im quite happy that clubs would oppose this.
We had to pay 8euro per ticket in fees through ticketmaster for the u21 Irish internationals

[Tis-smeee]

eircomloi.ie will soon be offering Chinese and Polish versions of the site, and clubs will be able to avail of these services for translated version.

They would want to get the english version working first

[pineapple stu]

Earth to Marty...!

[Martinho II]

you what pineapple????

[pineapple stu]

I'll let Kev break the news to you!

[sligoman]

didnt realise maribor you were part of the same tour group as me!! were you seated in the same aisle as kevin mcdaid???

Class Marty

[Martinho II]

Class Marty

damn you sligoman for puttin that quote up!! i have deleted my original post! oh the shame of it all!

[Buile Shuibhne]

To be fair, the only real question asked round atmosphere was flares. There were lots of questions on other matters and to be fair to Mooney and Gavin, they did try and let everyone ask questions, rather than one or two figures dominate proceedings.

I am sure if we asked Mooney to convene another meeting with Joe McGlue to discuss atmosphere issues , this could and would be arranged.

Gavin said himself he thought common sense was missing in some of the fines.

It was a meeting between the fans and the people who run the League. We are never going to see eye to eye on everything, but there were very few questions they didn't answer.

For example one of the Pats lads brought up the rescheduling of the League game after UEFA tie. He was unhappy the game was played on the Sunday, clashing with the Leinster final. Gavin told him that Pats insisted the game was played on that day.

Another point that hasn't been raised her was the new ticketing deal with Ticketmaster. Fran Gavin outlined this to us our group was on the tour. There is a deal so that anyone can buy tickets for any game through ticketmaser. They will install machines for the clubs etc. Some clubs are resisting this

eircomloi.ie will soon be offering Chinese and Polish versions of the site, and clubs will be able to avail of these services for translated version. The FAI is also working to offer a standardised site template for all clubs(similiar to the Premium TV setup in the UK) if they want it.

I think they were anticipating a harder time on the questions, but got off quite lightly as it panned out - they'd prepared their responses on the flares and fines issues.

The buck was most definitely passed to the 'independent' disciplinary cmtee. As shown in one of organisational charts in the presentation, 20 match delegates are part of the FAI eircom League structure. These guys have a long detailed check-list given to them by the League for each game. 90% of the fines dished out - apart from red or yellow cards - result from these check-lists which are returned to the 'independent' disciplinary cmtee. The rest come from the referees for things such as the wrong colour socks.

The 'independent' disciplinary cmtee have their office in the FAI's offices in Abbottstown - as do the PFAI - and I would very much question their independence.

[pete]

Dealing with ticketmaster for every game means paying them a fee for every ticket.

They did not go into specifics but was said that TM would make no money from this over next two years. It will cost 25c per ticket which i would think is the cost of the ticket sheet itself. Can clubs get customised tickets printed for less than 25c?

[micls]

They did not go into specifics but was said that TM would make no money from this over next two years. It will cost 25c per ticket which i would think is the cost of the ticket sheet itself. Can clubs get customised tickets printed for less than 25c?

I dunno tbh.

But are the clubs/FAI committed for just the 2 years or for longer?

Also how will this work with away allocations etc?
For example say our Derry game to win the league, is there something in place to stop thousands of Derry fans from buying tickets when they are only entitled to 10%? e.g. them only being on sale from the city ticketmaster machine or something?