FAI Cup Final Venue 2008

[osarusan]

Like it or not, every club's fan base at cup finals is bolstered by part timers - why would you make it harder for these people to go to the match? Why would it be better to have it in a better, but even emptier stadium? The overriding factor is ease of access, not quality of stadium. Biggest problem for the cup final is the timing, not the stadium.

exactly, exactly.

[L37Ultra]

Perfect for Thomond Park?

It'd only make sense if at least one of the clubs is from Munster, otherwise it's a stupid idea. .

But none of the Clubs last year were from Dublin and the final was held in Dublin, so whats your point?

[Macy]

But none of the Clubs last year were from Dublin and the final was held in Dublin, so whats your point?

That it's easier to travel to Dublin, than Limerick, from most parts of the country? I already said it's a lot easier to get from Longford to Dublin than it is Longford to Limerick. By at least an hour and half (or twice as long to put it another way) by car/ bus. There is no train link.

[micls]

Is it possible to provisionally book 2 stadiums, then depending on the teams choose.

Macy's point is spot on, but using that point I think we'd get a much bigger crowd in Limerick were we to be in the final. Of course it depends who else was in it.

The only reason I would see for moving it from Dublin would be to get non-EL fans to notice that there's a league/cup and a final on near them. If it were say in Limerick, you might get a bit of a crowd of locals come along for the day out, making them aware of the league and possibly will look to go to other games.

Ideally imo we'd have 4 stadiums good enough to hold it North, South East and West, and spread it around to give every section of the country a chance to host the final and try to make a really big deal out of it every 4 years in that area. Make them feel like it is their league/cup. Give local schools/teams free tickets etc. Make a huge event of it with local media.

Of course it mightnt work, but it would be worth a try to raise the profile imo. There are too many peope that dont know of the league, or dont feel any affinity to it, be it becuase of the promotion of the league, or not having a club in their area etc.

Anyway this isnt really feasible, but we can dream

[osarusan]

Sligo - Limerick

Galway - Limerick

Dundalk - Limerick

Longford - Limerick

Wexford - Limerick

Like it or not, A Face, but as Macy said, a final in Limerick would make travelling a lot more hassle for the majority of fans, apart from the Munster teams, or maybe Galway. Your agument that most fans will travel by coach is based on Cork City last year, which is hardly conclusive. A final in Thomond Park would mean a lot of fans would travel by coach I imagine, given the horrible train alternative.

All for a "world class stadium" with 9,000 uncovered seats in late October or early November.

[pete]

All for a "world class stadium" with 9,000 uncovered seats in late October or early November.

I don't know I would call Thomond World Class but compared to the RDS it probably is. I cannot overstate how miserable the RDS is on a wet windy winters day, it made me long for Tolka or old Lansdowne. To get to your seat you have to walk in mud/grass & everything from seats to facilities are temporary.

Thomond has already been mentioned by the FAI as a potential venue.

[Steve Bruce]

Give Linfield a few k and we will host your cup final at Windsor

[pete]

Give Linfield a few k and we will host your cup final at Windsor

No thanks. RDS has better facilities

I would think a very low percentage of people traveling to Cup Final go by rail.

[bigmac]

Thats my point, there would be very few people attend a game if their club isn't in it. There could be 2,368 clubs in Dublin and there still will only be two clubs in the final, unless they change the rules beforehand.

I think you may have misunderstood me - I'll go to it in Dublin regardless of who's in it, but I'd only travel to see my own team.

[holidaysong]

I think you may have misunderstood me - I'll go to it in Dublin regardless of who's in it, but I'd only travel to see my own team.

I'd be the same. More people living in Dublin, therefore a better chance of neutrals showing up.

[A face]

I think you may have misunderstood me - I'll go to it in Dublin regardless of who's in it, but I'd only travel to see my own team.

What? You'll only travel to see your own team but you'll go to Dublin for it? To do what shopping? Fair play, its around Christmas alright, make a day of it

I'd be the same. More people living in Dublin, therefore a better chance of neutrals showing up.

Maybe so, but do neutrals show up in numbers and would neutrals show up anywhere else? Of the people who now live in Dublin, how many finals have you gone to in the last five years?* If <2 then how do we know you'll show up this year? Sorry now but that argument does hold any water with me.

* Have you got a ticket stub?

[SwanVsDalton]

What? You'll only travel to see your own team but you'll go to Dublin for it? To do what shopping? Fair play, its around Christmas alright, make a day of it

Check his location, he lives in Dublin.

[pete]

Neutrals do not go to FAI Cup finals in any significant numbers especially now it played in November. I know last year was particularly harsh weather but it is also not exactly unusual for that time of year.

[L37Ultra]

I think you may have misunderstood me - I'll go to it in Dublin regardless of who's in it, but I'd only travel to see my own team.

But wouldn't that be the same case if it was in Limerick. For example if it is in Dublin this year I probably won't go but if it is in Thomond Park, I would go regardless of who was in it.

[Dodge]

Neutrals do not go to FAI Cup finals in any significant numbers especially now it played in November. I know last year was particularly harsh weather but it is also not exactly unusual for that time of year.

Source for your research? Lots of people buying tickets on the day last time I went and when asked what side they followed they said neither.

Again, the only point thats relevent is that all roads lead to Dublin and when the Sponsors, the football assocaition and the TV company covering it are all based in Dublin, its unlikely to be moved, regardless of ****ty the ground is.

Its not the FAI's fault that the road system was built the way it is.

[A face]

Source for your research?

Lots of people buying tickets on the day last time I went and when asked what side they followed they said neither.

Source for your research?

Same question, how many people did you ask? You meet a few people in the pub or you spent a couple of hours with your clipboard?

Neutrals do not turn out in numbers, or maybe the novelty of having it in Thomond you'll get a good few going to it.

Again, the only point thats relevent is that all roads lead to Dublin and when the Sponsors, the football assocaition and the TV company covering it are all based in Dublin, its unlikely to be moved, regardless of ****ty the ground is. Its not the FAI's fault that the road system was built the way it is.

Roads lead everywhere, if people are travelling on a Sunday to Limerick they will encounter far less traffic that they would in Dublin with other events on. Traffic in Dublin at that time of year, with out operation free-flow (or whatever it was called) up and running is a disaster.

The sponsors, Ford wouldn't like to advertise where Toyota normally would, wouldn't that be great advertising for them, moving in on someone elses patch, i would have thought so anyway.

The National Football Association of Ireland you're talking about here yeah? Actually this would be a good test for them now actually. Are they going to spread it around a bit after last years disaster when they all feiced off to South Africa on a junket. Would this be a great way for them to redeem themselves. We are all looking on this year, i wonder how they'll preform?

TV Companies sub-contract the work normally dont they? Wasn't that the case last year, and the year before that and .... hang on, do we see a thrend here? Aren't there TV companies in Limerick or nearby, the ones that coverage all the Munster games? Sheeze who would have thought, its actually working out perfectly aint it, well i'll be

Go with the best ground in the country, go with Thomond .... you know it makes sense

[skitz3]

Neutrals do not turn out in numbers, or maybe the novelty of having it in Thomond you'll get a good few going to it.

Maybe, being the key word here. Or maybe if it's played in Dublin again, neutrals will come out this time. Probably unlikely but maybe...

[A face]

Maybe, being the key word here. Or maybe if it's played in Dublin again, neutrals will come out this time. Probably unlikely but maybe...

Why dont we just discount this argument altogether because the amount of neutrals wouldn't run into the hundreds, even if it was in their back garden.

[mypost]

Neutrals do not go to FAI Cup finals in any significant numbers especially now it played in November. I know last year was particularly harsh weather but it is also not exactly unusual for that time of year.

It doesn't matter when you have it on, this is Ireland, and if it's not raining, the only thing you know is that it's going to. You're as likely to have rain in December as any other time of year. The Cup Final, as it's name implies should be on as the final game of the domestic season.

[Dodge]

Why dont we just discount this argument altogether because the amount of neutrals wouldn't run into the hundreds, even if it was in their back garden.

Jesus a face, you're way off with the TV stuff, and everything else.