Problems with Oriel Park....

[superfrank]

Why would all teams want this artificial pitch?

We, as has been noted on this site many times before, have an excellent natural pitch so what's the advantage in changing it?

[Slash/ED]

Why would all teams want this artificial pitch?

We, as has been noted on this site many times before, have an excellent natural pitch so what's the advantage in changing it?

Because clubs only have one real asset, their ground, and for the most part they lie empty and not making any money for you at all bar once every two weeks. With an artifical pitch you can have people playing on it 24/7, so you could rent it out to every local team around to train/play there, let fans spend money for a chance to play there. In other words the thing could be making money for you round the clock without the disadvantage of making the pitch completley unplayable. I'd imagine it costs less to maintain too, and you have a quality surface all year round.

[MariborKev]

I'd imagine it costs less to maintain too, and you have a quality surface all year round.

Apparent cost of looking after pitch is around €1.5k per annum, compared to €40k for the natural surface

[dcfcsteve]

Right Adam, close the site. We've finally reached the climax of foot.ie. Shows over folks. Time to get back to work.

Adam - can I take over the URL to set-up a porn site.....?

[Cosmo]

Drogs statement:

Notwithstanding the fact that the FIFA – appointed team were in the process of approving the laying of the new Pitch, Drogheda United expressed their reservations in writing on Tuesday afternoon to the F.A.I. with regard to Player Safety on a pitch surface which has not had the normal bedding-in time to settle.
The F.A.I. has replied to Drogheda United today at 1.15pm to state that the match would proceed as scheduled.

[patsh]

Drogs statement:

Notwithstanding the fact that the FIFA – appointed team were in the process of approving the laying of the new Pitch, Drogheda United expressed their reservations in writing on Tuesday afternoon to the F.A.I. with regard to Player Safety on a pitch surface which has not had the normal bedding-in time to settle.
The F.A.I. has replied to Drogheda United today at 1.15pm to state that the match would proceed as scheduled.

So I presume thats that, and Drogheda will play at Oriel?

[bigmac]

Apparent cost of looking after pitch is around €1.5k per annum, compared to €40k for the natural surface

Makes it a no-brainer if you can get the capital together to lay one in the first place. In UCD, there are 2 hockey pitches side by side (one is for hockey only - national stadium etc. and the other one can be rented out for soccer/ to schools etc.)
The cost of renting the pitch for an hour is around 50 or 60 euro (open to corrections here) and costs about 20 euro to rent a quarter of the pitch which is the perfect size for a crossfield game of soccer.
It should be possible to earn around a thousand euro a week (conservative estimate) just by renting out the facility to 5 a side teams, or nightowls leagues etc.
I agree that some clubs have good grass pitches but in other places the pitches are abysmal - the RSC for example was never actually laid as a football pitch, it was just the infield of the track was grassed over when the track was built.

[Xlex]

despite summer soccer we are still playing in some awful weather both at the beginning and especially at the end. Alot of games are usually called off each season and we have had the misfortune of havingtwo or three high profile games called off due to sudden rainfall. It still makes sence to at least look into the costings for one of these artifical pitches.

[Bald Student]

During league games in the Faeroes we were allowed onto the astro pitches for a kick about at half time. Dundalk should have a similar policy.

[Slash/ED]

Makes it a no-brainer if you can get the capital together to lay one in the first place.

Absolutley. Even without renting it out you'd make your money back and more. It's 38.5k a year saved plus whatever extra rent money you can squeeze out of it which would probably be far more than that. That is alot of money in EL terms, and the added benefit is a top class playing surface no matter what. Also, it would save teams renting out other pitches for their youth teams, U21s and for training, more money saved. When you add it all together, it is a big deal.

[patsh]

As a matter of interest, if a pitch was being used nightly by local junior/underage leagues, at weekends for 5 aside, kick abouts, etc. etc., and used by players to train on everyday, and play a game very fortnight, plus cup/ league cup games, how long is the lifetime of the surface?

Just how long does the artificial stuff last with heavyish use?

[anto eile]

During league games in the Faeroes we were allowed onto the astro pitches for a kick about at half time. Dundalk should have a similar policy.

thats very amateur looking!

dundalk said they expect the pitch to be worth 3-4K a week to them from renting out

NY Hoop- they did start on it at the end of last summer, but got bogged down with financial difficulties regarding drawing down grants from the fai

i think the pitch looks very astroturf-ish, but whether it responds like that or grass is obviously the main issue,and fifa are satisfied there.so good luck to them and their pitch

btw i wonder how will 5000 (dundalk were talking about such a crowd today) fit into oriel with the shed now a pile of rubble?

[Peadar]

But as for every club copying them??

Sorry, this was a conversation for clubs who actually have a ground they can call home.

[Bald Student]

Sorry, this was a conversation for clubs who actually have a ground they can call home.

I'll inform the Munster FA so.

[Bald Student]

Oh the joys of being able to charge them for the use of united park on friday

Do the FAI not own United Park?

[fosterdollar]

I've never seen so many shattered glasshouses in one place before.

[noby]

Excuse me for interrupting this plastic pitch love-in, but, and you may call me old fashioned, football is a game played on grass. And mud. And bumps. And hollows.

[Peadar]

I'll inform the Munster FA so.

You can inform them all you like.
I never said we owned the place.
Just like pretty much no eL club owns its own ground.
We're the principle tennants.
We've contributed most of the money for the development of Turners Cross.
Without us, it would be three mounds of gravel and the shed.

[Cosmo]

Do the FAI not own United Park?

They do but we can charge whoever we want rent (and we have charged craptown already this season)

[eamoss]

Yeah think it was something like €1000 a game [Not too sure on that tho]