Anytime a game is outside the normal time, our attendances are likely to be a bit lower. Half hour does make the difference with traffic etc. We come from Limerick for games, the earlier start makes it tight. A lot of city fans are coming from further away.
That said, it should be an important enough game to have a close to sell out regardless. Will be interesting to see what kind of buzz there is around it.
I can see the switch to ten teams being a boon to attendances at the Cross - with three Dublin teams, title rivals Dundalk, a resurgent Derry team that features a few of potential future internationals, and two Munster derby rivalries, one of which has just got a bit spicier. The only real non-glamour visits will be from Sligo and Bray and even then, if the title is on the line on the final day, then Bray will become a big attraction
The better for who?
What impact would it have on attendances if Harps were there instead? Who'd think "Oh, Galway are playing Cork tonight, not Bray; I think I will pop down to the Showgrounds after all"?
Have Galway moved their home games to Sligo😱
From a ground standards perspective Galway would be a welcome addition and they have a decent fan base.
Can't believe I'm having to spell this out tbh.
The stats clearly show that the norm in the LOI is for Premier Division clubs to be getting over 1,000 to their average game.
Bray are clearly the only club that are not up to that. And not just by a little - but by a lot. They may well be in the PD on results (let's not get into the financial doping they were engaged in in the first half of last season before the wheels started to come off), but they do not have Premier Division levels of support. They are therefore adding little to the division IMO.
I am therefore arguing that it would be better for the league and its clubs - indeed, for everyone except Bray - if they were in the division which reflected their relative support levels and were replaced at the top level with a club which could draw Premier Division levels of support in that league - such as Galway or Finn Harps. And I hope that that is the outcome which will be delivered on the field of play.
I appreciate that as a UCD supporter you will doubtless disagree with this.
Last edited by EatYerGreens; 18/04/2018 at 3:58 PM.
TBF to UCD at least UCD bring something to the division in terms of educating and developing players as well as a good youth setup.
Clubs can bring something to the league even without huge support. t
Setting up in areas that have potential......Kerry, Mayo or developing new clubs.
There's probably fifteen teams in the league who's attendances would be every bit as bad as Bray in the same circumstances.
No official attendance given at the Markets Field last night for the second game in a row. I feel this may become a trend.
The average attendance in the PD would improve, by replacing Bray's sub-1,000 average in the PD with Harps above-1,000 average in the PD (as they've had whenever they've been up there). Ditto for Galway.
So the answer is attendances. Overall average attendances for the top division would improve. This is, after all, an attendances thread
Average attendances might improve? Is that it?
Something that won't benefit 9 of the 10 clubs?
Should we not just reduce the league to Cork v Rovers if that's the shortsightedness of your thinking?
Higher attendances in our top division helps everyone - making the league look more popular, increasing exposure for sponsors, better atmosphere at games, looks better on TV, longer queues at toilets etc. And clubs which have more fans are broadly more likely to also take fans away as well - so it would arguably also have a direct financial benefit to other clubs in the PD. If you're struggling to draw a crowd at home, you're certainly not going to be bringing many away.
Plus - Galway or Harps would mean more derby fixtures each season, which in themselves tend to generate higher crowds. Despite having a few clubs on their doorstep, no-one treats Bray as a derby game. And despite having a decent number of away fans from Dublin clubs at their games, Bray's average attendances are still the weak link in the PD.
Let's all pretend that we don't care about having higher attendances in our league now
I'll turn it around and ask you to explain to me what Bray bring to the PD that the likes of Galway wouldn't (hilarious press statements aside) ?
Last edited by EatYerGreens; 18/04/2018 at 7:26 PM.
I feel sorry for the bray fans with the clowns running the place ..can't really blame them for staying away. Even the way st Joseph's are allowed play as st joesephs bray in the under age leagues is a joke
What sponsors?
Bray or Harps in the league won't make a difference to Cork v Dundalk. Or Cork v Bray/Harps when it comes to it. What difference 20 v 40 away fans?
Looks better on TV? When were Bray or Harps last on telly anyway? They get shown once a year tops, when they're fodder for Cork/Dundalk.
Longer queues at toilets?! I'll assume that's a **** take (if you'll pardon the pun)
Seriously - none of your points means anything at a league level.
Nothing, of course. It doesn't really make a difference. That's my whole point. Galway are a basket case of a club with no training facilities dogged by infighting with local clubs; what do they bring to the league? (Exaggerated for effect, Galway fans!) Harps just kick the ****e out of players; what do they bring?
The Brandywell was officially opened yesterday,including the Derry city pitch, Greyhound track next door and the kids parks further over. The council representative said the Brandywell has now after five home games has had over 15,000 fans though the turnstiles!
They also said current capacity is 3,700.
I've missed five games at the Brandywell in 33 years, was hard to see or estimate the attendance because of the new stadium but apart from the Bohs game on Monday night I thought ther previous game's were well over 3,000.
Ok so your honeymoon was one.
Medically induced coma for two and caught abroad by the ash cloud for the others....am I close
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