It is not totally meaningless in the now.

When i say meaningless, I don't mean to players who are trying to earn a place in the league panel. Cause for that the O'Byrne cup is very useful, Or for managers wanting to try out new tactics/styles.

But in terms of its importance, It's not something that is going to keep anyone awake at night if they dont win it. If it was so important, you would see the best players play.

As for people saying "ah but there was 7,500 in Navan at the weekend, And the same for Tyrone v Armagh", Well..... yea.. Of course there was ? thats because the two counties are rivals, If you had Dublin and Meath playing in a farmers field in Leitrim you would get a serious crowd.

Take Dublins other games so far in the tournament especially the ones in Parnell park, There certainly wasnt 2,500 at them combined let alone 7,500. Why not ask yourself ? Because Dublin playing NUI Maynooth in a pre season game, Or Offaly.. just doesnt set the pulses racing like going to Navan.

Dont fool yourselves into thinking those big crowds show the popularity of the O'Byrne cup/McKenna cup.

Their uses are for managers and players to stake a claim, Thats all.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 20/01/2015 12:27:47    1684741

Haha CD. Don't worry i wont take the bait. Too early in year.
Meath teams of the past cared nothing for the leagues and it became a mind set. That thankfully has changed. I expect promotion, if we want to compete for all irelands then i think we have to be playing in div 1.
As for beating Dublin?? Only time will tell , plenty of games for both to play before any Leinster final. Maybe you could get turned over by Kildare or us by Wexford or Louth. Shouldn't be taking anything for granted, did Donegal not show that last year???

royaldunne (Meath) - Posts: 19449 - 20/01/2015 13:23:28    1684770

Yeah you've only got to look at the 'Capital Cup' in English soccer to realise that a once 'meaningless' competition can be transformed into a crowd puller, game promotion tool and revenue generator with the correct marketing. Then again the GAA's track record on games marketing isn't exactly outstanding. How many will be at Stamford Bridge tonight versus the same tie in the same competition 12 years ago?

It's a pity because the format of the OBC is something that should be looked at for the championship i.e. Group stage round robin leading to knockout stage. Granted the whole games programme would need to be restructured around this but what a competition it could be.

There are too many variables between competitions to be able to draw comparisons on attendances..

- college teams involvement mean lower numbers
- weather factors, OBC in middle of Winter
- experimental attitude of management
- unlike league, season tickets do not grant 'free' access
- lack of media and GAA promotion

Still 7500 is a great crowd bearing in mind the above factors.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4700 - 20/01/2015 18:27:47    1684920

the gaa actually have a brilliant track record when they do market a game
take the two league matches dublin v tyrone witha title of the first floodlight game
then they marketed another dublin v tyrone league game a couple of years later with
another title the 125 anniversary game
they had two full houses
they marketed the international series massively in the mid 00tys
and also got full houses each time
its just a shame they dont do it every year

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 20/01/2015 19:25:03    1684943

great match i see a tight leinster final in the coming months

kildalkey4 (Meath) - Posts: 12 - 20/01/2015 20:24:47    1684972

wayno
As for people saying "ah but there was 7,500 in Navan at the weekend, And the same for Tyrone v Armagh", Well..... yea.. Of course there was ? thats because the two counties are rivals, If you had Dublin and Meath playing in a farmers field in Leitrim you would get a serious crowd.
Take Dublins other games so far in the tournament especially the ones in Parnell park, There certainly wasnt 2,500 at them combined let alone 7,500. Why not ask yourself ? Because Dublin playing NUI Maynooth in a pre season game, Or Offaly.. just doesnt set the pulses racing like going to Navan.
Dont fool yourselves into thinking those big crowds show the popularity of the O'Byrne cup/McKenna cup.


I dont get your point?
the same thing would happen in the leinster championship
if dublin played meath or kildare in the leinster final
you will get over 60 thousand at it
but if they played someone like wexford or laois you will get smaller numbers

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/01/2015 09:07:22    1685041

My point being that a couple of people where basically using the big crowds (like the ones in Navan and Tyrone v Armagh in the McKenna cup) as some kind of proof that these pre-season competitions aren't meaningless. But for me, It doesn't prove that at all, because as you say, Dublin v Meath will always attract big numbers, Wether it be an important leinster final, A not-so-important O'Byrne cup game in january, Or a challenge game in the back arse of nowhere. If you want a fairer reflection of how fans in particular feel about these pre-season competitions, Look at the attendances of games that aren't involving rival counties/derby's cause those games take on different meanings and guarantee big crowds.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 21/01/2015 11:40:14    1685090

wayno

there was more in navan and will be in newbridge at the o byrne cup
than will be in killarney or pairc ui rinn in the league

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/01/2015 12:33:26    1685107

hill16no1man
County: Dublin
Posts: 8999

1685107
wayno

there was more in navan and will be in newbridge at the o byrne cup
than will be in killarney or pairc ui rinn in the league


Very true. We outnumbered the rebels by at least 2 to 1 in league last year.

St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1700 - 21/01/2015 12:37:51    1685109

wayno

there was more in navan and will be in newbridge at the o byrne cup
than will be in killarney or pairc ui rinn in the league

_______________________

Mate, we are going round in circles here.

I'm not saying the crowd on Sunday was going to be bigger/smaller than the crowd in Killarney/Cork.

What i'm saying is dont let the crowd fool you into thinking te O'Byrne cup is a more important competition than it realistically is.

The only reason there was 7,500 people in Navan last weekend was because Dublin -v- Meath is a rivalry, And had it been a mere challenge game in a random field you would get a decent crowd for that fixture too. Similar story with Armagh -v- Tyrone.

These competitions serve their purpose. They allow managers to experiment and players to lay down a marker for league panel inclusion. Winning it isn't important.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 21/01/2015 12:54:18    1685114

Waynol is the only one making sense here...

county man (Limerick) - Posts: 1102 - 21/01/2015 13:53:47    1685143

wayno

you starting to sound like ormond here haha
its like you need some manager to come out and tell you how important the o byrne cup is
before you can enjoy it yourself
as the song says let it go let it go.....................
i dont care what the people say,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/01/2015 16:12:19    1685205

Wayno rivalry's make competitions relevant. between the semi and the final it's a big enough competition given the right match ups. It's also great for lads breaking through and panels getting settled before the league starts. And the money is for a very worthy cause.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 21/01/2015 16:16:13    1685208

TG4 are showing the final live on Sunday?

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 21/01/2015 17:08:30    1685235

you must be joking clondalkin
tg4 show a dublin match, ahe here its not april fools

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/01/2015 17:58:24    1685257

Yes hill16no1man, TG4 are showing the final live.

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2991 - 21/01/2015 18:49:52    1685269

I thought I read they were but now I don't think so.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 21/01/2015 19:43:06    1685290

They showed the final last year as well so assume it's still on clondalkin.

St.Conleth (Kildare) - Posts: 1700 - 21/01/2015 20:18:32    1685306

Must be the only game on this weekend in that case.
Said on main page their coverage starts in February of live games

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 21/01/2015 21:17:31    1685333

hill16no1man: this is from the main page Hoganstand:
"On Sunday, TG4 will screen the O'Byrne Cup final between Kildare and Dublin, which is expected to draw a capacity crowd to Newbridge. The game gets underway at 2pm. The Irish language station also showed last year's final between Kildare and Meath, which was played at the same venue".

lilywhite1 (Kildare) - Posts: 2991 - 22/01/2015 11:27:52    1685401