link

Frankly, when you can get double that for the corresponding fixture the year before; no, no it isn't a great crowd.
As for comparing it to the Premier League. Well first off, 30,000 is a small attendance over there, and secondly, they play 38 games each every year in that competition alone and they are all stand alone fixtures! This for example will be mayo's 4th game.

His excuses are not adding up as far as I can see. At the end of the day there is a double header arranged that wont even half fill the stadium. The correct action is clear. Spread these games around the country.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/08/2014 10:55:46    1629297

If Kerry v Galway and Mayo v Cork was a double header in the Gaelic Grounds Limerick, you would have a full house and great atmosphere. That said I say all four teams, players and management teams would opt for Croke Park.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11229 - 01/08/2014 11:06:43    1629305

In 2011 the AI quarter finals featuring the Connacht and Munster champions got only 22,000.There is a drop this year because Galway and Cork are in these matches and they don't bring a huge support unfortunately.

Cavan were in the quarters last year which boosted the attendance significantly.Last year was a very good year so a drop is not unexpected.

A double header in Limerick might have been worth a try but I would say there are agreements with sponsors/corporate ticket holders that quarter finals must be played in Croke Park.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 01/08/2014 11:13:29    1629308

Players wanna play in Croke Park. I think Mayo would benefit from the vast expanse of the Croke Park pitch as they are probably the team gonna head into the latter stages of the competition.

So....it probably benefits them playing in front of a small crowd in Croke Park.

Also in defence of Cork supporters, its a trek up from Cork and the hurlers stand more of a chance than the footballers. A drive up and back costs about 70-80 in petrol. I can see the logic in some supporters not travelling.

Ps....30000, so 15000 for an AI Quarter from Mayo, and they got most of the tickets for the AI Final. Hope the GAA remember that if Mayo get to the final.

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 01/08/2014 11:19:33    1629312

01/08/2014 10:55:46 TheMaster
link
Frankly, when you can get double that for the corresponding fixture the year before; no, no it isn't a great crowd.
As for comparing it to the Premier League. Well first off, 30,000 is a small attendance over there, and secondly, they play 38 games each every year in that competition alone and they are all stand alone fixtures! This for example will be mayo's 4th game.
His excuses are not adding up as far as I can see. At the end of the day there is a double header arranged that wont even half fill the stadium. The correct action is clear. Spread these games around the country.30'000 isn't really a small attendance in premier league. Its about the average.
link
01/08/2014 11:06:43 yew_tree
If Kerry v Galway and Mayo v Cork was a double header in the Gaelic Grounds Limerick, you would have a full house and great atmosphere. That said I say all four teams, players and management teams would opt for Croke Park. Demand for those 4 teams wont fill Croke Park but would be more than the 50k of Gaelic Grounds. And who's to say you would have a great atmosphere more in Limerick?

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 01/08/2014 11:20:47    1629313

In my opinion Liam O'Niell seems to take everything personal and is v defensive in response to all criticisms.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 01/08/2014 11:27:42    1629318

In the current system they would yt, simply because the winners are likely to be coming up against Dublin who have so much experience there. But if the system was more balanced that might not be the case. My issue is more with the excuses we have just been offered, that are pretty ridiculous in fairness.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/08/2014 11:27:52    1629319

There's no point in trying to sugar coat it, if this is true then that is a very poor crowd for a double header quarter final.

I can't understand why so many people wouldn't take the chance to cheer on their county in a quarter final at Croke Park

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 01/08/2014 11:38:41    1629326

I think its to be expected as someone said Cork never travel well to support the footballers unless its a final and Galway don't bring great support these days either.

There should be a decent Kerry crowd but you also have to bear in mind that tourism is such a huge industry in counties like Kerry and it is the August bank holiday weekend one of the busiest times of the year! Also August is in itself is a particularly busy tourist time down here with the Puck in Kilorglin, Rose in Tralee etc etc going on. Even if people had the money to travel up to Dublin, possibly stay a night and pay for tickets, a lot of Kerry people would be working in service industries built around the tourism and couldn't possibly get a Sunday off to travel up.

Mayo usually travel well, but considering they have been in 2 finals in 2 years the novelty of a Q-final appearance might be wearying off.

TheHermit (Kerry) - Posts: 6354 - 01/08/2014 11:41:05    1629327

It's easier to draw attendances to Premiership matches . Premiership teams are based in cities and people identify with their teams . They have public transport and don't have to travel well over a hundred miles to get to games . Even with that some teams such as Villa are having problems filling their stadia.Some Premiership grounds have capacities of less than 30,000 so 30,000 is a big crowd to some teams . To others it is not .Master is correct when saying that in comparison to last year it is a small crowd . I was there last year and they were two games which gave very little value for money in terms of competition and entertainment.Having said that no player wants to play an All-Ireland quarter final anywhere but in Croke Park .

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6031 - 01/08/2014 11:42:38    1629329

JayP
County: Dublin
Posts: 895
Also in defence of Cork supporters, its a trek up from Cork

It is not bad when you have a motorway all the way. Not not luxury from our end. Foe example I know a man from Belmullet who will travel up with kids and wife in tow....will probably leave house at 7:00am to be in Croke Park for minor game at 12 and will be 11:00pm or there abouts until they are home that night. That's what I call supporters. Same in fairness can be said for those in west Cork, Kerry, Galway - all long distances to travel.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11229 - 01/08/2014 11:48:00    1629331

JayP 01/08/2014 11:19:33 A drive up and back costs about 70-80 in petrol. I can see the logic in some supporters not travelling.

It's not really a valid excuse to be honest. Cork footballers are just poorly supported. Other counties have greater distances to travel and have far better support

HandballRef (Donegal) - Posts: 520 - 01/08/2014 11:51:24    1629332

Woeful crowd if thats what attends the 2 games.Ormonde,there are lots of teams in the English championship,and a few in League 1 who regularly get 30,000 crowds.For 4 counties,in All Ireland quarter finals,it is pathetic.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 01/08/2014 11:52:11    1629333

I was at last year's quarter finals and I'll be there this Sunday.

Some facts :

This Sunday , 30,000 speculated.


We'll have the majority of the 30,000 he speculates, get in there for the minors at 12 lassies and lads!

Galway will bring a decent crowd.

Hard to know from Kerry or Cork who will have the more supporters, as we all know Kerry don't traditionally head to Croker before September. This is a young team and might inspire younger supporters to travel after their great Munster Final Display.

Cork will have a few thousand, as said earlier hurling also costing them.

Neutrals in to watch some football.

Last year August 4th. 64k +

Kerry, see above, not huge support.

Donegal brought a good crowd down from there. Whatever about a trek from Cork it's a lot easier than driving from Fanad!

We brought a good crowd too.

Cavan brought a great crowd. Not sure which vounty had the most last year but you cannot compare this years supporters to last years.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7342 - 01/08/2014 12:00:21    1629338

Agree with Monaghan poster above : Liam O'Neil seems to take everything personally , he really needs to chill. Master - I know Cork and Galway have other sports to contend with but their support is woeful. Do Galway and Cork fans just show for finals ??

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 01/08/2014 12:07:56    1629343

Well put, Hermit. There's plenty of people trying to earn a living at peak tourism times and can't afford to miss an opportunity to work on the bank holiday weekend. If their respective matches were on in a more local venue would they still be available to travel? Travelling to Dublin is fairly expensive in petrol costs and then the rest - food, etc. Its also conservatively a 4 hour journey (at least) from the west of all the counties involved (Belmullet, Clifden, Skibbereen, Dingle etc.) in ideal traffic conditions, not even considering match day traffic so at least an 8 hour round trip so accommodation would probably be sought by many in the most expensive place in Ireland on one of the most expensive weekends. While it may be a bit of a shame regarding lower attendances, I don't blame a lot of people for not travelling to support their counties on occasions such as this and can completely understand their reasoning.

There are 3 separate groups to consider in the timing / venue: i) the teams, ii) the corporate ticket holders and iii) the regular fans, without even counting fixture lists considerations and TV rights / schedules. The GAA can't suit them all but a bit better dialogue between HQ, provincial councils, county boards and fan groups could well facilitate more accessible locations and suitable game times. We live in hope, I suppose.

Kurt_Angle (Dublin) - Posts: 567 - 01/08/2014 12:35:01    1629362

Ormond, Southampton average over 30,000 for every game, and they aren't even in the top half of the attendance table. It isn't a good crowd, it is a below average crowd.

jayp, do you understand how the tickets are distributed for the AI final? You would want to do some research man, you have stated that thing about mayo getting more tickets numerous times now and it is just making you sound foolish. That isn't how it works.

Personally, Im not really bothered about getting into what teams would like etc etc, Im just annoyed at this load of misinformation he has tried to feed us.

TheMaster (Mayo) - Posts: 16187 - 01/08/2014 12:35:01    1629363

O'Neill isn't happy, they already lost their Garth Brooks windfall. By his reckoning there'll be 50,000 empty seats in Croker Park this Sunday.

Would he not think of hiring a few people to stand up at the airport, local ports, Busaras, Heuston or Connolly statins with a few fliers and alert the many thousands of tourists currently in our great country that there is actually 3 great games on in Croke Park this Sunday between 12 and 6. There's also a GAA museum there and a shop where they could buy proper souvenirs like Jerseys, hats etc, instead of the made in China stuff. All for €30 for adults ( not sure what the childrens tickets cost). They won't do that of course. Sunday is probably yhe worst day for tourists, many things closed, not a lot to do. 'Sure it's too expensive for them. They wouldn't understand the game " will be some of the excuses for not even letting them know there's a game on. But the GAAgo deal promotes the game abroad? I know I'd rather be at a game than watch it on TV thousands of miles away and if I liked it I'd tell my mates to go to the games if they get a chance.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 7342 - 01/08/2014 13:05:28    1629378

This comparing to the premiership in nonsense. Yeah many teams get 30k crowds over there but they have 10 times our population over in England and premiership games are always played at some teams home venue in a huge city.

This is a costly trip and because of the luck of the draw you have 3 poorly supported teams from the 4 involved in the fixture. In a similar fixture in 2011 you had Mayo v Cork and Kerry v Limerick, I cant remember the exact crowd but I think it was under 25k so no big fall off really. You could spin it another way and call it an increase..

dahayeser (Cork) - Posts: 337 - 01/08/2014 13:15:21    1629388

uibhfhaili1986
County: Offaly
Posts: 352

1629308

A double header in Limerick might have been worth a try but I would say there are agreements with sponsors/corporate ticket holders that quarter finals must be played in Croke Park.

Liam O Neill said there was no issue in moving games from Croker "I'd say the only way you could play quarter- or semi-finals elsewhere would be by agreement or if it happened that you had two counties that were geographically well located to be in a different stadium "

The myth of games being fixed for corporate reasons is false

shea (Kerry) - Posts: 409 - 01/08/2014 13:21:19    1629394