Quick suggestion here, I want to know what GAA people would think of this. You see from other sports when games are played under lights it seems to raise the volume of the atmosphere by a few notches. Fireworks could be implemented as an opening ceremony because currently the build up to an All-Ireland final on match day could improve a lot. So my question is, would people like to see future All Ireland Finals being played under lights on a Saturday night? Would it work? Traditionalists mightn't like it being moved from Sundays. Feel free to express your opinion

PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 31/03/2015 13:36:42    1708883

Absolutely. Would be brilliant. Willl never happen though due to the amount of dinosaurs and whingers involved in the GAA. I can guarentee that people will complain that it would be impossible to go up to Dublin and home again on the Saturday and all this. Which is nonsense as 1)Organise a supporters bus or group transport. And 2) it happens in nearly every other sport so just get on with it

square_ball_69 (Westmeath) - Posts: 826 - 31/03/2015 14:18:38    1708915

Honestly No , The need to Sky / USA UP everything isn't something Id be into , I honestly don't think All Ireland Final or semi finals need it , the ones Ive attended were electric .
Something Hill says quite often if the entertainment on the pitch is high quality you will get the crowd going , I would say were we do need to look at things is the cringing badly recorded national anthem blared out at provincial stadiums . General facilities in some grounds pi55 on your shoes type experience I could do without .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 31/03/2015 14:22:32    1708918

I would be open to trial the idea for a year anyway although I can see some people possibly objecting such as the traditionalists and possibly the Croke Park residents. You also have people with young families who would have no choice to spend the Saturday night in Dublin, which would undoubtedly be expensive. Also you could bet you're mortgage on some people not being able to stay sober enough to watch a big game with a 7.30pm thow-in.

But it would have a novelty factor to it certainly. There would be some buzz about a huge Saturday night match and maybe it could be properly marketed and hyped up like the Superbowl is.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 31/03/2015 14:25:06    1708919

Wouldn't suit farmers I would imagine.

222 (UK) - Posts: 691 - 31/03/2015 14:40:52    1708932

The only thing I'd change is that i'd make the Monday after the 2 finals bank holidays

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 31/03/2015 14:50:38    1708938

Not dark at half 7 in September!!! Doh

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 31/03/2015 14:53:03    1708941

Think it would be worth a go to be honest. We seen back in the league game win 2009 between Dublin and Tyrone when they celebrated 125 years of the GAA and had a firework show in front of a full house how much of a buzz it brought. I understand if the game was played at 8pm it could lead to a big drinking session by many supporters. Also, Dublin would be jammed on a Saturday night aswell. Its an idea I had in my head though and I believe it would work

PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 31/03/2015 14:55:15    1708943

Bring both finals forward by a month for starters. Free up the calender.

m_the_d (None) - Posts: 1099 - 31/03/2015 15:00:38    1708945

No I prefer the Sunday throw in for finals day.....replays could be on Sat like the hurling reply 2 years ago.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11227 - 31/03/2015 15:08:14    1708950

All Ireland final, under lights, on a Saturday night. Sounds good to me.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 31/03/2015 15:08:20    1708951

All joking aside the question falls into two parts , Evening kick off later kick off , second was to do with atmosphere ? Youd have to have attended an All Ireland in either code to give an opinion on current atmosphere ?

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 31/03/2015 15:13:35    1708958

I'd be all for a Saturday night final, iv said it on here before, it would suit every1 outside Dublin for travel reasons, for people having to travel to South Kerry and west cork we don't get home till all hours of the night .

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 31/03/2015 16:18:00    1708997

No

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 31/03/2015 16:38:22    1709006

I attended the All-Ireland Final in '13 between Dublin and Mayo. It was a day I will never forget. I remember that days as if it was only yesterday. It was a beautiful sunny day which added to the occasion, a traditional 15:30 throw-in.

Hanging around in croker after the game in the sunshine watching the celebrations then heading back to the local GAA club for a few beers at about 19:30 and reliving the day all over again watching the sunday game.

I am all for tightening up the inter-county calendar by maybe moving the final to the last weekend in August. But for me leave the final on a sunday at 15:30. If your team is lucky enough to win you have a great night ahead loads of time on the day for taking everything in and enjoying the day. If the match was at 19:00 I don't think it would be the same.

jacktheDub (Dublin) - Posts: 944 - 31/03/2015 16:48:48    1709020

I like the idea of playing the final under lights, it does add to the spectacle, and gives it a little extra prestige. Even the hurling replay 2 years ago, the fact that it was under lights for the second half seemed to give it a unique atmosphere. And as a TV spectacle, it raises it to a different level.

That said, playing the finals in the evening would cause issues for people outside of Dublin travelling up to, and back from, the match, so that would be the biggest obstacle to it, and an understandable one.

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 31/03/2015 16:50:17    1709021

It is still bright until quite late in September so it would just be a late game, floodlights would hardly be required. Also most sports finals in summer are played during the afternoon - FA cup, European rugby cup, Wimbledon tennis, English rugby league final etc. Other than the Superbowl and Champions league final, which have to take account of timezone differences, I cant think of many finals that are not played during the day. Jacks post sums up well why there is no need to go tinkering with times.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 31/03/2015 18:11:46    1709078

http://www.highreslighting.com/lighting-design-ireland-works-d.asp?PROJ_ID=445 Just think about how much of a buzz there would be if these were the scenes before throw in

PoppinPoints (Meath) - Posts: 225 - 31/03/2015 18:17:15    1709087

KingdomBoy1
County: Kerry
Posts: 2867

1708997
I'd be all for a Saturday night final, iv said it on here before, it would suit every1 outside Dublin for travel reasons, for people having to travel to South Kerry and west cork we don't get home till all hours of the night

Yeah but the flip side of that is that you'd have to bring in the extra expense of staying in Dublin on the Saturday night.

Although not ideal, at least the Sunday afternoon throw in gives the option of up and down in one day, albeit a long one.

My missus is from West Cork so I've done the up and down in one day a couple of times whilst we've been on holidays down there, fair play to all those who do it, we don't know how lucky we are sometimes to be within walking distance of the Hill!

A Sat night throw in would be good in some ways but if you didn't have the option of staying in Dublin that night you wouldn't be reaching the likes of South Kerry, West Cork, Donegal until 2 or 3 in the morning!

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13705 - 31/03/2015 19:21:19    1709127

Unless the match throws in at 9 o clock it won't be under lights. Surely that a problem??

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 31/03/2015 19:23:44    1709128