600 in the neller yesterday haha could played it in o toole park

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 01/04/2013 11:38:57    1359343

The Spring Series has always been dependent on a family crowd and the amount of kids at such games alludes to this. There is no doubt in my mind the cold weather has severely reduced the attendance of these supporters. Its marketed as the spring series but was more like an arctic series!

seany16 (Dublin) - Posts: 1663 - 01/04/2013 14:23:53    1359396

yesterday at fairyhouse proved that what I suggested last week works.
the racecourse allowed under 18s free entry yesterday and on a bitterly cold day got a 14% increase in the attendance.
its the way to go I feel and the gaa should look into this for the league semi finals and finals.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2013 13:46:35    1359786

You seem to be enjoying the hurlers getting poor crowds Hillman!

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 02/04/2013 14:15:28    1359796

Subsidised by the bookies hill16man

doublehop (Kildare) - Posts: 4172 - 02/04/2013 14:19:50    1359799

hardly enjoying it hurlingdub? just showing how the artic weather is taking its toll.
doublehop bookies dont subsidize anything in ireland the HRI run racecourses by themselves.
the bookies turnover was actualy down by 14% yesterday on last years easter monday so they not getting the money.
I just think its a no brainer really to get more kids to go to games this time of year.
if you had free entry for under 18s for league semi finals even for clubs only you could have most clubs in each county involved bringing up to 50 kids each would add between 7-10 thousand to the attendance alone without counting the kids who arent involved in clubs.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 02/04/2013 14:34:07    1359810

5,759 in Portlaois last night for the U21 Leinster final.Big crowd for U21 game.I think the mid week games have really helped this competition.

lukewalsh96 (Cork) - Posts: 252 - 04/04/2013 15:42:25    1360898

Under 21 matches tend to be of high quality, and 21s football is far more entertaining than senior. 21s hurling has produced some absolute classics every year for a while now.

hurlingdub (Dublin) - Posts: 6978 - 04/04/2013 15:47:10    1360902

So Jim Gavin says that the work in the league is done and that the semi final is nothing more than a bonus.So there you go dubs,if yere thinking of forking out the dough to take your family to the semi final in a couple of weeks,dont bother.
Im not the RTEs biggest fan,but Gaa people have some nerve criticizing them for their lack of league coverage.Why should they take the league seriously when lads like Gavin say things like this?

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 05/04/2013 08:55:34    1361207

joncarter
County: Galway
Posts: 270

1361207 So Jim Gavin says that the work in the league is done and that the semi final is nothing more than a bonus.So there you go dubs,if yere thinking of forking out the dough to take your family to the semi final in a couple of weeks,dont bother.
Im not the RTEs biggest fan,but Gaa people have some nerve criticizing them for their lack of league coverage.Why should they take the league seriously when lads like Gavin say things like this?

Its hard to argue with that. I'd agree with a lot of that. However, in his defense and as a Dub obviously, the Dubs failed a lot in the past because the hype has got to them. I'd hope that he is playing things down because of the hype that is surrounding his young panel at the moment. I'm just looking for reasons and not making exvuses for them. Overall i'd share your thoughts.

I think that the league is taken seriously, however. I can gaurantee you none of the counties that are playing for survival at the weekend want to go down and that none of the counties in contention don't want to win (a double negative there but you know what I mean).

Also, just to add, RTÉ are responsible to the tax payers not the various counties. It is clear from the average attendances of TG4 coverage (approx 150,000 per live game on avaerage) that the taxpayers are more than interested in gaelic games. These figures would be will above average figures for their rugby broadcasts for example and those sort of figures justify some sort of coverage from the State broadcaster.

Overall, however, I repeat I share your frustration with some of the comments intercounty managers make regarding the league. They should cop on - or think before they dismiss it.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 05/04/2013 09:34:30    1361222

Fair enough Culaan.Its not just Gavin.Jack O connor was always saying he wasn't bothered about the league when he was in charge of Kerry.I think that this attitude in the Gaa that the championship is all that matters is quite damaging.Every other sport has at least two tournaments that teams are desperate to win (soccer has about 6) and this is great for coverage and interest.
In the Gaa most of the big teams are only concerned with the all Ireland.Hopefully this will change,as it would be a great boost to the Gaa to have two or three competitions that teams really want to win.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 05/04/2013 09:45:56    1361231

joncarter
County: Galway
Posts: 272

1361231 Fair enough Culaan.Its not just Gavin.Jack O connor was always saying he wasn't bothered about the league when he was in charge of Kerry.I think that this attitude in the Gaa that the championship is all that matters is quite damaging.Every other sport has at least two tournaments that teams are desperate to win (soccer has about 6) and this is great for coverage and interest.
In the Gaa most of the big teams are only concerned with the all Ireland.Hopefully this will change,as it would be a great boost to the Gaa to have two or three competitions that teams really want to win.

I'm in total agreement with that.

Culann (Dublin) - Posts: 2306 - 05/04/2013 10:42:20    1361260

you read this in the newspapers no doubt taken out of context more then liekly as all i have seen each time is him say they have a training plan working towards the first round of leinster championship and that it wont change regardless of how far they get in the league.reading today he said they will be going to ballybofey looking to win the game and that itsthe first time he has had a full squad available so i would take little from newspaper interviews.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 05/04/2013 11:31:16    1361293

Division 1 is the least importanant division in the league outside of Division one progression in the league is vital to a team.Getting relegated from division 1 is a big blow for a county.

GAA managers treat the league no differently than the second competition in most other sports.A large anmount of premier league teams in england field weakended teams for both domestic cup competitions, the provinces field weakened teams for the Rabo league aswell, yet those competitions still get treated well by the media.Most GAA managers downplay almost every win apart from the all ireland final.RTE's coverage of the league is pathetic.

uibhfhaili1986 (Offaly) - Posts: 1296 - 05/04/2013 13:50:20    1361411

i agree with last poster in that the other sports actually field weaker teams in their second competitions and most gaa teams play almost full strength in the league,yet the media always tends to make out the second compteition in gaa is not taken as serious as the other sports.less interviews with managers would be far more helpfull or abetter questioning then the usual same old question of what does the league mean to you.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 05/04/2013 15:34:09    1361515

The league is about championship preparation though. A simple to change to give the league added emphasis is something I mention a bit, use the league placings to seed the early qualifier rounds:

All-Ireland Qualifier Round 1
8 highest teams on league placing vs 8 lower teams based on league placing.

All-Ireland Qualifier Round 2
8 highest teams on league placing vs 8 lower teams based on league placing.

I think this would bring a bit more fairness to the All-Ireland. An Ulster division 1 team knocked out by another Ulster division 1 team in an Ulster quarter-final should avoid similar division 1 opposition in the qualifiers round 1. Some losing provincial semi-finals in Munster and Connaught have byes to that stage or have less tougher opposition. As most provinces have open draws, it should be too much of an issue to seed the early qualifier rounds and even out the different standards a bit between provinces.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 9813 - 05/04/2013 21:58:47    1361789

Over 5,000 in Navan today.

BettystownRoyal (Meath) - Posts: 3353 - 07/04/2013 19:06:38    1362503

3,121 in thurles for dublin v limerick.
8,000 in ballybofey for donegal v dublin

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 07/04/2013 20:25:34    1362613

hill16no1man
County: Dublin
Posts: 4091

1362613
3,121 in thurles for dublin v limerick.
8,000 in ballybofey for donegal v dublin

It may be my imagination but I was in Ballybofey today and it looked a lot more than 45% full to me

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5030 - 07/04/2013 20:42:15    1362636

Good attendance up in BBofey today. Not a bad game either.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 07/04/2013 21:18:28    1362681