FAI block Barcelona playing Limerick FC in Thomond Park.

Kess73

Limerick: FAI refuse to sanction Barcelona friendly
Thursday, 13 May 2010 19:45
Limerick FC have confirmed they have provisionally agreed to play Barcelona in Thomand Park this summer, but the club claim that FAI and Airtricty League are refusing to sanction the match as it will clash with league matches.

The Jackman Park club have stated that the Catalan giant have guaranteed to include stars such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Xavi and Bojan for a friendly on 31 July.

But, according to Limerick, the governing body of the league Fran Gavin will not sanction the match because two League of Ireland fixtures take place that night, neither of which involve Limerick.

Limerick FC chairman Pat O'Sullivan believe it is 'imperative' that the decision is reversed.

'This is a massive setback for Limerick FC, Limerick City and the mid-west region.

'We along with Thomond Park and local tourism bodies have worked tirelessly to bring a team of the stature of FC Barcelona to the sports mad mid-west region.

'The potential benefit to the local economy of up to €10million and to the profile of soccer in the region is enormous.

'This makes it imperative that the Airtricity League Director reverse his decision, sanction this match and allow fans all over the region see the likes of Lionel Messi grace Thomond Park in July.'




http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0513/limerick.html




Would have loved to have seen Barca in Limerick, especially as they were going to play some of the big names. Although I had to giggle when I saw the old €10 million to the city figure being used again.

Melion

That decision has to be reversed

Columbia

Absolute travesty of a decision.

bacon&cabbage

Unbelievable !, A real positive for Limerick and some bureaucrat in Dublin decides to call a halt to it :mad:

Risteard

Joke of a decision, I don't even like football but there's no doubt you'd have had a lot of people coming to Limerick to see it.

Itsdacraic

This is a ridiculous decision. I wouldn't be surprised if it was down to sour grapes that Limerick managed to secure the friendly instead of some big Dublin club.

I'm sure it will be reversed though.

A2LUE42

I was only thinking recently how great it was that they had the Liverpool Legends game. This would have been brilliant.

Bloody FAI !!

Melion

I just read in the soccer forum that the Atrocity XI are playing United the same week as LOI and potential european matches are on. Joke of an association.

flutered

the loi are not orgasizing it so probably no kick back for them, as the op said if a club from dublin was involved it would be a no brainer.

JerryHandbag

Idiots...would have been massive for Limerick. Typical FAI buffoonery.

Raiser

Theres 1000 Million Limerick aint going to see.

- Now, am off to line my shoes with cardboard.

vkid

peoples should start emailing info@fai.ie

Amazotheamazing

Kess73 wrote: »

Would have loved to have seen Barca in Limerick, especially as they were going to play some of the big names. Although I had to giggle when I saw the old €10 million to the city figure being used again.

The 10 million thing is from a study Munster did last year. Maybe you've some insider info you'd like to share?

Here's the results of the study.

http://munsterrugby.ie/news/578.php

Itsdacraic

vkid wrote: »

peoples should start emailing info@fai.ie

Good call. I would urge everyone to send off an email, even if it is only a one-liner. The FAI don't want Fintan Drury and Platinum One making any money off of this and are using Limerick as pawns.

KerranJast

From what I heard from Limerick Journalists last night, Limerick FC asked to be allowed organise a friendly. The FAI said fine lads, fire away. They probably thought "ah plucky little Limerick FC. Sure who would want to play them?". Then Limerick pull off a coup and get Barcelona and the FAI Blazers are now panicking thinking it makes them look bad for missing out this opportunity. Bunch of ****ehawks :mad:

amiable

Kess73 wrote: »

Limerick: FAI refuse to sanction Barcelona friendly
Thursday, 13 May 2010 19:45
Limerick FC have confirmed they have provisionally agreed to play Barcelona in Thomand Park this summer, but the club claim that FAI and Airtricty League are refusing to sanction the match as it will clash with league matches.

The Jackman Park club have stated that the Catalan giant have guaranteed to include stars such as Lionel Messi, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Xavi and Bojan for a friendly on 31 July.

But, according to Limerick, the governing body of the league Fran Gavin will not sanction the match because two League of Ireland fixtures take place that night, neither of which involve Limerick.

Limerick FC chairman Pat O'Sullivan believe it is 'imperative' that the decision is reversed.

'This is a massive setback for Limerick FC, Limerick City and the mid-west region.

'We along with Thomond Park and local tourism bodies have worked tirelessly to bring a team of the stature of FC Barcelona to the sports mad mid-west region.

'The potential benefit to the local economy of up to €10million and to the profile of soccer in the region is enormous.

'This makes it imperative that the Airtricity League Director reverse his decision, sanction this match and allow fans all over the region see the likes of Lionel Messi grace Thomond Park in July.'




http://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2010/0513/limerick.html




Would have loved to have seen Barca in Limerick, especially as they were going to play some of the big names. Although I had to giggle when I saw the old €10 million to the city figure being used again.

The FAI want to get Barcelona to play in the new Lansdowne road when its reopened and don't want Limerick stealing their thunder

Soulcrew09

Limerick can fight this, even bring it to court, may even win, game goes ahead, everyones happy.

Come next Febuary FAI will refuse Limerick a licence on some bull$hite excuse, they have done it before and will do it again.

Limerick are walking a fine line on their own, they need the support of everyone on this one. Thomond Park are fuming, Barcelona are not happy its time for city hall to get involved in a huge way.

vkid

Itsdacraic wrote: »

Good call. I would urge everyone to send off an email, even if it is only a one-liner. The FAI don't want Fintan Drury and Platinum One making any money off of this and are using Limerick as pawns.

I have anyway. Screw the FAI. Typical dublin centric bullcrap

Kess73

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

The 10 million thing is from a study Munster did last year. Maybe you've some insider info you'd like to share?

Here's the results of the study.

http://munsterrugby.ie/news/578.php

Insider info? No I don't.


But the study has been questioned as a generic figure many times since then. Yes it may be somewhat accurate for the one event, with an estimated 26,000 people, the study was based on, but since then the 10 to 20million figure has been trotted out without fail for every event at Thomond Park, regardless of crowd size, and also for things like the Skyfest, Patrick's Day parades etc.

Just seems odd that every single event is worth that. It just seems lazy to have the exact same figure trotted out for each event when the study was specific to one event.

Also for 10 million to be correct for Thomond Park it would require 26,000 people in attendence and each one of them to be spending roughly €384 in the local economy. Personally I would be suprised if every one of the home fans for each game where spending €384 locally everytime they went to a game, plus the fact that the ground never actually sells 26,000 tickets on the few occassions that there is a full house adds more doubt to the figures.


It also seems odd that similar studies to see what Premiership matches are worth to local economies in the UK came back with much lower figures than the Thomond Park figure, despite the grounds being used in the UK study being far larger than Thomond Park and having far more facilities.

Old Trafford was used in one of the studies, and when that ground has 70,000 in attendence, it was estimated that 45,000 where not from the locality and that it was worth up 5 million to the local economy. Yet a small ground like Thomond Park whose non local fan numbers would only be a fraction of that of Old Trafford is deemed to be worth 10 million plus.


Mind you this is going off Topic and I am sure if you do a search you will find a number of threads that were soley based on the estimated figures for the events in Limerick, one of those threads having links to studies done in cities that have full sized stadiums which showed that the figures from them were far less that what we are expected to believe Thomond Park games are worth.

Kess73

amiable wrote: »

The FAI want to get Barcelona to play in the new Lansdowne road when its reopened and don't want Limerick stealing their thunder

And if the FAI get Barca for their own stadium, then I bet you that it clashing with other games won't be a factor.

Soulcrew09

Kess73 wrote: »

And if the FAI get Barca for their own stadium, then I bet you that it clashing with other games won't be a factor.

Well heres the thing, this Man Utd v LOI XI friendly thay have will be clashing with Bohemians in the Champions league!!!!!! its also 2 days before a full set of fixture one of which includes Shamrock Rovers v Bohs. (biggest game in the league) and LOI are expected to release players for the friendly.

Itsdacraic

Kess73 wrote: »

And if the FAI get Barca for their own stadium, then I bet you that it clashing with other games won't be a factor.

The FAI already have fixed United V Eirtricty 11 for the following week and there is no question of it clashing with fixtures.

The FAI would rather an All-Dublin league and be done with the culchies.

Aidric

What a bloody mess of a situation. This would be a massive coup for the city, hope it can be resolved.

Twin-go

FAIlure.

Itsdacraic

By jeeves I've got it!

I know how we can resolve this:

Somebody start a facebook group quick!

Karmafaerie

Two sentances from the RTE report sum it up completely.

The FAI has also told the Blues that it is in active and ongoing negotiations with Barcelona in relation to a visit to the Aviva Stadium.

and

Thierry Henry could be one of the Barcelona stars set to play in Ireland, but it remains to be seen if it is in Limerick or Dublin

Cnuts!!!


'nuff said!!!

Soulcrew09

Itsdacraic wrote: »

By jeeves I've got it!

I know how we can resolve this:

Somebody start a facebook group quick!

Miles ahead of ya!

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000347691137#!/group.php?gid=121342104560735

gihj

Kess73 wrote: »

Insider info? No I don't.


But the study has been questioned as a generic figure many times since then. Yes it may be somewhat accurate for the one event, with an estimated 26,000 people, the study was based on, but since then the 10 to 20million figure has been trotted out without fail for every event at Thomond Park, regardless of crowd size, and also for things like the Skyfest, Patrick's Day parades etc.

Just seems odd that every single event is worth that. It just seems lazy to have the exact same figure trotted out for each event when the study was specific to one event.

Also for 10 million to be correct for Thomond Park it would require 26,000 people in attendence and each one of them to be spending roughly €384 in the local economy. Personally I would be suprised if every one of the home fans for each game where spending €384 locally everytime they went to a game, plus the fact that the ground never actually sells 26,000 tickets on the few occassions that there is a full house adds more doubt to the figures.


It also seems odd that similar studies to see what Premiership matches are worth to local economies in the UK came back with much lower figures than the Thomond Park figure, despite the grounds being used in the UK study being far larger than Thomond Park and having far more facilities.

Old Trafford was used in one of the studies, and when that ground has 70,000 in attendence, it was estimated that 45,000 where not from the locality and that it was worth up 5 million to the local economy. Yet a small ground like Thomond Park whose non local fan numbers would only be a fraction of that of Old Trafford is deemed to be worth 10 million plus.


Mind you this is going off Topic and I am sure if you do a search you will find a number of threads that were soley based on the estimated figures for the events in Limerick, one of those threads having links to studies done in cities that have full sized stadiums which showed that the figures from them were far less that what we are expected to believe Thomond Park games are worth.

How many more times will this subject come up??????
Local businesses filled in the questionnaire.
Obviously the value to their businesses over Heineken weekends was exaggerated in order to influence future events at Thomond.
Therefore the figure is also exaggerated.
Can this be put to bed now??It's getting really really boring.

Twin-go

gihj wrote: »

How many more times will this subject come up??????
Local businesses filled in the questionnaire.
Obviously the value to their businesses over Heineken weekends was exaggerated in order to influence future events at Thomond.
Therefore the figure is also exaggerated.
Can this be put to bed now??It's getting really really boring.

It doesn't matter if this game would bring €10million or just €10 to Limerick, it is crazy for the FAI to block due to third party interests. They should be upfront about it, who are these interests?

How much is it worth to Limerick FC? I wouldn't think they are exactly rolling in euros. Are the FAI going to give them the money they could of earned from this fixture?
It's also a once in a lifetime opportunity for the players to play against probably the biggest football team in the world.

The FAI is a shambles putting third party interests before the grass roots of the domestic game.

gihj

The problem is the FAI get nothing from the game as it will be held on IRFU property.
Thats the small mindedness involved.

By the way Limerick fc play Mervue at home tonight.
Wonder how many posters from this thread will be in attendance??

Twin-go

3 points for the Super Blues (fingers crossed).