Plans For New Stadium In Connacht

megadodge

MfMan wrote: »

Stadium itself isn't in any way ugly, and you get wind everywhere on this island, not particularly worse in Salthill; more likely also to affect football games than hurling. Location is it's only, major drawback.

You got to be having a laugh?

The wind is "not particularly worse in Salthill"?????

threeball

They should sell off Pearse to the rugby crowd. They're still going to have a big ugly dog track all the way round the pitch even after they spend €30m snots. Its a great opportunity to flog it, they'll never get a chance as good again.

threeball

MfMan wrote: »

Stadium itself isn't in any way ugly, and you get wind everywhere on this island, not particularly worse in Salthill; more likely also to affect football games than hurling. Location is it's only, major drawback.

Not much better in the sportsgrounds truth be told

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35681S-12qc

grbear

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

MfMan wrote: »

Stadium itself isn't in any way ugly, and you get wind everywhere on this island, not particularly worse in Salthill; more likely also to affect football games than hurling. Location is it's only, major drawback.

Yea I don't get the dislike for Pearse Stadium as a stadium.

Sure the location sucks but as an actual ground I think it's perfect.

Not too big, not too small and a really tidy stand, unlike that pillar monstrosity up in Castlebar.

As a piece of concrete it's fine. As an asset that was going to help the GAA in Galway it's turned out to be a bit of a lemon which has soured people's opinion of it. It's finally supposed to be paid off next year, 17 years after it was renovated.

The Lost Sheep

threeball wrote: »

They should sell off Pearse to the rugby crowd. They're still going to have a big ugly dog track all the way round the pitch even after they spend €30m snots. Its a great opportunity to flog it, they'll never get a chance as good again.

No they shouldnt. Connacht dont need Sportsground and would be crazy to move from College road and the dog track
staying isnt great but this redevelopment will make it far better with the considerable upgrade in facilities for fans

Hulk Hands

A big part of the rise in Connacht Rugby's popularity is the ever increasing corportate middle class type culture present in Galway City. The sportsgrounds location aids this hugely being so close to the city, with Friday and Sat night games being particularly successful with people heading to pubs/restaurants before and after. Pearse Stadium wouldn't appeal to Connacht Rugby in that way whatsoever. No existing corportate facilities and way too far from the city centre to appeal to that type of 'social fan'.

Clonmel1000

troyzer wrote: »

A lot of that will be public money.

The GAA can badger everyone ala Liam Miller PUC scenario and use that stadium if required surely?

The Lost Sheep

Hulk Hands wrote: »

A big part of the rise in Connacht Rugby's popularity is the ever increasing corportate middle class type culture present in Galway City. The sportsgrounds location aids this hugely being so close to the city, with Friday and Sat night games being particularly successful with people heading to pubs/restaurants before and after. Pearse Stadium wouldn't appeal to Connacht Rugby in that way whatsoever. No existing corportate facilities and way too far from the city centre to appeal to that type of 'social fan'.

Connachts popularity is based on mix of success on the pitch and improvements in service provided at games off the pitch. The location does aid Connacht considerably but to put a lot of their increase in popularity to corporate middle class is completely wrong.

Hulk Hands

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Connachts popularity is based on mix of success on the pitch and improvements in service provided at games off the pitch. The location does aid Connacht considerably but to put a lot of their increase in popularity to corporate middle class is completely wrong.

You've hinted at it yourself there, "service provided at games off the pitch". The whole scene is completely aimed at people who will spend considerably on their evening out rather than the loading kids into the car brigade seen at GAA Sunday games. It's filled with Galway office types and Rugby has always appealed in that sphere. That's no bad thing whatsoever, it's a sign the areas doing ok and the GAA could certainly learn a few things in that regard, the match day experience is much better. Obviously an upturn in team fortunes and some clever marketing has also played a part. Nothing to be getting offended over

The Lost Sheep

Hulk Hands wrote: »

You've hinted at it yourself there, "service provided at games off the pitch". The whole scene is completely aimed at people who will spend considerably on their evening out rather than the loading kids into the car brigade seen at GAA Sunday games. It's filled with Galway office types and Rugby has always appealed in that sphere. That's no bad thing whatsoever, it's a sign the areas doing ok and the GAA could certainly learn a few things in that regard, the match day experience is much better. Obviously an upturn in team fortunes and some clever marketing has also played a part. Nothing to be getting offended over

Ive hinted at nothing at what you are.
The whole scene isnt about people who are spending their nights out.
Its as much about the people who help their kids at Sunday morning rugby games as well as anyone else.
Im not getting offended by anything just pointing out from my experience of Connacht rugby and i can guess most others that your views are completely incorrect

Hulk Hands

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Ive hinted at nothing at what you are.
The whole scene isnt about people who are spending their nights out.
Its as much about the people who help their kids at Sunday morning rugby games as well as anyone else.
Im not getting offended by anything just pointing out from my experience of Connacht rugby and i can guess most others that your views are completely incorrect

Why exactly were attendances in the hundreds (and sometimes dozens) during the 90s and 00s so if all these fans are genuine Rugby loving folk? Are they all bandwagoners that only started supporting when the team got somewhat decent?

Connacht Rugby has managed to create a niche among certain match going types that Galway United and to a lesser extent Galway GAA has failed miserably at. That's something to be commended and there's nothing embarrassing about pointing it out.

The Lost Sheep

Hulk Hands wrote: »

Why exactly were attendances in the hundreds (and sometimes dozens) during the 90s and 00s so if all these fans are genuine Rugby loving folk? Are they all bandwagoners that only started supporting when the team got somewhat decent?

Connacht Rugby has managed to create a niche among certain match going types that Galway United and to a lesser extent Galway GAA has failed miserably at. That's something to be commended and there's nothing embarrassing about pointing it out.

90s and 00s. No facilities. Poor team. And support has increased hugely simply from having facilities like a covered terrace. Better options in everything
Im not embarrased by anything and simply disagree with the tone of your post as its going towards rugby posh sport/upper class sport bla bla bla which is nonsense.
And connacht dont have a niche amongst any match going types. If you had much experience of the sportsground on match days you would know that
And in the 90s Connacht only played 3 interpros and 6 european games a season. Things changed considerably with the introduction of celtic league and on on...

djPSB

flazio wrote: »

Tuam stadium is in an ideal location for expansion and access from the motorway.

Or Athenry.

Hulk Hands

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

If you had much experience of the sportsground on match days you would know that

I'm a season ticket holder, work in the city and have a passing interest in Rugby. Same situation with plenty of my friends & workmates. We go more for the occasion and craic than any great love of the game. I'm sure youre all very passionate little groundroots Rugby people but there's plenty that go because it's convenient and well marketed. As is clearly shown by the rise in attendances

green123

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Im not embarrased by anything and simply disagree with the tone of your post as its going towards rugby posh sport/upper class sport bla bla bla which is nonsense..

It's not nonsense. You are wrong.

Rugby is a posh sport for people who went to private schools.

Thats a fact and the statistics to back that up are in this article.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/ewan-mackenna-private-schools-and-elite-class-culture-is-why-rugby-will-never-be-embraced-by-country-like-the-gaa-36557141.html

The Lost Sheep

green123 wrote: »

It's not nonsense. You are wrong.

Rugby is a posh sport for people who went to private schools.

Thats a fact and the statistics to back that up are in this article.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/amp.independent.ie/sport/rugby/six-nations/ewan-mackenna-private-schools-and-elite-class-culture-is-why-rugby-will-never-be-embraced-by-country-like-the-gaa-36557141.html

That isnt a fact and a ewan mackenna article isnt proof of anything

The numbers turning pro are weighted towards fee paying schools in some areas but the numbers playing the sport overall countrywide in no way show that the sport is for people who went to private schools. Thinking that the sport is posh and for people who went to fee paying schools shows a complete lack of knowledge on the sport in general

MfMan

megadodge wrote: »

You got to be having a laugh?

The wind is "not particularly worse in Salthill"?????

It was also quite windy in Castlebar last May for the Galway/Mayo match for one example; it's not exclusive to Salthill by any means.

Fingal Raven1

there should be one stadium in Galway and should be used for football and rugby only

GAA shouldn't be allowed because the pitches are too big and there aren't enough games to justify making the pitch bigger

Utopia Parkway

GAA at the Sportsground doesn't seem realistic to me given the size of the pitch. Soccer I could see there alright. I can see why Connacht are making an application as a multi sport facility though as it gives them a better chance of receiving government funding for it.

ProudDUB

MfMan wrote: »

It was also quite windy in Castlebar last May for the Galway/Mayo match for one example; it's not exclusive to Salthill by any means.

A stadium located a stones throw from the Atlantic Ocean is going to experience different wind/rain conditions than one located inland. An inland ground may experience piss poor weather too, but odds are you'll get windier conditions more frequently at a coastal location, than you will an inland one. That is just basic geography/meteorology/weather 101.

megadodge

MfMan wrote: »

It was also quite windy in Castlebar last May for the Galway/Mayo match for one example; it's not exclusive to Salthill by any means.

I don't think anybody claimed there is never any wind in any other pitch.

It's just that there seems to be a permanent wind in Salthill.

I played there twice many moons ago and have attend numerous matches there over the years and I quite honestly can never remember there not being at least a strong wind there. 'Strong wind' is probably the best you can hope for.

It was my Galway relatives that I first heard referring to it as the Wind Tunnel, which I think is very appropriate.

Besides that, I actually do have a soft spot for the actual stadium itself.

nice_guy80

megadodge wrote: »

I don't think anybody claimed there is never any wind in any other pitch.

It's just that there seems to be a permanent wind in Salthill.

I played there twice many moons ago and have attend numerous matches there over the years and I quite honestly can never remember there not being at least a strong wind there. 'Strong wind' is probably the best you can hope for.

It was my Galway relatives that I first heard referring to it as the Wind Tunnel, which I think is very appropriate.

Besides that, I actually do have a soft spot for the actual stadium itself.

much prefer Tuam as a venue

WesternZulu

nice_guy80 wrote: »

much prefer Tuam as a venue

Pity it's a hole though.

spurshero

Connacht wouldn’t play in Pearse Stadium if they got it for free . Sports ground suits them as the people that follow them in general make an evening out of it and a lot hit the pubs of foster street and eyre square straight after . It has become a part of a night out as much as a sporting event

Utopia Parkway

spurshero wrote: »

Connacht wouldn’t play in Pearse Stadium if they got it for free . Sports ground suits them as the people that follow them in general make an evening out of it and a lot hit the pubs of foster street and eyre square straight after . It has become a part of a night out as much as a sporting event

True. They have a fantastic location there right in the city centre. Connacht ran a major survey of their season tickets holders a year ago and the results were overwhelmingly to stay where they are if at all possible.

Must be remembered as well that the residents around Pearse Stadium barely tolerate there being a handful of Galway football and hurling games there during the spring and Summer. If Connacht played there every second weekend during the Winter as well they would go spare.

Happyilylost

Utopia Parkway wrote:

Must be remembered as well that the residents around Pearse Stadium barely tolerate there being a handful of Galway football and hurling games there during the spring and Summer. If Connacht played there every second weekend during the Winter as well they would go spare.

I'll start with this. Residents of Salthill don't want any matches in the stadium. Not a junior C with two men and their dog (the dog would probably cause a melt down with them) floodlight issues are enough without their objections to everything. Connacht Rugby wouldn't touch it.

Now back to a new GAA stadium itself why would they build one? As in what or when would it be used? For as many Connacht championship games as possible? Or Connacht Finals? I don't really see the point of it. No matter what county it was built in the opposition would see it as an away game a la Dublin. Find it hard to find someone outside Mayo who doesn't think the Centre of Excellence in Bekan isn't belonging to Mayo. Either the stadium wouldn't be used enough which makes it a waste of money. Or it would be used as much as possible causes problems for county boards when they go looking for cash off businesses surrounding McHale Park, the Hyde Pearse Stadium ect.