An All-Ireland League?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

I know many people are negatively predisposed to the idea. But we live on a small island. Increasing the population that can go to matches by 25% is something that could rejuvenate football in Ireland.

Irish people spend 250 million Euro on the Premier League every single year. Quick maths tells me that's 1 BILLION every 4 years. So every World Cup cycle. If some of that money could be kept at home we could have a very decent domestic game.

I think the biggest realistic barrier in having a combined league is the worry that the Northern Irish national team will become redundant. But Gibraltar and San Marino and other much smaller places still have teams, so that should be fine.

Even a Setanta Cup type competition would benefit the game here in Ireland.

I really enjoyed listening to this as a life long Cork City FC fan.

Belfast is the second biggest city on this island. Getting them on our side would be well worth it. Rugby and GAA benefit enormously by having the whole island involved.

Guy:Incognito

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

I think the biggest realistic barrier in having a combined league is the worry that the Northern Irish national team will become redundant.

It's not a "worry" is it? Are they not required to have a league to have a team?

Maybe pick a date and whoever is higher int he world rankings , that association takes over? Whos willing to roll that dice?

BDI

Will be nothing but trouble and violence. Not worth it.

I’d say making the stadiums less like wind tunnels and actually advertising games would increase revenue. I used to go to shelbourne matches. I check at the end of each season who is who in the table. I don’t know from one end of the year to the other what games are coming up or who is lighting up the league.

They need to drum up interest not annoy people for being interested in other heavily marketed leagues pushing them away from the Irish league.

Telling people they have to go because it’s on in the same country as them is like telling a kid he has to go to mass because it’s sunday.

NIMAN

The Setanta Cup was run I would say successfully for a few seasons. We had some very contentious matches and there was little to no bother. Teething problems, yes, but these would be sorted out over time.

The more you normalise games like Linfield v Derry or Linfield v Cork, the less the scumbags will want to attend them.

I do think the island as a whole should have an AIL, for the good of the game, but there are some major stumbling blocks. First and foremost, some turkeys would have to vote for Xmas. Only one football association would be needed. Cushy jobs for the boys might have to be lost.

Would one association mean one national team? That might not fly, perhaps we could get special dispensation from FIFA to still have separate national teams until the political climate improved (or a UI is voted for by the people).

But another big issue is the unwillingness of so-called football mad fans in Ireland to support their own league when they are addicted to the super-hyped and marketed EPL, and think their own local teams aren't worth watching. Until we can break that, does professional football in Ireland have a future at all?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

BDI wrote: »

Will be nothing but trouble and violence. Not worth it.

I’d say making the stadiums less like wind tunnels and actually advertising games would increase revenue. I used to go to shelbourne matches. I check at the end of each season who is who in the table. I don’t know from one end of the year to the other what games are coming up or who is lighting up the league.

They need to drum up interest not annoy people for being interested in other heavily marketed leagues pushing them away from the Irish league.

Telling people they have to go because it’s on in the same country as them is like telling a kid he has to go to mass because it’s sunday.

I agree. But 1 billion Euro being spent by Irish fans on the Premier League every World Cup cycle is an insanely high amount of money.

The guy said Ireland are off the charts in 1st place when it comes to spending money on English football. And that's not counting Celtic and other European leagues that people go to.

NIMAN

I haven't watched the clip, how is he getting 250mill every year?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

NIMAN wrote: »

The Setanta Cup was run I would say successfully for a few seasons. We had some very contentious matches and there was little to no bother. Teething problems, yes, but these would be sorted out over time.

The more you normalise games like Linfield v Derry or Linfield v Cork, the less the scumbags will want to attend them.

I do think the island as a whole should have an AIL, for the good of the game, but there are some major stumbling blocks. First and foremost, some turkeys would have to vote for Xmas. Only one football association would be needed. Cushy jobs for the boys might have to be lost.

Would one association mean one national team? That might not fly, perhaps we could get special dispensation from FIFA to still have separate national teams until the political climate improved (or a UI is voted for by the people).

But another big issue is the unwillingness of so-called football mad fans in Ireland to support their own league when they are addicted to the super-hyped and marketed EPL, and think their own local teams aren't worth watching. Until we can break that, does professional football in Ireland have a future at all?

I think having a certain amount of the money centralised would be good. For example, allow every team in the league to have one 'legend' player, paid on an FAI contract (like how the rugby do it). The way Duff played for Rovers and Damien Delaney and Liam Miller (RIP) came back to Cork to finish off their playing career.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo

NIMAN wrote: »

I haven't watched the clip, how is he getting 250mill every year?

That's what he said. I'm inclined to believe him as he appears to be sincere.

NIMAN

Its a definite chicken-egg situation.

Irish football needs paying punters to increase revenue and improve the standard and stadia....but people won't pay for what the product is now.

Even if the plan started, and instant money was available, it wouldn't suddenly make the league's quality improve overnight. It would take time.

People said after Dundalk took Linfield to the cleaners a couple of weeks ago, that the leagues aren't even comparable. But Linfield are a rich club with a large potential fanbase, they'd soon catch up.

NIMAN

Just listened to the clip, having known his name before but never heard him speak.

He comes across as very on-the-ball if you excuse the pun. Articulate, knowledgeable, enthusiastic. I do think his plan has a lot of potential and he makes a lot of good points. There is a lot of extra money coming into football through UEFA these coming years, and it would be a shame if our 2 leagues missed out on the opportunity to avail of some of it.

But first off I think its right that the clubs would need some funding, even for gantrys etc for TV cameras, or outside broadcasts.

Plus people need to be able to come to a ground and not get frozen or soaked. The days of football spectators coming and standing in the p1ssing rain is long gone. There are too many other entertainment forms to get your hard earned from you to expect people to sit in facilities from the 70s or 80s and watch your product. This might involve funding for building roofs on stands etc, but baby steps first would help.

I hope this guy succeeds in his plans. He seems to have the sport at his heart and not into the limelight himself.

Edit: he says to check out all ireland league dot com......and I can find nothing!

Muahahaha

Wasnt this muted just a few weeks ago and shot down by the IFA. Reason given was there would be less European places handed out if the two leagues merged. Sounded like a shoddy excuse and more to do with losing power.

Fr Tod Umptious

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

It's not a "worry" is it? Are they not required to have a league to have a team?

Maybe pick a date and whoever is higher int he world rankings , that association takes over? Whos willing to roll that dice?

The FAI are the breakaway association.
So with any future merger the IFA would have a very valid argument to have the FAI merged back into them rather than the other way round.

Fr Tod Umptious

Do people really think that anyone who is currently disinterested in going to watch Waterford v Bray would be any less disinterested in going to see Waterford v Dungannon Swifts ?

Captain Havoc

Won't happen for a number of reasons.
1. Number of European places would be halved. Currently there's 2 champions league and six Europa league places combined between the two leagues. Half the teams would not play in Europe as this would be reduced to 1 champions league and 3 Europa league places.
2. A combined football association would not need two CEOs, secretaries etc.... Lots of people would be losing their jobs or getting less cushier ones.
3. Both associations may have different ideas on how the new association should be run.
4. Both associations may have different ideas on league structures e.g. Pyramid system.
5. The teams in the North are poor, nobody wants to see Ballinamallard.

I don't think it would be worth it. The only positive would be an island team.

NIMAN

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Do people really think that anyone who is currently disinterested in going to watch Waterford v Bray would be any less disinterested in going to see Waterford v Dungannon Swifts ?

I'd be interested in either of those games more than Watford v Sheffield United.

osarusan

After a couple of years of initial positivity, reality would set in and an AIL would end up with all the same problems the current LOI has.

No way that anybody who travels over to EPL/Celtic games a few times a year is going to stop doing that because the league now encompasses the whole island.

Fr Tod Umptious

NIMAN wrote: »

I'd be interested in either of those games more than Watford v Sheffield United.

But no one is traveling to the UK to watch Watford v Sheffield United.

They are obviously going to see Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Celtic and from NI, Rangers.

Berserker

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

Irish people spend 250 million Euro on the Premier League every single year. Quick maths tells me that's 1 BILLION every 4 years. So every World Cup cycle. If some of that money could be kept at home we could have a very decent domestic game.

Not sure what you are saying here. I think people need to stop trying to compete with the PL. The PL will always be better than any league on this island. Where did you get that figure from?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

I think the biggest realistic barrier in having a combined league is the worry that the Northern Irish national team will become redundant. But Gibraltar and San Marino and other much smaller places still have teams, so that should be fine.

Not a chance in hell from the perspective of football politics that NI will become redundant. The IFA has a lot of power for an organisation of it's size. Are you aware of that?

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

Belfast is the second biggest city on this island. Getting them on our side would be well worth it. Rugby and GAA benefit enormously by having the whole island involved.

Professionalism was the game changer for rugby. The whole island was involved in the game for generations and Ireland were the whipping boys of international rugby in this part of the world for the vast majority of that time. Not sure why you are bringing the GAA into this. Amateur support, which is completely irrelevant on the international stage.

dundalkfc10

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

But no one is traveling to the UK to watch Watford v Sheffield United.

They are obviously going to see Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Celtic and from NI, Rangers.

Both clubs in bold have had a decrease in numbers of Irish people coming over last few years.

Man City have had an increase.

Wonder Why

armaghlad

Captain Havoc wrote: »

1. Number of European places would be halved. Currently there's 2 champions league and six Europa league places combined between the two leagues. Half the teams would not play in Europe as this would be reduced to 1 champions league and 3 Europa league places.

Other than money, I don’t think the teams (bar maybe Linfield) in the Irish league give a fiddlers about playing in Europe. I’ve seen players miss European ties because they were away on holidays ffs

Zebra3

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Do people really think that anyone who is currently disinterested in going to watch Waterford v Bray would be any less disinterested in going to see Waterford v Dungannon Swifts ?

That’s not the allure of it.

It’s about the top sides playing more big games.

Second tier can be regionalised.

Zebra3

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

The FAI are the breakaway association.
So with any future merger the IFA would have a very valid argument to have the FAI merged back into them rather than the other way round.

Yeh, because the Dublin sides broke away due to unionist bigotry, it has to be put back together the same way. :rolleyes:

NIMAN

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Both clubs in bold have had a decrease in numbers of Irish people coming over last few years.

Man City have had an increase.

Wonder Why

Cos Irish football fans are event junkies.

Berserker

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Man City have had an increase.

Wonder Why

Irish people who found out that their long lost granny was a blue from Manchester? I'd love to know the numbers travelling to Liverpool and a breakdown of the match day attendances at Anfield. A scouser I knew during the Houllier era, told me that a paltry 15K of the match day attendance at Anfield had a 'L' postcode. He didn't like "wools/OTT" and always maintained that the club was giving them preference over locals. Interesting to see what that number is now, given the increase in capacity. Very interesting to see the numbers from Ireland. Was in the airport a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning and terminal one was packed with them.

Berserker

Zebra3 wrote: »

Yeh, because the Dublin sides broke away due to unionist bigotry, it has to be put back together the same way. :rolleyes:

Had a feeling that this thread go down this route. Another reason what an All-Island league would be a disaster. A minority, primarily from the RoI in my experience, would drag politics into it.

Zebra3

Berserker wrote: »

Had a feeling that this thread go down this route. Another reason what an All-Island league would be a disaster. A minority, primarily from the RoI in my experience, would drag politics into it.

You were the one that referred to the south breaking away but now you are cribbing because I mentioned the reason behind it?

Captain Havoc

NIMAN wrote: »

Edit: he says to check out all ireland league dot com......and I can find nothing!

allislandleague.com

Berserker

Zebra3 wrote: »

You were the one that referred to the south breaking away but now you are cribbing because I mentioned the reason behind it?

Did I? The reason you cited is not accurate btw.

ArmaniJeanss

Zebra3 wrote: »

That’s not the allure of it.

It’s about the top sides playing more big games.

Second tier can be regionalised.

Lower tier regionalisation can get messy though.
e.g., it'd be probably be the winner of both Tier2 North and Tier2 South that gets promoted and the bottom two in Tier1 that get relegated.
But if that relegated duo are from the same region then one of them would have to go into the opposite Tier2 region, or else from season to season you continually have changing amounts of teams in each lower tier.
It's the same situation that non-league has faced in England where Conference Premier has Conference North and Conference South below it. Teams often swap from north to south at the lower level.

And it does raise the question of is it acceptable or sustainable if the Top Tier ends up with 15 of 16 teams being from the South (or indeed the North, though that would be currently less likely)

dundalkfc10

Berserker wrote: »

Irish people who found out that their long lost granny was a blue from Manchester? I'd love to know the numbers travelling to Liverpool and a breakdown of the match day attendances at Anfield. A scouser I knew during the Houllier era, told me that a paltry 15K of the match day attendance at Anfield had a 'L' postcode. He didn't like "wools/OTT" and always maintained that the club was giving them preference over locals. Interesting to see what that number is now, given the increase in capacity. Very interesting to see the numbers from Ireland. Was in the airport a few weeks ago on a Saturday morning and terminal one was packed with them.

Liverpool AFAIK now have cheap tickets (certain amount set aside for people living around Anfield.

Anfield is still full of Scandinavians and Irish on match days though, which pisses off alot of scousers as they say this is what leads to the ****e atmospheres (unless its a big game)

The time of the Volcanic Ash Cloud, was 10,000 empty seats in Anfield for one their home games!

Zebra3

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Lower tier regionalisation can get messy though.
e.g., it'd be probably be the winner of both Tier2 North and Tier2 South that gets promoted and the bottom two in Tier1 that get relegated.
But if that relegated duo are from the same region then one of them would have to go into the opposite Tier2 region, or else from season to season you continually have changing amounts of teams in each lower tier.
It's the same situation that non-league has faced in England where Conference Premier has Conference North and Conference South below it. Teams often swap from north to south at the lower level.

And it does raise the question of is it acceptable or sustainable if the Top Tier ends up with 15 of 16 teams being from the South (or indeed the North, though that would be currently less likely)

If the best teams are mainly from one area so be it.

The LoI, or indeed the EPL, doesn't have a system to protect clubs from a certain region so why should an all-Ireland league?

What's the problem with clubs moving between different divisions in a regionalised set up? Germany has a regionalised set up as high as their fourth tier and it's not an issue.

Zebra3

Berserker wrote: »

Did I? The reason you cited is not accurate btw.

Apologies, it was another poster.

The split came about due to the IFA demanding Shels played a replay in Belfast after drawing the first game in Belfast.

Shels withdrew from the Irish Cup and that was that.

There'd been previous problems brought about by unionist player demanding the all-Ireland international team march behind the British flag which needless to say was objected to by the Dublin-based players in the team.

Fr Tod Umptious

Zebra3 wrote: »

That’s not the allure of it.

It’s about the top sides playing more big games.

Second tier can be regionalised.

But even looking at the top sides, Bohs, Rovers, Cork, Dundalk, Derry, Linfield, Cliftonville (I think), how much more interest would be generated.

The Setanta Cup had those big games, but it too died a death.

The leagues merging would not automatically mean that interest in the (new) domestic football would measurably increase.

Muahahaha

osarusan wrote: »

After a couple of years of initial positivity, reality would set in and an AIL would end up with all the same problems the current LOI has.

No way that anybody who travels over to EPL/Celtic games a few times a year is going to stop doing that because the league now encompasses the whole island.

I forget the detail of the proposal but there was a few articles on it a few weeks back when the IFA rejected the idea. It was some businessman/investor behind the idea (Niall Quinn might have been involved too?) and the idea was a complete rebrand and marketing of a new All Ireland League along with investment for facilities at grounds around the country. Seemed like a good proposal to me and maybe it wouldnt have worked after a few years but I think for the sake of Irish football something has to change.

ArmaniJeanss

Zebra3 wrote: »

If the best teams are mainly from one area so be it.

The LoI, or indeed the EPL, doesn't have a system to protect clubs from a certain region so why should an all-Ireland league?

I agree, but clearly the people behind the concept are selling it as some sort of equal partnership, a coming together to maximize revenues. Ending up with a hugely unbalanced ratio in the top tier is presumably not part of their 'vision'.
So I think it's a worthwhile question to ask.

Zebra3 wrote: »

What's the problem with clubs moving between different divisions in a regionalised set up? Germany has a regionalised set up as high as their fourth tier and it's not an issue.

I'd have no problem with it myself, but it does mean that say a team like Lisburn might potentially have a year where all their league games are against teams from the ROI. Or Drogheda could have a year of just NI opposition.
I think to downplay it as 'so what, a team moving region happens in Germany' ignores some key differences in this situation.

dundalkfc10

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

But even looking at the top sides, Bohs, Rovers, Cork, Dundalk, Derry, Linfield, Cliftonville (I think), how much more interest would be generated.

The Setanta Cup had those big games, but it too died a death.

The leagues merging would not automatically mean that interest in the (new) domestic football would measurably increase.

Setanta Cup died a death because the teams up North got hammerings on numerous occasions when they played. Pretty sure in the 12 years it was played LOI team won it 10 times.

Look at the difference in Dundalk and Linfield few weeks ago. Half a Dundalk team beat them 6-0 (could have been 20)

Guy:Incognito

armaghlad wrote: »

Other than money, I don’t think the teams (bar maybe Linfield) in the Irish league give a fiddlers about playing in Europe. I’ve seen players miss European ties because they were away on holidays ffs

Would you give up a holiday you paid for for a work do?

Cos I doubt either would a lad on similar money just because he happens to get that money from playing football.

Guy:Incognito

NIMAN wrote: »

Cos Irish football fans are event junkies.

Or maybe cos in the last decade kids getting in to football are picking City because they are winning and so people would would previously have gone to see their own teams, now go to where the kids support, cos, you know, parenting.


Me, My dad and my uncle used to go to Anfield for a trip each year. They followed Chelsea and Spurs respectively but liked going to Liverpool rather than London , so it suited them with me being a Liverpool fan. Going to Anfield was good for everyone, I got to go to Anfield and they still got to go to Chelsea /Spurs games. I'd say most people dont just hang around with fans of the club they support so trips may well be spread around unless someone is a season ticket holder.

I dont know anyone that ever switched clubs and I've got mates that are Villa fans ffs

NIMAN

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Liverpool AFAIK now have cheap tickets (certain amount set aside for people living around Anfield.

Anfield is still full of Scandinavians and Irish on match days though, which pisses off alot of scousers as they say this is what leads to the ****e atmospheres (unless its a big game)

The time of the Volcanic Ash Cloud, was 10,000 empty seats in Anfield for one their home games!

The EPL can't complain when they whore themselves all over the world and then fans want to come to see games.

Berserker

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

The time of the Volcanic Ash Cloud, was 10,000 empty seats in Anfield for one their home games!

No surprise. The ticket prices are way beyond the reach of most of the people in the city. I've been to L4 before and it is a very, very poor area. You can buy a house two minutes away from Anfield, no exaggeration, for £1.

NIMAN wrote: »

The EPL can't complain when they whore themselves all over the world and then fans want to come to see games.

I'd say that the EPL would jump at the chance of playing the top games in the Middle East, Asia or the USA. They've no interest in local fans.

Berserker

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Me, My dad and my uncle used to go to Anfield for a trip each year. They followed Chelsea and Spurs respectively but liked going to Liverpool rather than London , so it suited them with me being a Liverpool fan. Going to Anfield was good for everyone, I got to go to Anfield and they still got to go to Chelsea /Spurs games.

What did they prefer Liverpool? London has so much more to offer, plenty to do before and after the match, cheaper flights as well, I'd imagine. Chelsea is a handy trip from Gatwick.

armaghlad

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Would you give up a holiday you paid for for a work do?

Cos I doubt either would a lad on similar money just because he happens to get that money from playing football.

I don’t know if you can compare playing part-time football with someone working a full time job. They’re getting paid to do something they (presumably) enjoy, I know I don’t book holidays when my team are still in with a chance of playing late on in the season so I don’t see why a Linfield player would.

citytillidie

Berserker wrote: »

No surprise. The ticket prices are way beyond the reach of most of the people in the city. I've been to L4 before and it is a very, very poor area. You can buy a house two minutes away from Anfield, no exaggeration, for £1.



I'd say that the EPL would jump at the chance of playing the top games in the Middle East, Asia or the USA. They've no interest in local fans.

Ahh come on if you do your research you will there is conditions to buying the ex council houses like having to renovate it so its going to cost those buying them still a lot of money it is a nice idea to renovate a run down area of Wavertree which is 3 miles at least from Anfield so good luck making that in under 2 minutes.

citytillidie

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Liverpool AFAIK now have cheap tickets (certain amount set aside for people living around Anfield.

Anfield is still full of Scandinavians and Irish on match days though, which pisses off alot of scousers as they say this is what leads to the ****e atmospheres (unless its a big game)

The time of the Volcanic Ash Cloud, was 10,000 empty seats in Anfield for one their home games!

There are very few tickets set aside for locals at the cheap side, but there is a sale for locals for returned tickets for games when it is close to match day, and yes there is a lot of overseas fans but also the 10000 empty seats is a bit of a stretch too game was a night game V West Ham and it was more 6000 empty seats at the end of a bad season when fans were trying to get rid of the owners for what they were doing to the club.

citytillidie

An All Ireland league would never happen too much politics and jobs for the boys on governing bodies

Berserker

citytillidie wrote: »

Ahh come on if you do your research you will there is conditions to buying the ex council houses like having to renovate it so its going to cost those buying them still a lot of money it is a nice idea to renovate a run down area of Wavertree which is 3 miles at least from Anfield so good luck making that in under 2 minutes.

Oh, I'm aware of that. You have to work in the city, renovate the property within a specific time-frame etc. Anfield was part of the second phase in the project. I had reason to visit the area a few summers ago and the people were telling us about the houses. Near certain that houses in L4 were mentioned as part of that phase but I am open to correction on that. Walked down some of those streets and most of the houses were boarded up.

https://liverpool.gov.uk/housing/homes-for-a-pound/

citytillidie wrote: »

An All Ireland league would never happen too much politics and jobs for the boys on governing bodies

Nailed on the head.

Brendan Flowers

dundalkfc10 wrote: »

Both clubs in bold have had a decrease in numbers of Irish people coming over last few years.

Man City have had an increase.

Wonder Why

Interesting! Can you share the source of these figures?

irishmanmick

The €250m is made up of a few different pieces but I would imagine it's a conservative figure. If you took a simple look at a full sports subscription from Sky @ €60 per month (using non-discount price), it would take less than 350k subscriptions to make €250m *I know I'm making assumptions about non discount & premium package*

While I'm not suggesting that there are 350k premium sports package subscriptions in Ireland, but if you were to add money spent on travelling to games in UK (tickets, flights, hotels etc), buying new jerseys every year, and all other sorts of merchandise. And then there's the monies spent by businesses on subscriptions to attract punters into their pub / hotel / venue. You wouldn't be long making up the €250m per annum.

If you said there were 750k avid football fans in Ireland (out of 6m people), then an average spend of €333 (on all of the above) would get you there.

As the leagues themselves, the biggest issue is investment. Both the IFA & LOI badly need proper investment to bring stadium standards up. Better facilities for fans is what required. The clubs need money to do that. There is a chronic underinvestment in football in Ireland. But there is a huge oppurtunity to eatablish a football industry here.

If you look at the investment SDCC have made in Tallaght Stadium. U21 games, Woman Intl games are bringing thousands over to Tallaght & plenty are spending their money in the local economy there.

The plan for the AIL has one absolute carrot - the proposed funding of 12m annually. Currently, LOI winners earn 105K & IFA winners 40K for league win. It would be massive for clubs in Ireland to access that kind of funding. It's access to that funding that is required to grow the fanbase.

As for the trouble at games, as a previous poster mentioned, this would be removed by repetition of these fixtures. There's nothing unique there that doesn't happen in every league.

I would love to see it happen personally. Wish them the best of luck.

Zebra3

citytillidie wrote: »

An All Ireland league would never happen too much politics and jobs for the boys on governing bodies

Demographics will look after that.

Guy:Incognito

irishmanmick wrote: »

The €250m is made up of a few different pieces but I would imagine it's a conservative figure. If you took a simple look at a full sports subscription from Sky @ €60 per month (using non-discount price), it would take less than 350k subscriptions to make €250m *I know I'm making assumptions about non discount & premium package*

While I'm not suggesting that there are 350k premium sports package subscriptions in Ireland, but if you were to add money spent on travelling to games in UK (tickets, flights, hotels etc), buying new jerseys every year, and all other sorts of merchandise. And then there's the monies spent by businesses on subscriptions to attract punters into their pub / hotel / venue. You wouldn't be long making up the €250m per annum.

.

Youd be making the assumption there that all those subscribers only subscribe for the premier league and not other leagues or sports. Plus also that none of them are loi fans as well.

What would the FAI's pitch be to the IFA?

We're completely broke and we have a long history of treating the club game here with contempt. Would you be interested in vacating your roles so we can take over?