So after being at both the drawn AI final and the replay, I cant help asking - do people think more Saturday evening games are a good idea? The atmosphere on Saturday was great, as it was in Ennis/Wexford Park/Nowlan Park earlier in the year, do people prefer Saturday evening games over Sunday games?

I know for the provincial towns, Saturday evening games in the towns give the town a much needed boost for hotels, restaurants, pubs etc - while that should not be the sole reason for them, I think supporters also prefer Saturday evening games. Do we?

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 29/09/2014 09:58:01    1657928

Atmosphere are you kidding it was muted for an all Ireland final.Saturday evening are grand for qualifiers but an all Ireland series match should be Sunday. Crowds suffer on Saturday too

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 29/09/2014 10:20:22    1657940

Possibly earlier rounds of the championship - But AI finals should always be a Sunday

shea (Kerry) - Posts: 409 - 29/09/2014 10:25:25    1657942

Think there are pros and cons to each.

From My own point of view Saturday games would suit a lot better. can choose whether to makes way up and down the one day or stay overnight. Either way there is a day to play around with. On the Sunday I could be well into the night before Im back home and then up for work the following day can be a struggle.

Now the down part is that a lot of people work Saturdays and would be unable to attend.

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 29/09/2014 10:29:13    1657945

The qualifiers should be on Saturday to differentiate from the main championship. Other then that all games should be on Sunday.

deadybai (Kilkenny) - Posts: 63 - 29/09/2014 10:33:05    1657947

Hillman

I think the lack of a build up game effects the atmosphere too. I was there on Sunday and the stands were 3/4s empty when both Kilkenny and Tipperary came out onto the field.

MesAmis (Dublin) - Posts: 13704 - 29/09/2014 10:36:47    1657949

Saturday games. No, atmosphere on the tv was rubbish last saturday, nobody in the grounds 20 mins before throw in, too many people work on sat, traffic is usually awful, stick to the Subday games after all it's suppose to be our day of rest

riverboys (Mayo) - Posts: 1389 - 29/09/2014 11:11:06    1657973

I'd deffo have all the games on a Saturday evening if I could, the Kerry mayo game on a sat evening was deadly.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 29/09/2014 12:57:59    1658043

I like the Saturday evening games, especially if your away and travelling to the far end of the country.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 29/09/2014 13:59:41    1658081

Do we need more Saturday evening games?
29/09/2014 09:58:01 Pinkie
So after being at both the drawn AI final and the replay, I cant help asking - do people think more Saturday evening games are a good idea? The atmosphere on Saturday was great, as it was in Ennis/Wexford Park/Nowlan Park earlier in the year, do people prefer Saturday evening games over Sunday games?
I know for the provincial towns, Saturday evening games in the towns give the town a much needed boost for hotels, restaurants, pubs etc - while that should not be the sole reason for them, I think supporters also prefer Saturday evening games. Do we? Yes.
I prefer them. Easier to get to games on a Saturday. More places open beforehand etc if you have time in town pre the game. If not going to games you can go to pub and watch them there and not worry about having too many drinks as you wont have work on Sunday
29/09/2014 10:20:22 hill16no1man
Atmosphere are you kidding it was muted for an all Ireland final.Saturday evening are grand for qualifiers but an all Ireland series match should be Sunday. Crowds suffer on Saturday too Do crowds really suffer on Saturdays? Atmosphere wasn't muted imo or from talking to anyone at game. Crowds don't suffer too much from Saturdays and while not the exact same as a Sunday game games on Saturday are good and different.
If you have to travel far for games Saturdays are much better as you wont be travelling home late at night and have to face work/school the following morning

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 29/09/2014 16:50:48    1658206

II would be 100% in favour of moving finals and semi finals to Saturday evenings.
Handier for fans and players imo. Dont have to go into work tired on a Monday morning, and theres always other sports (i.e. competition) being played on a Sunday afternoon.

joncarter (Galway) - Posts: 2692 - 30/09/2014 19:21:21    1658737

Ormond

Crowds defo suffer on Saturdays
Saturday night under the lights work for league matches as they are a different time of year and add something
But in championship the crowds suffer in provincial matches on saturdays compared to Sunday afternoon throw ins attendance's show this plus for all Ireland series matches Saturday evening quarter finals in football really suffer in atmosphere and support from county's outside of Dublin as they don't travel in numbers like they do on a Sunday

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 30/09/2014 19:50:11    1658758

Should be more of a case by case basis. Works well when supporters of counties do not have to travel to far and where stadium capacity is suitable. Evening atmosphere can add something. Always enjoy atmosphere in Tullamore on a Saturday evening for early round Leinster/ qualifiers since they did it up. Croke Park (on Saturday or Sunday's) atmosphere is not great when you have a small crowd and double header. Also can is hassle to and get home from.

bdbuddah (Meath) - Posts: 1337 - 01/10/2014 08:58:22    1658827

I actually disagree with the above. I think Saturday games work better for supporter who have long distances to travel. I know of a lot of people from Donegal who wont go to Dublin for Sunday games as they know they wont be home until 1 in the morning and have to be up at 6/7 for work the next day. Saturday games are handy like that as there is recovery time.

But I do acknowledge there are also people who work Saturdays so Saturday isn't good for them.

dstuction (Donegal) - Posts: 1209 - 01/10/2014 09:29:14    1658836

what we really need is more bank holiday monday matches.
the june bank holiday weekend is a huge chance to start the provincial championships with a bang.
then instead of playing the all ireland football quarter finals on a saturday evening
they should use the august bank holiday monday
in 2009 they used it for dublin v kerry as a stand alone and it was sold out well in advance.
the only thing you have to take into account is the six teams from the north as bank holiday wouldnt fall the same for them
but when that happens play their fixtures on the sunday and the other games on the monday.
they would have sold out a donegal v armagh and dublin v monaghan double header on the bank holiday monday this year instead

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 01/10/2014 09:40:32    1658841

dstuction
County: Donegal
Posts: 779

1658836
I actually disagree with the above. I think Saturday games work better for supporter who have long distances to travel. I know of a lot of people from Donegal who wont go to Dublin for Sunday games as they know they wont be home until 1 in the morning and have to be up at 6/7 for work the next day. Saturday games are handy like that as there is recovery time.

But I do acknowledge there are also people who work Saturdays so Saturday isn't good for them.


regarding donegal i have found the opposite.
take their recent quarter final matches
they had far bigger support in previous years playing on the sunday afternoon
than this year playing saturday evening, as it tends to put off people travelling long distances
as it forces them to have to stay overnight as oppossed to sunday where they can make home at a lot better hour than a saturday night match

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 01/10/2014 09:43:37    1658844

Saturday night work best when the counties are close to the venue and travel is less than 2 hours.

Sunday is best for Connaught/Ulster/Munster counties playing in Croker.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1105 - 01/10/2014 10:19:25    1658867