In the past we've had Dublin fans on here make out that they fund the association with their huge attendances. Is this argument becoming more and more redundant? Like their fan base seems to have dropped considerably apart from the odd big game. At the weekend there was more people at the double header on Sunday compared to Dublin's on Saturday despite the counties having large distances to travel. And I wonder if Dublin had to play all their games in Cork or Belfast for example how many would turn up?

A Another (None) - Posts: 194 - 06/08/2012 13:00:24    1239612

Looking at the League away and Parnell park attendances to see what the core support is. These games are well attended by Dublin fans. Ive been to a few myself. In the last game at Croker it was a double header sand many of the fans from the Mayo game had gone. For Mayo fans its a long road home and they wanted to be home to celebrate so it would have looked empty for the Dublin/Louth fans. Generally due to economic circumstances attendances are down at all games.

spmccann (Dublin) - Posts: 209 - 06/08/2012 13:27:00    1239642

I've a feeling attendances will actually end up overall this year!

A Another (None) - Posts: 194 - 06/08/2012 13:32:38    1239654

In the past we've had Dublin fans on here make out that they fund the association with their huge attendances. Is this argument becoming more and more redundant? Like their fan base seems to have dropped considerably apart from the odd big game. At the weekend there was more people at the double header on Sunday compared to Dublin's on Saturday despite the counties having large distances to travel. And I wonder if Dublin had to play all their games in Cork or Belfast for example how many would turn up?

_____________

Hello A.Another

Maybe this is a wind up post, Something which has become very common on these pages but even if it is id like to put my arguement up

Firstly you talk about Dublin funding the GAA. Well , I don't think we fund the GAA anyway but we do bring the most money into the GAA and in to the Croke park pockets. Last weekend in my opinion you saw that Dublin's game as you rightly pointed out had a smaller attendance than yesterdays double header. I was actually surprised by that but Down fans didnt travel in massive numbers , Nor did Mayo , And in my opinion the Dublin crowd was poor enough too. I think alot of Dublin "fans" where saving their money for the semi final against Mayo/Down. Its not something id particularly like to see people doing but money isnt there like it used to be and Dublin v Laois wasn't exactly gripping peoples imagination , no disrespect to Laois intended but its not a Dublin v Kerry , or a Dublin v Kildare which or Dublin v Down , Those 3 teams would have captured the publics imagiation more i reckon , Again its not something i'd like to associate with Dublin fans but you have to presume that was a reason for the poor turnout. And as i said i dont think Mayo and Down did the show any favours either.

However what i will say is that so far this year Dublin have played in 4 games in Croke park, And in those games the attendances ranged between 40 and 70,000 ..Our 4 games have been attended by more people than all but 1 of the other championship games so far this year (yesterdays double header was still not the biggest attendance of the year in Croke park) So i would argue that Dublin fans and games involving Dublin have still brought alot of income into the association. Dublin v Mayo will attract a big crowd of 70,000 too i'd imagine.

The last point about if we played games in Belfast of Cork is completely hypothetical and therefore an arguement cannot be structured , It is impossible to say but what i will say is Dublin fans tend to travel in decent numbers to away league games.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 06/08/2012 13:35:08    1239657

The last time Dublin played Laois in the Championship....it was a training game. Fair play to Laois saturday, they were excellent!

But a lot of fans probably didnt attend for that reason! Plus it was a bank holiday weekend. An awful lot of Dubs would have boomed weekends down in the country. So.....probably isnt the conspiracy theory you think!

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 06/08/2012 15:30:09    1239814

a saturday evening fixture for two all ireland quarter finals is the reason for their being less on saturday then sunday.
dublin had around 45 thousand of the 52 thousand on saturday down brought about 5 thousand and you could count the laois and mayo supporters on your hands nearly,but thats not a dig at mayo because 5pm throw in on saturday evening is a horrible time for an all ireland quarter final to be played and expecting them to travel was very unfair i know an awful lot of dublin people who had bought tickets for dublins match and when was announced it was saturday evening had to sell them because they couldnt get off work.sundays double header also had the two most attractive games of the weekend and fair play to donegal they travelled in huge numbers.but if your going to judge supporters it has to be done for the entire year and dublin have had very big support for both league and championship all year so would be unfair to critiscise us,when you consider alot of other countys only get support for big days like all ireland quarters or semis.
i think the gaa should have used the bank holiday monday instead of a saturday evening.
you could have played mayo v down at 2pm and kerry v donegal at 4pm on sunday and played cork v kildare at 2pm and dublin v laois at 4pm on monday and you would have had bigger crowds for both days.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 06/08/2012 16:00:19    1239855

I think the fact a lot of people book short breaks down the country for bank hols way in advance of them meant a lesser crowd on saturday was highly likely! Like you only get two weeks notice of venue and times. People book short breaks a month to six weeks in advance!

JayP (Dublin) - Posts: 1772 - 06/08/2012 16:06:01    1239868

but thats not a dig at mayo because 5pm throw in on saturday evening is a horrible time for an all ireland quarter final to be played and expecting them to travel was very unfair

______

I agree

But its funny how nobody thought about that when myself and other Dublin fans had to travel across to Castlebar not once ... but twice for 7pm throw ins in the league back in february and late march. I dont think the throw in time in an excuse for not travelling, a lack of funds is a much better excuse and that is one many will sympathize with however and its one of the many many reasons games dont sell out even Dublin games in Croker. I remember up as far as 2008 and 2009 leinster games involving Dublin would sell out. Not anymore people just dont have the money.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13659 - 06/08/2012 16:16:25    1239888

Crowd was down no doubt it was dissapointing. You could also look at the 3 other counties for that, the hill had good core support as usual on saturday ,it was empty on sunday.and their was a higher attendance on sunday. fair play to donegal they brought a great support as they did to last years semi. dont forget what we brought to leinster final. we have a good support that was there on saturday evening, semis will easily be 70,000 or more also as was pointed out their was work commitments also. maybe the question should be whhat would the attendance have been on saturday if dublin werent playing.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 06/08/2012 16:20:03    1239896

wayno

i agree was at the league games and it is hard time to get to also but for an all ireland quarter final the gaa should have used their heads and used the bank holiday monday.its a great day for a double header,i know its not abank holiday up north so the obvious thing to do was to put down v mayo and kerry v donegal on sunday and have cork v kildare and dublin v laois on monday,you would have had bigger crowds both days.

also agree with post above their was about 45 thousand dublin supporters out of the 52 thousand attendance.

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 06/08/2012 16:36:34    1239916

I wish we'd the population and the pick of Dublin and I'd be happy to fund whoever!

ballybannongael (Down) - Posts: 547 - 06/08/2012 16:49:10    1239929

ballybannongael
County: Down
Posts: 393

1239929 I wish we'd the population and the pick of Dublin and I'd be happy to fund whoever!

There is a lot of competition from other sports also, league of ireland has 5 dublin clubs plus bray who would take take some also,
Happy to have the pick no doubt, but not as big as people think.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 06/08/2012 17:20:06    1239973

Dublin fans spend more money supporting the English Premier League than they do on supporting the GAA.

AfricanGael (UK) - Posts: 1947 - 06/08/2012 17:26:49    1239980

athcliath

id hardly count league of ireland as competition as st pats were playing hannover in european competition the other night and their was only 2 thousand at the match

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 06/08/2012 17:28:08    1239982

On a seperate note, just wondering when the GAA will formally acknowledge Croke Park as Dublin's home ground, the Parnell park thing is a joke at this stage.

Monaghan Man (Monaghan) - Posts: 100 - 06/08/2012 17:28:33    1239985

hill16no1man
County: Dublin
Posts: 2190

1239982 athcliath

id hardly count league of ireland as competition as st pats were playing hannover in european competition the other night and their was only 2 thousand at the match


Ha,ha I know, its more schoolboy i was thinking of and pointing out that the dubs dont have a clear run at it at underage level.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 06/08/2012 17:35:12    1239995

Don't forget we also keep Hoganstand going. Always 3 or 4 threads on Dublin on the main forum - where would yis be without us!

Floops (Dublin) - Posts: 1623 - 06/08/2012 17:37:22    1239999

why don't you start a thread about it Monaghan Man

Floops (Dublin) - Posts: 1623 - 06/08/2012 17:39:27    1240000

athcliath

strong rumours the hill is sold out for mayo match already mate went to ticketmaster and said they had none left and tickets.ie have none either

hill16no1man (Dublin) - Posts: 12665 - 06/08/2012 17:42:26    1240005

The first mention of the Dubs Funding the Gaa was this thread!

ochonlir (Cavan) - Posts: 4343 - 06/08/2012 17:45:42    1240010