League still a hard sell — and here is the proof
LAST week, we got to see the league through a new perspective when bringing a first-timer to a game and it proved to be an eyeopening experience for both parties.
Opting to leave the press pass at home and actually pay into a game at Tallaght Stadium, we brought a football-mad friend along to see Shamrock Rovers take on St Patrick’s Athletic in a fairly entertaining Setanta Sports Cup tie.
It was interesting to note his reaction to the stadium, the club shop, the atmosphere, the amenities, and, of course, the football, because he is used to the best of everything from when travelling to games in England.
He may not have known Jason McGuinness from Conor Kenna, but it struck him that there were quite a few good players on show as he remarked: ‘I didn’t think the standard would be this good — they actually try to play football’.
We’ll certainly take some credit on that one by choosing those specific teams to watch, although his observation on the match-going adventure was curious as he noted: ‘I’m not sure what else they can do to get more fans in’.
As we preached about the need for more marketing, we quickly realised that he was viewing the league as a niche sport. So maybe we were wrong all along, it’s about selling the uniqueness of the league, not that it’s just another game of football.
On the plus side, he enthused about the league taking advantage of the summer months (and weather), the fair ticket prices, the location of the stadium, and the quality of play on the pitch.
Yet, it was his feeling of this all being packaged like a secret club, where, unless you are privy to the inside information, it’s difficult for the casual fan to know when to turn up and what to know.
Of course, we suggested reading this column every Tuesday, but we understood his reaction. Opening the doors to the league is definitely our biggest task.