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Are we and the IRFU doing enough?

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    #62
    mfceiling
    Registered Users Posts: 12,791 ✭✭✭✭mfceiling


    awec wrote: »
    Has the AIL ever tried to promote their games outside of the usual places (i.e. to their own members)? I would happily go watch AIL on the weekends Leinster are playing away but I've never seen games promoted anywhere. I've often wondered if it's a bit cliquey, Terenure are probably my closest club and I've wondered if I turn up are people going to be like "who is this guy"?

    Tbh wherever you turn up they will go "who is this guy!!"

    I've walked up to watch St mary's in the past and no one batted an eyelid. Probably should go to watch terenure though as they are literally on my doorstep.


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    #63
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    awec wrote: »
    Has the AIL ever tried to promote their games outside of the usual places (i.e. to their own members)? I would happily go watch AIL on the weekends Leinster are playing away but I've never seen games promoted anywhere. I've often wondered if it's a bit cliquey, Terenure are probably my closest club and I've wondered if I turn up are people going to be like "who is this guy"?
    They wont bat an eyelid and I don't see any club batting an eyelid. Like why would they?
    AIL clubs are always promoting games/themselves outside their own members. Newspapers/Posters very week.


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    #64
    CIARAN_BOYLE
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 14,599 Mod ✭✭✭✭CIARAN_BOYLE


    awec wrote: »
    Has the AIL ever tried to promote their games outside of the usual places (i.e. to their own members)? I would happily go watch AIL on the weekends Leinster are playing away but I've never seen games promoted anywhere. I've often wondered if it's a bit cliquey, Terenure are probably my closest club and I've wondered if I turn up are people going to be like "who is this guy"?

    mfceiling wrote: »
    Tbh wherever you turn up they will go "who is this guy!!"

    I've walked up to watch St mary's in the past and no one batted an eyelid. Probably should go to watch terenure though as they are literally on my doorstep.

    Terenure or St. Marys are probably my closest club as well but I've never just shown up to a game. Wanna do a mini beers at a Terenure AIL game?


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    #65
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    I posted this thread a while back and there was some interesting points made.
    Thought after this weekend this thread could be revisited

    What major changes/small changes should the IRFU make at all levels from improving participation numbers at age grade and adult social and competitive levels to improving skill levels etc


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    #66
    Sleepy
    Registered Users Posts: 24,176 ✭✭✭✭Sleepy


    If only from a purely financial / increasing the fanbase basis, a tennis club I'm involved with would have a good number of members that'd meet up in the club bar to watch the International matches, less than half a mile from the local rugby club. Were the local rugby club to extend an invitation to other sporting clubs in the area to come watch an AIL match prior to watching the Internationals in their clubhouse I'd say the men I'm thinking of would only love to take them up on it. Especially if there was some food involved.

    The only reason they're watching it in the tennis club bar is to the atmosphere of having someone other than the wife/kids to discuss the game with and to have a few pints. They already have an interest in the sport so were you to get a few of them down watching some AIL games while enjoying a better atmosphere for the International some of them might end up becoming regulars at the AIL games or feeling that they could make an introduction to a friend who's kids were expressing an interest in playing underage etc.


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    #67
    RuMan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭RuMan


    awec wrote: »
    Has the AIL ever tried to promote their games outside of the usual places (i.e. to their own members)? I would happily go watch AIL on the weekends Leinster are playing away but I've never seen games promoted anywhere. I've often wondered if it's a bit cliquey, Terenure are probably my closest club and I've wondered if I turn up are people going to be like "who is this guy"?


    They'll be happy to have you. Used to go to club games, but they've been superseded by Provinces. Even the good young players spend more time in the academy now. The provinces and the reduced drink driving allowances a few years ago killed the club game at adult level. Expecting people to watch Club games as a result of success at Test/provincial level is as unrealistic as League of Ireland soccer fans expecting increased attendance because of the World Cup.
    Clubs nowadays are about bringing kids through hopefully to provincial level, particularly where kids dont attend a traditional rugby school. That's where clubs are and should be putting their resources.


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    #68
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    Sleepy wrote: »
    If only from a purely financial/increasing the fanbase basis, a tennis club I'm involved with would have a good number of members that'd meet up in the club bar to watch the International matches, less than half a mile from the local rugby club. Were the local rugby club to extend an invitation to other sporting clubs in the area to come watch an AIL match prior to watching the Internationals in their clubhouse I'd say the men I'm thinking of would only love to take them up on it. Especially if there was some food involved.

    The only reason they're watching it in the tennis club bar is to the atmosphere of having someone other than the wife/kids to discuss the game with and to have a few pints. They already have an interest in the sport so were you to get a few of them down watching some AIL games while enjoying a better atmosphere for the International some of them might end up becoming regulars at the AIL games or feeling that they could make an introduction to a friend who's kids were expressing an interest in playing underage etc.
    Fair points especially about creating links with other sports clubs.
    RuMan wrote: »
    They'll be happy to have you. Used to go to club games, but they've been superseded by Provinces. Even the good young players spend more time in the academy now. The provinces and the reduced drink driving allowances a few years ago killed the club game at adult level. Expecting people to watch Club games as a result of success at Test/provincial level is as unrealistic as League of Ireland soccer fans expecting increased attendance because of the World Cup.
    Clubs nowadays are about bringing kids through hopefully to provincial level, particularly where kids dont attend a traditional rugby school. That's where clubs are and should be putting their resources.
    Good young players in the academies still play club games. While they are playing provincial A rugby in A interprovincial and British and Irish Cup games top young players will also be playing a good number of club games. Expecting people to watch club games on the back of provincial success isn't unrealistic. It has happened through success of provinces leading parents to bring their kids to play the sport. They then start getting involved in the club through their kids etc etc


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    #69
    RuMan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭RuMan


    The Lost Sheep wrote: »
    Fair points especially about creating links with other sports clubs.

    Good young players in the academies still play club games. While they are playing provincial A rugby in A interprovincial and British and Irish Cup games top young players will also be playing a good number of club games. Expecting people to watch club games on the back of provincial success isn't unrealistic. It has happened through success of provinces leading parents to bring their kids to play the sport. They then start getting involved in the club through their kids etc etc

    The original point was about them going to watch AIL games. A glance at the attendance figures would suggest this isn't happening. The Clubs should be about attracting kids to play the game and they are successful in this. There are a lot of kids playing, very view watch or want to watch AIL games.

    To be blunt who cares about a bunch of middle aged lads getting sloshed on a Saturday watching Marys v Terneure or whoever.


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    #70
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    RuMan wrote: »
    The original point was about them going to watch AIL games. A glance at the attendance figures would suggest this isn't happening. The Clubs should be about attracting kids to play the game and they are successful in this. There are a lot of kids playing, very view watch or want to watch AIL games.

    To be blunt who cares about a bunch of middle aged lads getting sloshed on a Saturday watching Marys v Terneure or whoever.
    Clubs are not about and never will be about attracting kids to play the game.. They are much more than that.
    The way things are going we will have rugby becoming more like American football where bar a small few once people finish university/third level they stop playing and just become spectators.
    There are a lot of kids playing but what of their parents etc. We must keep the clubs as community clubs and by having clubs as community clubs we need to help the top sides within clubs


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    #71
    RuMan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭RuMan


    The Lost Sheep wrote: »
    Clubs are not about and never will be about attracting kids to play the game.. They are much more than that.
    The way things are going we will have rugby becoming more like American football where bar a small few once people finish university/third level they stop playing and just become spectators.
    There are a lot of kids playing but what of their parents etc. We must keep the clubs as community clubs and by having clubs as community clubs we need to help the top sides within clubs

    Well their parents help with coaching, transport , funding already. Not sure what your point is ,do you want them to play as well ?
    Either that or you want them to watch an AIL game. You realize given they're there in morning for kids game that means all day Saturday in the club. Wont happen.

    I'd agree with you about it becoming primarily for spectators, unfortunately it's already going/gone that way.


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    #72
    Pudsy33
    Registered Users Posts: 10,739 ✭✭✭✭Pudsy33


    CIARAN_BOYLE wrote: »
    Terenure or St. Marys are probably my closest club as well but I've never just shown up to a game. Wanna do a mini beers at a Terenure AIL game?

    I fully support this idea


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    #73
    The Lost Sheep
    Registered Users Posts: 14,967 ✭✭✭✭The Lost Sheep


    RuMan wrote: »
    Well their parents help with coaching, transport , funding already. Not sure what your point is ,do you want them to play as well ?
    Either that or you want them to watch an AIL game. You realize given they're there in morning for kids game that means all day Saturday in the club. Wont happen.

    I'd agree with you about it becoming primarily for spectators, unfortunately it's already going/gone that way.
    Not totally true. Its generally a small number of parents who do the coaching, transport. For a lot of parents they drop the kids off before the training/match and leave until they collect them
    Im talking about bringing in changes to get parents into club senior AIL or junior qualifying league games and getting them more involved/integrated into the club which helps with making a stronger club
    I am a coach/referee/volunteer at whatevers needed in both my home club and another in which I am coaching. I am not asking for people to give up an entire day at their local club


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    #74
    RuMan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 469 ✭✭RuMan


    The Lost Sheep wrote: »
    Not totally true. Its generally a small number of parents who do the coaching, transport. For a lot of parents they drop the kids off before the training/match and leave until they collect them
    Im talking about bringing in changes to get parents into club senior AIL or junior qualifying league games and getting them more involved/integrated into the club which helps with making a stronger club
    I am a coach/referee/volunteer at whatevers needed in both my home club and another in which I am coaching. I am not asking for people to give up an entire day at their local club

    Common problem, some see it as free babysitting sadly. Unfortunately if they wont even watch their own kids matches you'll have a hard job getting them to watch other games. You'll probably find it'll be the same few who do help out that will come to AIL games.


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