Ireland vs Israel - To play or not to play, that is the question Read OP for Mod Warning

It is important to those dependent on The games to pay their bills, put food on the table, pay mortgage/rent etc.

Are you willing to forego your wages for the next 3 months and donate it to a charity that works in palestine so?

Or is it important to you that you get paid?

The FAI in 2024 had a wage bill of approx €14m

Income from games and commercial, which are inter linked was approx €35m

If the home game doesn't happen, thats €4-5m in income lost. But the call for a boycott is for 2 games. Not fulfilling one/both fixtures puts the FAI in breach of contract over the TV rights for the nations league and thats worth approx €10m to them. Who knows what happens there but its safe to assume some/all of that money could be withheld by UEFA.

So, massive loss of income = financial consequences for the FAI who are not exactly flush with cash. Only 5 months ago they made a number of people redundant. Only last month the government agrees to defer a €1.5m loan repayment (from the Delaney era) indefinitely. Its basic economics.

If they sacrifice a significant chunk of income and are already strapped for cash, what do they pay them with? Solidarity and morals?

The group stages of what? We take part in the nations league every time it happens.

The FAI have guaranteed participation in Euro/WC qualifiers, nations league matches and they organise some friendlies.

This year There is an international window in late Sept/early october with 4 games, and a 2 game window in November for the nations league and there is somewhere in the region of €10m guaranteed for the FAI from the TV rights deal

Ireland vs Israel - To play or not to play, that is the question

This is title of the thread. The thread is NOT about boycotting Israel. Its about whether or not two UEFA drawn and scheduled football matches between Ireland and Israel should be played. When you talk about false narratives, your quite fond of them yourself when it suits your virtue signalling nonsense.

There is even a mod warning about the discussion being kept to the football match. Screenshot below. You keep veering off into totally unrelated topics.

Its pretty hard to change the argument supporting the games being played because the financial issues cannot be overcome. Ive seen no evidence to suggest its even remotely possible. Unlike you, I live in the real world.

The 2024 report for the FAI. Debts at around €40m. Approx 250 staff although there was some recent redundancies announced. Not sure if they have come into effect yet and the 2025 report is not yet available. That probably doesn't have to be published for another few months.

https://d2w4iw8gs9jo14.cloudfront.net/5317/6097/0574/The_Football_Association_of_Ireland_2024_-_Final.pdf

I never said the TV deal was worth 100s of millions to the FAI. Its a collective TV deal for the nations league and Google searches indicate the FAI get approx €10m.

The same TV companies who received refunds from Premier league worth £170m etc when covid hit and games didnt get fulfilled. So common sense dictates that the FAI failing to fulfilling contractual obligations in the nations league will have consequences. The TV companies buy rights and sell advertising on that basis.

If you hire a glazier to fit new windows , and he only did the front of the house are you going to pay him for the ones at the back they didnt fit?

Me too. Can't wait. Have tickets to all 3 home games in autumn.

Given you are discussing me, why dont your just post your bullsh1t proposal?

I don't have to agree to anything in order to post further.

You have a very high opinion of yourself frankly. Yet more virtue signalling Bollox.

I am not undermining a boycott because the FAI have stated they will fulfil the fixtures. Your command if the English language is not very good is it. Its hard to undermine something which isnt actually happening. Idiot