Norn Iron Local Saccer - What is the point?

[The Worker]

Do they play games on Sundays now?

On a similar vein, can anyone tell me why bookies in the north aren't open on Sundays? they are open in every other part of the UK and ROI on the sabbath.

[Tonto]

Can't believe that some boyos here think the IL coverage on the BBC is too great.  Sky Sports give more coverage to the Irish League than our supposed national "public service" broadcaster.

The GAA gets much, much more coverage than the IL FFS!

"Wall to wall coverage" me arse.

[Tonto]

Do they play games on Sundays now?

On a similar vein, can anyone tell me why bookies in the north aren't open on Sundays? they are open in every other part of the UK and ROI on the sabbath.

If you know the right telephone number you can get a bookies on a Sunday.

(Otherwise, just go online)

[The Worker]

Do they play games on Sundays now?

On a similar vein, can anyone tell me why bookies in the north aren't open on Sundays? they are open in every other part of the UK and ROI on the sabbath.

If you know the right telephone number you can get a bookies on a Sunday.

(Otherwise, just go online)

No thats not the point. Do you know why they close on sundays?

[Tonto]

Do they play games on Sundays now?

On a similar vein, can anyone tell me why bookies in the north aren't open on Sundays? they are open in every other part of the UK and ROI on the sabbath.

If you know the right telephone number you can get a bookies on a Sunday.

(Otherwise, just go online)

No thats not the point. Do you know why they close on sundays?

Not sure, probably some Protestant extremist conspiracy to annoy GAA supporters!

To quote Fr Ted, "those Protestants, up to no good as usual".

[The Worker]

Do they play games on Sundays now?

On a similar vein, can anyone tell me why bookies in the north aren't open on Sundays? they are open in every other part of the UK and ROI on the sabbath.

If you know the right telephone number you can get a bookies on a Sunday.

(Otherwise, just go online)

No thats not the point. Do you know why they close on sundays?

Not sure, probably some Protestant extremist conspiracy to annoy GAA supporters!

To quote Fr Ted, "those Protestants, up to no good as usual".

What has it got to do with GAA?

usual wummery from you, I cant be bothered with this today.

[Tonto]

Do they play games on Sundays now?

On a similar vein, can anyone tell me why bookies in the north aren't open on Sundays? they are open in every other part of the UK and ROI on the sabbath.

If you know the right telephone number you can get a bookies on a Sunday.

(Otherwise, just go online)

No thats not the point. Do you know why they close on sundays?

Not sure, probably some Protestant extremist conspiracy to annoy GAA supporters!

To quote Fr Ted, "those Protestants, up to no good as usual".

What has it got to do with GAA?

usual wummery from you, I cant be bothered with this today.

Really?  That's the first time I've been called a WUM!

Sensitive today aren't we!?

[Minder]

Is it that big a thing that the bookies arent open on a Sunday, i am sure even the rubber soled brigade in the bookies have an online account.

[Evil Genius]

The Tribunal decided no such thing. Its deliberations were to determine whether Jerome Quinn was legally dismissed, not what were the rights and wrongs of local sports coverage.

Jermoan contended that using the Beeb's computer for private purposes in his work time etc was only a pretext - the real reasons being that he was being victimised for pointing out the "unfair" coverage they were giving to GAA (after being sidelined as part of this reduced coverage).

In order to support his case, he produced what he claimed was evidence (screen hours, budget, staffing, editorial etc) of the Beeb's discriminatory attitude towards GAA. The Tribunal examined this "evidence" and rejected it completely, explicitly stating it found no such evidence of discrimination.

Of course, he hardly helped his case by the transparent way in which he tried to "rig" his evidence - for example, comparing the airtime given to GAA during its closed season, with the airtime given to soccer during its playing season.

And trying to claim that Motor Cycling is a "Protestant sport"(!) wasn't the cleverest move, either.

Still, if intelligence was a factor, he'd never have got a job in the first place, never mind lasted 18 years of oppression...

[Big Puff]

The Tribunal decided no such thing. Its deliberations were to determine whether Jerome Quinn was legally dismissed, not what were the rights and wrongs of local sports coverage.

Jermoan contended that using the Beeb's computer for private purposes in his work time etc was only a pretext - the real reasons being that he was being victimised for pointing out the "unfair" coverage they were giving to GAA (after being sidelined as part of this reduced coverage).

In order to support his case, he produced what he claimed was evidence (screen hours, budget, staffing, editorial etc) of the Beeb's discriminatory attitude towards GAA. The Tribunal examined this "evidence" and rejected it completely, explicitly stating it found no such evidence of discrimination.

Of course, he hardly helped his case by the transparent way in which he tried to "rig" his evidence - for example, comparing the airtime given to GAA during its closed season, with the airtime given to soccer during its playing season.

And trying to claim that Motor Cycling is a "Protestant sport"(!) wasn't the cleverest move, either.

Still, if intelligence was a factor, he'd never have got a job in the first place, never mind lasted 18 years of oppression...

Exactly what I was thinking.

How the hell can it be classified as a 'sport'?!!!

[Bogball XV]

Otherwise the BBC wouldn't ever televise eg the Winter Olympics, on the basis that 90% of the events aren't even staged in the UK, never mind attended by crowds of spectators.

They probably shouldn't bother televising it tbh, do they have a choice though?  Is it all packaged with the summer olympics (many sports).

All that said the argument about coverage misses the point, I thought this thread was about the pointlessness or otherwise of local soccer.  It's obviously not pointless and the skill levels etc aren't bad, but, what should be questioned is the whether or not it should be professional?  Obviously it's up to each club to determine their own business plans and as long as they aren't going bust every few weeks like they do in the south, fair play to them. 
I like to see them get a few decent results in europe, cliftonville got a fantastic result against a croatian/serbian? side this year iirc and it's good to dream.  Overall the product could do with a lot of work though, the stadia and image that the fans portray are very unappealing.

[Tonto]

Correct Bogball, how can football in NI be classed as pointless? There will always be football played in NI as long as people want to play it regardless of how many pay in at the turnstiles.

[Orangemac]

While BBC should give the GAA more coverage based upon it's appeal (although what it does, it does well) it is a bit much to call it pointless.

Most of these clubs will call breaking even a good year and would not survive only for the work of volunteers akin too many GAA clubs.

The likes of Jackie Fullerton etc may like to think of it being of a high standard but the quality of football is piss poor compared to the LOI even but the endeavour of those involved shouldn't be demeaned.

There doesn't seem to have been the same level of crazy spending in the Irish league that there was in the LOI though.

On a side note it was surreal watching Mattie Burrows hanging about with Ronaldo, Messi and Schneider the other week.

[Evil Genius]

Otherwise the BBC wouldn't ever televise eg the Winter Olympics, on the basis that 90% of the events aren't even staged in the UK, never mind attended by crowds of spectators.

Not just wrong, totally irrelevant. There are some occasions that transcend such fundamentals as local attendance figures, the Winter Olympics being one, given that it's of global interest. So we can safely assume that any sporting occasions of global significance rise above local considerations (except in your mind, perhaps).

"I appreciate during the year that the GAA doesnt get a great pile of coverage but for Gods sake it shows a live GAA match EVERY week of the Ulster championship!!! This is more than any other sport gets! As members of the GAA we need to stop trying to feel sorry for ourselves and moaning about how badly done we are - its a little bit embarrassing at this stage" - BennyHarp, 21/05/10

"I'm really at a loss here. The coverage of GAA on BBC has multiplied hugely in recent times and now surely surpasses soccer and rugby. I do not see any cause whatsoever for complaint. Sure they don't have any Miceal O'Muircheartaighs, or calibre of analysts like Spillane, O'Rourke etc, but there is no reasonable cause for complaint imho" - Tony Fearon, 25/10/10.

And from the Tribunal's findings themselves:
33.   Mr Glynn was promoted to Editor of Sports NI in June 2006 following a period as a Senior Broadcast Journalist in the News Department.  Following his appointment as Editor for Sport he was instrumental in winning the broadcast rights for coverage of the GAA Ulster Championship and All-Ireland games involving Ulster teams, when the broadcast rights for GAA coverage came up for renewal in 2007/2008.  As a result the live coverage of matches increased substantially. The respondent gave an undertaking during the tender process that they would "revamp" the look, style and tone of the live coverage.
34.   Mr Glynn also gave evidence, which we accept, of the hours of TV coverage, both live and highlights, given to each of 12 sports for the period from 2006 to 2010.  The figures show that coverage of soccer and rugby has decreased whereas coverage of GAA has increased substantially in line with the winning or losing of broadcast coverage rights for those sports and in line with how successful Ulster/NI teams were in a particular year.
35.   The claimant chose two days in October 2008 to illustrate his allegation of a disparity in the coverage between GAA sports and other sports.  October is the high season for rugby and Northern Ireland soccer.  If the claimant had chosen June to illustrate coverage, the GAA season would have been in full swing with widespread coverage on BBC NI whereas rugby and soccer coverage would have been very low because it was not their season.
36.   Mr Glynn gave evidence, which we accept, that, the percentage 'spend per sport' as at March 2009 showed that GAA rights and production costs for live coverage, far outstripped the costs associated with rugby and domestic soccer.

And your Tribunal claim is bullshit.

"The former so-called face of Gaelic games at BBC Northern Ireland was accused of being disingenuous, misleading and evasive by an industrial tribunal which rejected his claims of sectarian bias
Jerome Quinn, 42, was sacked last March for gross misconduct after posting on websites anonymous criticism of the corporation's coverage.
He claimed he saw himself as a 'standard-bearer' for the sport and alleged his dismissal was unfair and an act of victimisation because of his race, religion or political opinion.
But in a damning ruling to be released on Wednesday, a tribunal panel chaired by Orla Murray said his claims of discrimination and unfair dismissal should be denied in their entirety"
http://www.u.tv/News/Tribunal-rejects-BBC-sectarian-claims/fd26b336-dda2-41cc-9872-b950c2e548d4

Or in the local context, since the Irish league clubs attract as many spectators between them as the Ulster Rugby team does at Ravenhill, does that mean that the IL should get the same live coverage on TV as Ulster does? That would certainly please the IL.

"...between them" Get a grip man, we can come up with all sorts of aggregate combinations once we start combining attendances.

It's quite simple, really. Ulster's one professional rugby club attracts approx 12k fans once a fortnight, and gets several of its games televised each season.

Football's (semi)professional clubs attract at least 6k fans each week, during a longer season, and sees one match televised live.

In the end, your qualification re adult sport shows that you are just choosing the argument which best suits GAA. I could do the same for my sport eg by pointing to the greater participation, or the fact that it is genuinely cross-community, (unlike the monocultural GAA). And I would be equally wrong.

You repeat the 'greater participation' like it's an established fact, where is your proof? Any chance to get a (childish) dig at the GAA, eh?

According to http://ulster.gaa.ie/ , the 6 NI counties have the following number of affiliated Gaelic football or dual football/hurling clubs:
Antrim - 40
Armagh - 44
Derry - 38
Down - 45
Fermanagh - 21
Tyrone - 48
Total - 236

By contrast, the IFA has over 1,500 affiliated clubs:
http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/about-the-ifa/

Further, there are quite a few people who play soccer on an unaffiliated basis i.e. schools, parks, leisure centres, works teams, 5-a-side etc. Because of the nature of the game and the need for suitable pitches etc, like rugby, Gaelic football cannot have the same amount of unafiliated play.

Anyhow, your posts just go to show that if Mopery was a recognised sport, you (and Jermoan) would get a dedicated BBC channel all of your own...

Very grown-up.

... says the man who posts about dogs and the USPCA etc...

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Sweet jezuz, I've been subsumed in a sea of logorrhoea! (As per usual.)

Just taking this one (of your responses), however, since it's the only one that seems to attempt to stay on point:

According to http://ulster.gaa.ie/ , the 6 NI counties have the following number of affiliated Gaelic football or dual football/hurling clubs:
Antrim - 40
Armagh - 44
Derry - 38
Down - 45
Fermanagh - 21
Tyrone - 48
Total - 236

By contrast, the IFA has over 1,500 affiliated clubs:
http://www.irishfa.com/the-ifa/about-the-ifa/

Further, there are quite a few people who play soccer on an unaffiliated basis i.e. schools, parks, leisure centres, works teams, 5-a-side etc. Because of the nature of the game and the need for suitable pitches etc, like rugby, Gaelic football cannot have the same amount of unafiliated play.

That proves that there may be more affiliated soccer clubs than GAA clubs, that's all it proves. What you've omitted here are the numbers affiliated with each club, i.e., the membership, and without which absolutely nothing can be proven.

Regarding the 'suitable' facilities for GAA and unaffiliated players... you're betraying your ignorance of school set-ups, for example, not to mention parks, etc.