NIFL CEO calls on Executive to reform as top-flight crowds continue to grow
Gerard Lawlor says money must be made available to clubs to improve facilities
Last updated 9th Jan 2023
The Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) CEO says the Stormont Executive needs to get back to work to help clubs in Northern Ireland.
Gerard Lawlor was speaking following the announcement that attendances in the Danske Bank Premiership have risen 15% in comparison to the last campaign.
While Lawlor was delighted with that, he says it could have been more through the gates and into the pockets of local clubs if the proposed Sub-Regional Stadia Fund had been implemented.
It's the pot of money ringfenced for clubs to improve facilities, which has been delayed for around a decade due to the stop-start nature of things at Stormont.
NIFL celebrated the 200,000th supporter this season through the turnstiles last week as matchday attendances are once again on the rise in the top flight.
With the league currently at the halfway point of a captivating season, the average match attendance in the league has increased to 1,656 fans per match.
One of the most eagerly anticipated days in the calendar did not disappoint either with 18,349 fans attending Premiership games on Boxing Day past – with many of the fixtures sold out well before Christmas.
The attendances across the six games set another Irish League record, making it the highest attended NIFL matchday since official figures have been recorded.
NIFL Chief Executive Lawlor said: “The season so far on the pitch has been fantastic, and we’re delighted that the fans have responded by coming out in their numbers to back their clubs.”
“Boxing Day was a huge day in the Irish League but we could have had up to 30,000 fans at games if not for the restricted capacities of many of our stadiums. It’s imperative that the stadium funding is finally released by the NI Executive to allow our clubs to fulfil their potential and serve their communities better.”
The introduction of more Sunday football continues to prove successful with all five Premiership games this season played on a Sunday showing an increase on the historic average match attendance of the same fixture.
Lawlor added: “With so many competing options for families these days, we are so thankful that. Our challenge is to continue this growth and to help our clubs create a positive experience for new fans to their stadiums as the second half of the season promises to be even more exciting.”