League of Ireland set for record season

Future Ticketing sees sales soar

Bohemians play Shamrock Rovers in the opening fixture in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland  on Friday.
Bohemians play Shamrock Rovers in the opening fixture in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland on Friday.

League of Ireland football is poised for another season of record-breaking attendances, trends show.

Future Ticketing, which provides ticket sales software to many of the league’s leading clubs, says sales in advance of Friday’s kick-off show strong growth.

Season-ticket sales at defending SSE Airtricity Premier Division champions Shelbourne have soared 30 per cent, according to the company.

Shamrock Rovers is poised to sell 4,500 season tickets as it aims to top last year’s league-best average of 6,000 fans per game.

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Also in the capital, St Patrick’s Athletic have sold out season tickets across most areas of the ground, limiting available match day tickets.

Future Ticketing notes similar trends across the country. In the north west, Finn Harps have a membership option that includes a season-ticket discount.

“And in the run up to the first division kick-off, fans have snapped up almost 1,600 memberships,” says the company.

The Women’s premier division is generating unprecedented interest, making it a key contributor to another likely record year.

Liam Holton, Future Ticketing managing director, said that the company “never imagined” the league scaling such heights when it began working with clubs eight years ago.

“Seeing record attendances and incredible fan engagement today is a testament to the dedication and resilience of our partner clubs,” he added.

Tullamore, Co Offaly-based Future Ticketing develops and sells software that allows sports organisations and other event businesses sell tickets directly to fans and customers. It has 5,000 active users across four continents.

Barry O'Halloran

Barry O'Halloran

Barry O’Halloran covers energy, construction, insolvency, and gaming and betting, among other areas