YBIG 12
Any Irish fan with a deep-seated love of football knows the golden rule: support your teams with everything you can.
Whether you’re a dedicated and loyal fan or a more casual watcher, showing your support for your local team is easy! In comparison following a club in England is not easy.
Below are some of the best ways to support the LOI and have fun while doing it.
Attend Games
One of the best ways to show your support for your local club is to attend their games. The LOI has been getting higher attendances, which helps boosts the morale of players and helps the clubs generate badly needed revenue. More money means the team can hire better players and improve their training grounds.
In 2023, over 596,196 fans attended Premier Division LOI games, a 22% increase from 486,365 in 2022. This increase shows the growing fanbase for football in Ireland and the fans’ commitment to supporting their team in important matches.
Be vocal
The better the atmosphere the better the experience. Whether that’s through singing yourself hoarse or calling out the referee for a bad decision, to encouraging the team. The noise created by screaming fans adds to the atmosphere of any sporting event.
But cheering doesn’t just set the mood; in a 2021 study measuring the effects of an excited crowd on a sports team, it was discovered that cheering fans can help players perform significantly. Anyone who has played a sport knows how energising it is when a crowd supports you. Sounds of encouragement and reinforcement are a great way to let your team know you’re the 12th man.
Follow Them Online
Living in the modern digital age means it is easier than ever to let players know how much you appreciate them. You can show your support through social media if you can’t make it to a match to scream from the stands.
Following LOI online allows you to keep up with the team and individual players.
Fans can use social media to share messages of support to their favourite players and teams. Tags, hashtags and other tools on social sites also allow fans to connect.
Support Them Through Merchandise
Crunching the numbers isn’t as fun as cheering on your team, but budgeting is essential for any club. LOI clubs must be able to pay players, coaches and support staff and maintain their grounds and facilities. Outside of ticket sales, clubs sell merchandise to make that required income.
Purchasing merchandise for your preferred team offers support in multiple ways. Of course, the sales benefit the organization financially, allowing them to make improvements. But by proudly displaying your club’s colours, you’re showing your love and spreading the word about the team to others. Your kit might make someone a new fan!
Put Your Money Where Your Support Is
Sports betting in Ireland has been experiencing a massive boom—as it has in many countries worldwide. By 2024, the betting market in the region is expected to reach a staggering €300 million. This increase is primarily due to the many online sportsbooks in Ireland that offer a welcome bonus when players join.
Almost all these bookmakers allow wagers to be placed on football matches—including those that feature the LOI. As a fan, a great way to show your support for a team and have a chance at winning big is to place some money behind your club with a bet.
Whether you’re just making small bets on the best players or trying to win big, knowing statistics and rules will help your chances of taking home more winnings. The knowledge that your team’s victory will have a material impact on you as an individual also helps bolster your desire to show unwavering support.
Share Your Support
Just like reaching out to players or wearing your team’s merchandise, sharing your support with others can help your club. Hosting a party with friends to watch games you can’t attend or just telling your friends that the Premier League isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and encourage them to attend a game with you. They might surprise themselves.
Beyond engaging with the group on social media, you can share updates and post your support publicly so others see it. Sharing that love of the game far and wide is a great way to make sure the LOI get’s more love from Ireland fans and fans outside of Ireland too.
Conclusion
Supporting your local club is a passion for life, and that support and those of the community around the club are essential for the growth of Irish football and in turn the growth of the Irish national team. A strong home league is good for everyone.
Now find your local club and buy a ticket today.
