Attendance at Shelbourne Park greyhound races in the first two (pre-Covid) months of 2020 was even lower than previously reported, it has emerged.

Inaccurate figures presented in an Indecon report published in May 2020 put the average attendance at races higher than it actually was.

The data in the report was provided to Indecon by Greyhound Racing Ireland.

The report - entitled “Independent Indecon Assessment of Issues Arising on Consultation Submissions Made on Indecon Strategic Review of Irish Greyhound Racing Stadia to Underpin a Viable Long Term Sustainable Industry“ - shows that there was an attendance of just 3,752 at Shelbourne Park in the whole of January 2020. It breaks this figure down into an “average per race meeting” of 469 but incorrectly bases this on the “number of meetings in January 2020” being 8. The Greyhound Racing Ireland website shows that 9 meetings were held at the Dublin track in January 2020, meaning the average attendance per race meeting that month was just 417.

Similarly for the following month, the number of race meetings and average attendance is incorrect.

The report claims that the average attendance at each meeting at Shelbourne Park was 437 - based on a February total of 5,240 and 12 meetings. In reality, there were 15 race meetings at the stadium in February 2020 and not 12. Therefore, the average attendance per race meeting in February 2020 was even lower at a mere 349.

Read the Indecon report at https://www.grireland.ie/globalassets/report-pdfs/indecon/independent-indecon-assessment-of-issues-arising-on-consultation-submissions-05.05.20.pdf

Shelbourne Park is Greyhound Racing Ireland’s so-called “flagship stadium” and has a capacity of "4,200 persons". GRI has laughably described this unpopular gambling venue as “a significant social and cultural asset to the people of Dublin and Ireland alike” but the truth is that it is increasingly being rejected by the public.

The low level of attendance for the two months represented a 36% drop for January and a 41% fall for February (compared to the same months in 2019)

In its 2020 annual report, Greyhound Racing Ireland blamed an overall 73% drop in attendance at tracks around the country (from 462,709 in 2019 to 126,376 in 2020) on “the period of cessation of racing and the requirement to race behind closed doors for most of the year”,

However, it is clear that members of the public staying away from tracks also contributed to the reduction.

Indecon has stated that the “greyhound industry is likely to experience a continued decline in attendance levels” and that the decline will “continue or accelerate”.

“The greyhound racing industry in Ireland has witnessed a significant decline in attendance over the last decade,” it stated. “While 1.1 million attended races in 2008, this fell by 55% to just over 0.5 million by 2018.”

Indecon made it clear that “the sector would NOT be financially sustainable if the decline in attendance continues and if the existing cost base is not reduced” and that the losses incurred have only been sustainable because of ongoing support from the state.

With a RED C opinion poll showing that a two-thirds majority in Ireland want the government to stop propping up greyhound racing with taxpayers’ money, and more than 400,000 signatures on petitions calling for the grants to be scrapped, the government must not hesitate to withdraw all support and finally let cruel greyhound racing die a death.

SEE ALSO:

Huge 73% drop in attendance at Irish greyhound tracks https://banbloodsports.wordpress.com/2021/07/06/huge-73-drop-in-attendance-at-irish-greyhound-tracks/

Shelbourne Park greyhound racing track owner seeks to develop site for housing https://www.irishtimes.com/business/shelbourne-park-greyhound-racing-track-owner-seeks-to-develop-site-for-housing-1.4809506

Greyhound racing in Dublin may be no more as Shelbourne Park owners seek to rezone stadium for housing https://www.dublinlive.ie/sport/other-sport/greyhound-racing-dublin-no-more-23188938

ACTION ALERT

Don’t go greyhound racing or attend events at greyhound tracks. Please join us in urging the government to stop squandering taxpayers’ money on greyhound racing.

Since 2001, Greyhound Racing Ireland has been granted more than a QUARTER OF A BILLION EUROS, including €16.8 million for 2020, €19.2 million for 2021 and €17.6 million for 2022. This is unacceptable and must be stopped.

Please contact your local TDs and urge them to oppose this funding. Visit the Oireachtas website for contact details for TDs https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/members/tds/?term=/ie/oireachtas/house/dail/33

Urge the leaders of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, the Green Party and Sinn Fein to stop the funding and back a ban on cruel greyhound racing

Micheál Martin TD
Leader, Fianna Fail
Email: taoiseach@taoiseach.gov.ie; micheal.martin@oireachtas.ie; info@fiannafail.ie
Phone: 021-432 0088
Leinster House: 01–618 4350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/michealmartintd/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@MichealMartinTD

Leo Varadkar TD
Leader, Fine Gael
Telephone: 01-619 4020
Email: leo.varadkar@oireachtas.ie; finegael@finegael.ie
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/@LeoVaradkar
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeoVaradkar

Eamon Ryan TD
Leader, Green Party
Tel: 01 618 3894
Email: eamon.ryan@oireachtas.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EamonRyanGP/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/EamonRyan

Mary Lou McDonald TD
Leader, Sinn Fein
Tel: (01) 727 7102
Email: marylou.mcdonald@oireachtas.ie
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryLouMcDonald
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MaryLouMcDonaldTD