Now is the summer of our discoteques

I’m just back from covering the Cork City v Galway United game at Turner’s Cross. Around the corner, Musgrave Park was packed out for the Munster v Scarlets game. While it was the usual die hards who shuffled into the soccer game.

Maybe it’s time to follow baseball’s lead and have themed nights. Bring-your-boss night? Cowboys and Indians week? Rotten fruit: a funny ol game?

Here’s a selection of real promos from the States:

1. Disco Demolition Night
Disco-hating White Sox fans wrecked the Comiskey Park field when the Detroit Tigers visited Chicago, causing thousands of dollars in damages, as a “harmless” 1979 promotion created a near-riot and forced the Sox to forfeit the game. Believed to be the night the (disco) music died and it proved a costly 10c beer night. As the BeeGees sang: tragedy.

2. Hawaiian Night
The Phillies fill the area round their new ground with hula dancers, fans get traditional leis, and players posed in Hawaiian shirts for their scoreboard photos.

3. Mullet Night
The do that’s business in the front and party in the back, brings those same inclusive qualities to the ballpark. On Mullet Night, White Sox fans – again – wearing mullet wigs can parade around the ground while mullets are imposed on players’ scoreboard images. Here’s a fun fact, fact fans: a mullet is called a Bundesliga in the Czech Republic and it’s true, this promotion may not work in German soccer stadia.