Whoa just a minute!!!
There are some might big assumptions going on here which are a tad insulting. Did anyone really expect 10,000 per match? Are we really expecting those kids age 11- 16 who would usually walk to the game in groups from their homes to travel to widnes via bus on their own??
Are we expecting those pensionaires who would walk up to the game a short distance to do the same in Widnes.
I'm sorry but a 7k crowd is a 30%drop on last season. For me that is actually better than expected. I'm sure Saints where working on a drop in crowds. Without having to think about it, I know my family have gone from 4 season tickets to 2, because we just knew not everyone would manage to get to every game this year.
It's arrogance to assume everyone has exactly the same resources and abilities and time available as yourself. Lumping people into a group and calling them ludities, does not actually reflect accurately the reasons why people don't go. Add to this the current 1000's of people in the public services who are under threat or have already lost their jobs. In those circumstances, a season ticket and travel to Widnes is more of a luxury than previous years. Possibly an expense that can no longer be risked.
Walk ups can no longer happen in Widnes. You may at the last minute decide, I've got £20 in my pocket, I 'll pop down to the match at KR. If that happens now, then I may as well get Pizza and a film as I can't just walk down the road to the match.
With the south stand that's purely down to SKY. They filmed from the opposite side last year, you'll have to ask them for the reasons why they have purposely decided to change the side they film from to film the more expensive seats.
Quite frankly if I have a choice of a seat with exactly the same view but extra cost. There is no way I'm going to pay extra for exactly the same seat but on the opposite side.
Maybe the SKY team are and producers are trying to show what they want to show.