Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 1:46 am  

JonB95 wrote:

Read my post towards him on the previous page, which he conveniently ignored.. don't think I'm the one who lost the debate, buddy .

As I say, like his posts or not, they do point to a decline in attendances thus far this season.

You never know, they 50k or so missing fans may well flock back when the weather picks up, but as it stands today, his posts to have a valid point.
You calling him a troll doesn't back up your assertions that SL is better than what we had back in the day....we already know we are better off now, but as it stands, 2013 is not currently as good as 2012 off the pitch and that's the point young billy made at the start.....as in the RFL will back slap when they think they deserve it, but rarely to they address bad news full on...they'd rather stare at their feet and hope the problem goes away.

BTW. Huddersfield giants deserve a medal for their initiative in the CC this weekend....as do Leeds who I am sure had to buy into the idea....more clubs should do this. London are charging 15 notes on the promise of a pie......better to ditch the pie and offer 5 quid in IMHO!

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 2:01 am  

gutterfax wrote:

BTW. Huddersfield giants deserve a medal for their initiative in the CC this weekend....as do Leeds who I am sure had to buy into the idea....more clubs should do this. London are charging 15 notes on the promise of a pie......better to ditch the pie and offer 5 quid in IMHO!

I don't understand why League fans insist on having tickets so cheap time and time again yet at the same time complain that the RFL don't bring in enough money. Its hardly the most expensive sport to follow yet people always complain, and say tickets should be so cheap. Whilst it can work on occasions in the long run it cheapens the sport, and fans continually expect cheap tickets otherwise they wont turn up.

Are we really a sport where fans will only turn up in numbers when ticket prices are reduced???? Wheres the long term future in that???

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 6:25 am  

Bondi_Warrior wrote:

I don't understand why League fans insist on having tickets so cheap time and time again yet at the same time complain that the RFL don't bring in enough money. Its hardly the most expensive sport to follow yet people always complain, and say tickets should be so cheap. Whilst it can work on occasions in the long run it cheapens the sport, and fans continually expect cheap tickets otherwise they wont turn up.

Are we really a sport where fans will only turn up in numbers when ticket prices are reduced???? Wheres the long term future in that???

Completely agree. Cheap tickets are acceptable as a means of short-term promotion, but only if part of a genuine plan for retaining a good number of those when prices become realistic. For me, one of the things we should be focusing on is 'added-value' - that is, improving the match day experience. Like it or not, one of the things you have to accept if you want full stadia with decent ticket prices is the equivalent of the 'prawn sandwich brigade' - this is what sustains Union in particular. Now, much as I love a pie, my wife doesn't, and she's not particularly keen on the kids eating the boiled remains of some poor beast under the name 'hot dog'. I've often thought how much easier it would be for me to bring those 3 extra people if there was decent catering - pitch side barbecues anyone?, etc. Seriously, we underestimate the power of the human stomach...most of the time the only reason I go to the cinema is because I fancy a massive tub of popcorn. For that matter, sell popcorn! Seriously, subconsciously or otherwise, it works. You'll get a far better return on investment by improvements to catering (including reducing queues of course) than some half-baked half-time show. Charge full price but give everyone a *really good* free streak sandwich and a beer or whatever.

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 9:49 am  

On the cheap tickets argument, it was interesting to read that the Bundesliga offer cheap tickets. Bayern Munich offer season tickets for £65. There were only 3 clubs who were in the red last year as well. If I were the RFL, I'd be asking how they manage it

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 11:17 am  

gutterfax wrote:

William is simply pointing out that after much blow and gusto from the RFL last year, they have remained strangely quiet on what to date is an alarming, but AS YET, not unfixable drop in interest in the game in 2013.

See this is the part that makes no sense. Will's motive for doing this (and those that support him) seems to be that Nigel Wood came out last year and made some noise about good attendances but won't come out and make noise about a drop in attendance.......but why (as RL fans) would you want him to highlight this in the press?

All the time on these boards people are talking about improving the games image (hell we even had a thread on Nigel Woods jacket!!) so how exactly would it help if he came out, IN WORLD CUP YEAR TOO BTW, and announce a drop in figures......i don't think you'd find many if any people who if in his position would do that.

Absolutely no good could come of him being publicly vocal about half a season of results especially when the reasons vary from club to club, me thinks some people on here just want a "told you SL is struggling" moment to jump on so their gloomy predictions gather some weight.

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 11:25 am  

Apparently, the reason Mr.Eve has gone missing is because he's gone to the doctor to get some treatment for his premature extrapolation.

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 12:35 pm  

Bull Mania wrote:

On the cheap tickets argument, it was interesting to read that the Bundesliga offer cheap tickets. Bayern Munich offer season tickets for £65. There were only 3 clubs who were in the red last year as well. If I were the RFL, I'd be asking how they manage it

You often see the media trotting this one out. The cheapest season tickets are terracing tickets that are absolutely impossible to get hold of. They are held and retained by staunch supporters who would go bananas if prices went up.

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Tue May 07, 2013 9:26 pm  

Bondi_Warrior wrote:

Are we really a sport where fans will only turn up in numbers when ticket prices are reduced???? Wheres the long term future in that???

No. We are a sport that in the UK at least, has little idea of how to market itself. Play-off and Challenge cup games are not part of a Season Ticket, which will have cost about 200 quid, so fans need to be encouraged to fork out another tenner or 15 notes.

Many clubs will do little in the way of promotion for CC games because they are made to split the gate with the visiting team and quite rightly, don't see the point in them paying to attract fans that they will only get 50% of the revenue from. Meanwhile, the RFL's Marketing Guru has so far drawn some cartoons......which have pretty much achieved nothing other than making Crabtree slightly less ugly than he already is.
If the RFL continue with the revenue share for CC games and the money grab in Play-offs/Challenge cup semis and finals, then it is THEIR responsibility to market the game.......and I have news for the marketing Guru...the cartoons aren't working!

Personally, I like the idea of Round 5 replacing the Magic weekend.......22.50 for 8 games......15 for 4 games. 30,000 last years round 5 attracted......I doubt it will be any more this year. It frees up a weekend of SL...maybe start the season a week later?

All I know is that regardless of whether a cc ticket represents value for money or not, without promotion, it makes no difference. Sticking posts in the ground and announcing KO times doesn't work

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Wed May 08, 2013 8:07 am  

SL Round 14 attendances - comparison to same fixtures last year

Bradford V Leeds in 2013 = 12,016
Bradford V Leeds in 2012 = 20,851
% decrease = -42.37%

Hull V London in 2013 = 11,490
Hull V London in 2012 = 10,096
% increase = +13.81% **heavily discounted tickets on sale ALERT**

St Helens V Widnes in 2013 = 11,438
St Helens V Widnes in 2012 = 14,253
% decrease = -19.75%

Wigan V Salford in 2013 = 12,489
Wigan V Salford in 2012 = 13,703
% decrease = -8.86%

Wakefield V Catalan in 2013 = 6,125
Wakefield V Catalan in 2012 = 7,254
% decrease = -15.56%

Castleford V Hull KR in 2013 = 6,474
Castleford V Hull KR in 2012 = 6,396
% increase = +1.22%

Huddersfield V Warrington in 2013 = 8,585
Huddersfield V Warrington in 2012 = 8,184
% increase = +4.90% **heavily discounted tickets on sale ALERT**

Total Attendance in SL Round 14 = 68,617
Total Attendance same fixtures last year = 80,737
% decrease = -15.01%

4 out of 7 fixtures have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the same SL fixtures last year, though it's worth pointing out that the two of those attendances which managed to buck the trend this week (at Hull and Huddersfield) were on the back of the sale of heavily discounted tickets. Such discounts may boost attendances but it's all artificial and mere window dressing which doesn't really solve the serious issue of loss of income in the game this year. Heavily discounted ticket policies only serve to mask the problems and are tantamount to sticking one's head in the sand hoping the problems will magically disappear.

**********************

Out of 96 SL fixtures played thus far in 2013, 23 out of 96 have shown an increase in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year. 73 out of 96 fixtures have shown a decrease in attendance compared to the corresponding SL fixtures last year.

Re: Opening SL weekend sees attendances tumbling by 12.66% : Wed May 08, 2013 8:16 am  

Round 1 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 64,387 (Avg: 9,198)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 63,376 (Avg: 9,054)
% increase = +1.59%

Round 2 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 69,809 (Avg: 9,973)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,989 (Avg: 10,284)
% decrease = -3.03%

Round 3 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 58,711 (Avg: 8,387)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,246 (Avg: 10,178)
% decrease = -17.59%

Round 4 Fixtures (6 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 46,166 (Avg: 7,694)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 55,477 (Avg: 9,246)
% decrease = -16.78%

Round 5 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 50,207 (Avg: 7,172)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 57,593 (Avg: 8,228)
% decrease = -12.82%

Round 6 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 67,079 (Avg: 9,583)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,439 (Avg: 10,206)
% decrease = -6.10%

Round 7 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 57,048 (Avg: 8,150)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 69,941 (Avg: 9,992)
% decrease = -18.43%

Round 8 Fixtures (6 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 42,216 (Avg: 7,036)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 60,028 (Avg: 10,005)
% decrease = -29.67%

Round 9 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 80,429 (Avg: 11,490)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 81,841 (Avg: 11,692)
% decrease = -1.73%

Round 10 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 57,882 (Avg: 8,269)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 71,601 (Avg: 10,229)
% decrease = -19.16%

Round 11 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 55,117 (Avg: 7,874)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 62,013 (Avg: 8,859)
% decrease = -11.12%

Round 12 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 53,477 (Avg: 7,640)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 63,337 (Avg: 9,048)
% decrease = -15.57%

Round 13 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 49,525 (Avg: 7,075)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 59,648 (Avg: 8,521)
% decrease = -16.97%

Round 14 Fixtures (7 in total)
Total attendance in 2013 = 68,617 (Avg: 9,802)
Total attendance for same fixtures in 2012 = 80,737 (Avg: 11,534)
% decrease = -15.01%

Rounds 1 to 14 Fixtures (96 in total)
Total attendance for 96 fixtures in 2013 = 820,670 (Avg: 8,549)
Total attendance for same 96 fixtures in 2012 = 940,266 (Avg: 9,794)
Cumulative attendance loss = 119,596
% decrease = -12.72%