: Mon Jun 15, 2009 6:52 pm  

Rather than speculating on why we are so poorly attended the club should invest in employing a reputable market research company to go and find out why.

Is there really a latent mass of potential fans out there who can be enticed down to Belle Vue, if the right incentives are employed? If so, what are those incentives? Or, more worryingly, it might show that there just isn't enough interest out there in RL to sustain a Super League in Wakefield

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:44 pm  

The reduced attendances are a real conundrum.

Maybe the whole economic situation has had a detrimental effect, but, looking around neighbouring clubs, this doesn’t appear to be the case. So has the downturn just hit Wakefield – I don’t think so.

Having a new stadium should bring in larger numbers of away supporters, you know, the ones who say ‘I’m not going to that S@#t hole’ but as for home support, they cannot be bothered to walk up Donny Road.

Or could it be now the threat of relegation has gone, the support is drifting away. Don’t get me wrong, the fear of the drop was a constant on my mind for the majority of our SL campaigns, but beating it was the only buzz I ever seemed to achieve. It must be great watching your team vying for honours year on year, but sadly we’re not. What have we got, a chance to have a couple of playoff games, if we’re lucky, before running out of steam, because it too tall an order to win it from 8th.

I’ve no idea how many season tickets were sold for this season at the club, but if I was in charge of the revenue streams, I would be looking at a sizable price reductions for next season also with the gate price coming down too. If it’s left as it is, yes, the stalwarts will still come, but attracting new supporters is the key. A number of posters have cringed when the likes of George Sampson did his thing, but check the crowd, and with no disrespect, the opponents that day. People will come to see ‘celebrities’ it’s the way of the world now. I just can’t think of many from the local area, but for instance, if that lass off Loose Women (Jane) came to B.V I’d bet she’d put a thousand on the gate.

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:51 pm  

The Devil's Advocate wrote:

The reduced attendances are a real conundrum.

Maybe the whole economic situation has had a detrimental effect, but, looking around neighbouring clubs, this doesn’t appear to be the case. So has the downturn just hit Wakefield – I don’t think so.

Having a new stadium should bring in larger numbers of away supporters, you know, the ones who say ‘I’m not going to that S@#t hole’ but as for home support, they cannot be bothered to walk up Donny Road.

Or could it be now the threat of relegation has gone, the support is drifting away. Don’t get me wrong, the fear of the drop was a constant on my mind for the majority of our SL campaigns, but beating it was the only buzz I ever seemed to achieve. It must be great watching your team vying for honours year on year, but sadly we’re not. What have we got, a chance to have a couple of playoff games, if we’re lucky, before running out of steam, because it too tall an order to win it from 8th.

I’ve no idea how many season tickets were sold for this season at the club, but if I was in charge of the revenue streams, I would be looking at a sizable price reductions for next season also with the gate price coming down too. If it’s left as it is, yes, the stalwarts will still come, but attracting new supporters is the key. A number of posters have cringed when the likes of George Sampson did his thing, but check the crowd, and with no disrespect, the opponents that day. People will come to see ‘celebrities’ it’s the way of the world now. I just can’t think of many from the local area, but for instance, if that lass off Loose Women (Jane) came to B.V I’d bet she’d put a thousand on the gate.

And if they put her in the stocks it'd be a sell out.

The point you raise about relegation is an interesting one. No clear pattern on this, but it wouldn't suprised me if (generally speaking) the mentality of Wakey fans was more attuned to fighting against the odds, so gates improved when we did well whilst the threat was still there, where as for some other teams for whom it has never been such an issue are less affected by this.

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:17 pm  

Thread cleaned up. Good topic, so lets stay on it, please. Any more childish attention-seeking gets the delete button, and I don't need to be a "mystic" to predict that...

: Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:14 pm  

The Devil's Advocate wrote:

The reduced attendances are a real conundrum.

Maybe the whole economic situation has had a detrimental effect, but, looking around neighbouring clubs, this doesn’t appear to be the case. So has the downturn just hit Wakefield – I don’t think so.

Having a new stadium should bring in larger numbers of away supporters, you know, the ones who say ‘I’m not going to that S@#t hole’ but as for home support, they cannot be bothered to walk up Donny Road.

Or could it be now the threat of relegation has gone, the support is drifting away. Don’t get me wrong, the fear of the drop was a constant on my mind for the majority of our SL campaigns, but beating it was the only buzz I ever seemed to achieve. It must be great watching your team vying for honours year on year, but sadly we’re not. What have we got, a chance to have a couple of playoff games, if we’re lucky, before running out of steam, because it too tall an order to win it from 8th.

I’ve no idea how many season tickets were sold for this season at the club, but if I was in charge of the revenue streams, I would be looking at a sizable price reductions for next season also with the gate price coming down too. If it’s left as it is, yes, the stalwarts will still come, but attracting new supporters is the key. A number of posters have cringed when the likes of George Sampson did his thing, but check the crowd, and with no disrespect, the opponents that day. People will come to see ‘celebrities’ it’s the way of the world now. I just can’t think of many from the local area, but for instance, if that lass off Loose Women (Jane) came to B.V I’d bet she’d put a thousand on the gate.

Fair points but you have to remember that before this year we had increased crowds year on year and were flirting with the 8000 mark IIRC.

Things that have changed since last year that may have caused this sudden disinterest:

Franchising come in
Stadium application refused
Prices up to £18

any more? (obviously excepting the various bereavements we had- not sure they would impact crowd numbers)

: Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:41 am  

The Devil's Advocate wrote:

The reduced attendances are a real conundrum.

Maybe the whole economic situation has had a detrimental effect, but, looking around neighbouring clubs, this doesn’t appear to be the case. So has the downturn just hit Wakefield – I don’t think so.

Having a new stadium should bring in larger numbers of away supporters, you know, the ones who say ‘I’m not going to that S@#t hole’ but as for home support, they cannot be bothered to walk up Donny Road.

Or could it be now the threat of relegation has gone, the support is drifting away. Don’t get me wrong, the fear of the drop was a constant on my mind for the majority of our SL campaigns, but beating it was the only buzz I ever seemed to achieve. It must be great watching your team vying for honours year on year, but sadly we’re not. What have we got, a chance to have a couple of playoff games, if we’re lucky, before running out of steam, because it too tall an order to win it from 8th.

I’ve no idea how many season tickets were sold for this season at the club, but if I was in charge of the revenue streams, I would be looking at a sizable price reductions for next season also with the gate price coming down too. If it’s left as it is, yes, the stalwarts will still come, but attracting new supporters is the key. A number of posters have cringed when the likes of George Sampson did his thing, but check the crowd, and with no disrespect, the opponents that day. People will come to see ‘celebrities’ it’s the way of the world now. I just can’t think of many from the local area, but for instance, if that lass off Loose Women (Jane) came to B.V I’d bet she’d put a thousand on the gate.

Good Post.

I would also like to add that there are other clubs that are suffering poor crowds. We seem to be showing the decline the most but some of that could be down to the fact that we publish true crowd figures.

I also agree what you say about P and R. Games no longer have the same
intensity. Thats why the RL came up with the top8 system to give middle table teams something to play for. But like you said if the mid table clubs manage to scrape into a playoff place or just miss out on one, everyone knows it means sod all .

: Tue Jun 16, 2009 8:06 am  

With regards to the relegation issue, the current average is above the seasons where the threat of demotion hung over the club (2007 aside when the club was in no real danger).

Without a doubt the main issue is the price. I realise I am becoming a broken record with it but it is just too much. How viable a decent price reduction (£12 admission price?) is I don’t know as it’s a fine balance between, improving turnover, improving the playing squad and enticing stay away support. If I didn’t have a season ticket this year I would have to pick and choose which games I would be able to attend, predominantly down to the cost.

Wakefield do seem to be the only ones on a down turn with respect to similar sized neighbours but there are mitigating factors which may explain the trends;

Castleford get decent gates IMO due to their civic pride the local population have for the area. In my experience ‘Wakefieldians’ don’t seem to have the same amount so the club can not draw on that ‘loyalty’ when things are tough.

Huddersfield’s improved attendances are a result of a clever marketing ploy funded by Ken Davey. Their issues may come next year if he is unable to sustain the discounted season tickets for a further season.

: Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:33 am  

Khlav Kalash wrote:

Huddersfield’s improved attendances are a result of a clever marketing ploy funded by Ken Davey. Their issues may come next year if he is unable to sustain the discounted season tickets for a further season.

I'm not his accountant, but I can't imagine Ken Davey would really struggle to offer a similar deal again next season. Indeed, he may have to, if he wants to ensure that those who attended this season because of the cut price offer come back for more and really get hooked on the game.

The proof of the pudding will be when their season tickets return to the "normal" price, as only that will measure the real progress the club has made on the way to becoming completely self-financing. Increased merchandising may, in the meantime, have bridged the gap, or even increased revenue on last season, but with no figures to see, it's hard to speculate.

Our experience this year indicates that the club may well be forced into doing something along similar lines next season, assuming that the Huddersfield model has proven viable. Cutting costs now for those paying on the gate will always be a contentious issue for some who already hold season tickets and may question the sense of buying another next year, with the current pricing structure, as opposed to picking games and paying on the gate.

I just hope that we seriously address the question of marketing the club in Wakefield and beyond before the new stadium becomes a reality, as I can't see the novelty factor alone being sufficient to sustain it, if this season is anything to go by.

: Tue Jun 16, 2009 11:11 am  

It is expensive at £18.

What is it at Bulls £17?

A new stadium in anew area of the city will generate interest

Any news on the stadium yet?