From an outside perspective, I signed up to some deal for a cheap ticket last year for Salford -v- Saints. I then expected a load of marketing emails every week to try and get me to go to more Salford games (presumably the whole point of doing the deal).

However, I didn't get anything until about 3 weeks ago - since I have had about 4 or 5 emails with different things in. It only took them 12 months but it looks like someone has finally pulled their finger out and got on with some marketing.

The 2306 figure announced seemed about right to me. Not sure why people are trying to claim it was over/under. Anyone who has followed the Salford situation over the last 12 months could come up with numerous reasons for the low crowds. Think I will wait til the next time this thread appears in a couple of weeks though.

You seem to know an awful lot about nothing. Listen again. The Stadium Company announce the ticketed return for the day. The Corporate facility is franchised to a Catering Company (they do Worcester as well) so figures are separate. Add on the very few Season Ticket Holders PLUS the Box Holders & 3 year Season Ticket Holders then you might - just might - get the overall picture.

Re Veivers. He won 1 game in 9 months. Alan Hunte came in and immediately replaced the old guard with spirited youngsters & some of them will star in the future.

So, just to qualify what you are claiming......I can have a meal and NOT buy a match ticket, but watch the game anyway can I?

Some people on here really don't like Salford, it seems.

nothing to do with liking them or not....but the failure of some of their fans to grasp the reality nettle is quite amusing

The total failure to acknowledge just what has happened to the club over the last 12 months is amusing.

We can't just magic up crowds. The club was on its ar$e no more than 4 months ago. We lost half the team and pretty much all of our best players. Season tickets didn't go on sale until after the first week of the season. Other than the 'hardcore' element you're not going to get people back to attending or start to attract new fans until things start to pick up both on and off the field. Anyone who thinks we're going to suddenly get crowds right at this moment is deluded.

How would you suggest getting people to attend a game where the team is (until Saturday) rooted at the bottom of the league, at the very start of a rebuilding phase and with two wins on the season? Enlighten me, please.

Instead, people look at the figures and do as they always do; go on RLFANS and moan about how terrible the crowds are. Granted, if we're still in this position in a few years time we'll quite rightly be open to criticism. But FFS, give us some time instead of complaining about how we've not got instant results with new ownership.

People sometimes raise the question, "why are RL fans so obsessed with attendances?", or words to that effect. It is often pointed out that club RU doesn't do dramatically better, and county cricket attendances are appalling.

Here's why it's so much more important to our game: Domestic attendances are critically important to RL, because both the above sports are driven by the international game, whereas ours is not. If attendances at RU internationals were problematic, RU would have a problem. Likewise with Test Matches in cricket. For us, our main source of ticket revenue by a mile is the club game. Moreover, it's also only only major source of media profile. That's why it matters, and why we can't ignore it.

The only reason that crowd figures are important, is because the RFL tried to ensure that all SL clubs could achieve a minimum of 10k.
Unfortunately, only 6 clubs managed this last season, with the Bulls now dropping out of this category.
However 10,000 is still one of the measures of "being suitable" for the top flight but, with over half of the clubs not drawing this level of support and some being a country mile away it cant really be used any longer

You and dboy do remember that Wakefield only drew a 2,000+ attendance at your last home game,don't you ?
The criteria drawn up by the RFL for the initial licensing was 12,000 seater stadia,if I recall correctly.
The new owner at Salford has the priority of having the coaching team assembled;then the recruitment of players and then some way down the line the matter of increasing attendances will be addressed.
Just as at Wakefield the walk-up price is a couple of quid more than pre-booked.
Season ticket sales have been a problem with the late takeover and with the game being televised the attendance was low.
It is history now.I can safely predict that the attendance for the next home game v Bradford Bulls will see an improvement.
Panic over...
I expect a huge contingent of Wakefield fans at the next televised home game at Salford on Monday 10th June...ko.7.45pm...No excuses !

There will be more Wakey fans there than there were Salford fans the game at the LSV last season

The 10k wasn’t a figure that was picked out of the air, it is the figure which when a clubs expected costs are calculated, a 10k average ‘should’ allow a club to pay the SC and be sustainable.

That figure isn’t going to change even if some clubs aren’t reaching it.

IIRC the 10K figure was used as part of the grading criteria and failure to hit the average counted against clubs when the licences were handed out.
We all know that the previous licence system needs changing in the future, but the benchmark is still there, even if it is not attainable by most clubs in SL.

Relying on away support is never the basis of a good business plan.

I'm not so sure.
Last time we played (at Leigh), there were 1800 - 1900 Wakey fans out of a crowd of 2300.
If it's anything like that, even Dr K, will be pleased with the revenue

The country is entirely irrelevant. Whether you like to accept it or not, Nobby got the new version of the Crusaders to the play offs when they had been in administration the season before and the finance guy (who I believe is English but went to live in Australia) turned around a club in Australia which was on the verge of bankruptcy when he joined it. So really, in the two most important areas, Salford now have two individuals who have experience in turning things around for the better from pretty desperate beginnings.

I hope Salford really do well out of this. Once the momentum starts to pick up - and maybe the club and it's most loyal fans will have to wait until there is a more experienced team for the momentum to really start going - then assuming the marketing is directed appropriately, the spectator numbers should start increasing.

How do you know what the situation is like outside the M62?

I remember going to the double header at Wembley for the Four Nations in 2011 and I've never heard so many southern English accents (and a few other European accents too) at a rugby league match. They were everywhere. And according to the RLWC2013 office, some 60% of tickets sold so far have gone to postcodes not already on the RFL database. In addition, the sport sold its largest ever block booking of tickets last week: 1000 to amateur clubs in London and 500 to St Albans Centurians amateur club.

I think there are a lot of rugby league fans who are desperate for our game to fail. It's a weird mentality but it appears to be a prevelant one among the fanbase.

Well you've been quiet for the last few pages. Still breathless from the effort and excitement served up by your team yesterday no doubt.

Pretty sure that is the basis of Koukash's entire business plan as well. Excellent point, well made.

It wasn't my suggestion, it was SeaDivers.

The point is factually robust either way.

I'd made my point. Were you expecting a song and dance routine?

Sorry that it offends you so, but it was still a poor game. The quality of other games (and fwiw, there was plenty of commitment from both sides yesterday) doesn't alter the quality of the one under discussion.

Indeed, it feels far more likely to me that fans outside the M62 corridor will be attracted to a international game of significance than an unimportant match between Salford and Castleford. Congratulations on a far less delusional insight. If, on the other hand, you genuinely believe that irrelevant club games are attractive to fans, please explain where all the London fans are.

On the contrary, I am desperate for our game to succeed. I am desperate for THE CURRENT RFL LEADERSHIP to 'fail' to be awarded new contracts, since I consider the latter to be a precondition of the former.

I'm looking forward to it. Be good to see the new Stadium

This,
the amount our own fans & even the hosts of the TV feel compelled to undermine and apologise for our own game , when to the un-intiated the event is peceived as exciting


.
Wrencat , I'm expecting that 1800-1900 to actually turn up at the right stadium this time on the 10th June

How do you know who was watching Saturday's game on TV? That's right, you don't. You have absolutely no idea what the interest levels are in our sport from either outside or within the M62 region.

All you know is that two perennially struggling clubs are failing to attract bodies to their stadia - at the moment. Given that both Salford and London have had much bigger crowds in their recent past than they have at present suggests that the fans are out there but they are biding their time or need enticing back. A competitive team is one thing both clubs need along with good management and a settled and accessible place to call home.