Exactly. Like you say barring HKR our (and Rovers) closest away trip is 50 odd miles away, people seem to forget that. West Yorkshire teams are an hour away from East Yorkshire and Lancashire, and the Lancashire teams like you point out have three or four sides within a 20 mile radius. Driving to Huddersfield last weekend who are a Yorkshire side still took close to two hours, yet there will still 2500 FC fans in attendance. Every other week we have uproar about our pricing for away supporters, yet the reality is that even if we let away fans in for a fiver, we would still see the same pathetic numbers travelling from most teams.

I had an away season ticket when I was a junior, never caused any problems in terms of capacity
But free junior season tickets are revenue generators as you cant go on your own, adult season tickets not so much as I mentioned above - and it would leave even more of the money clubs earn front loaded in the season, that would be bad for those poorly managed clubs who spend it all when they get it
also, you dont get a medal for travelling further than others, it's not a big deal

How about supporters realise that entertainment comes at a price?

Every single crowds threat on here descends into a call for "cheap tickets", "free cup tickets" or some form of concession. Are fans from other sports this averse to paying the going rate for live sport?

How about reducing the cost of season tickets to say £70 if 12,000 people say sign up for one? Not only will it bring more people in but they'll also donate the rest of the season ticket cost if you ask for it mid season.

Yours


Peter Hood

away season tickets are a good idea in my view. if not that then you should be able to buy bundles of tickets for a lower price. the next 5 away games for 70quid etc. live sport does come at a price but more should be done to try and increase attendances.

Aside from a few clubs, RL fans are well known to be poor travellers if it's anything more than an hour or so. I can't honestly believe the whining and moaning about an extra couple of quid more to sit in the KC (specifically) that has been spouted on another thread.
If supposedly hundreds of Wigan fans are not coming/boycotting tomorrow because they have to pay £23 (ticket price in advance) to watch their team in the best SL stadium then it's a poor reflection on Wigan fans IMO

A full away season ticket won't work for the simple fact that not all fans can make all games, a batch of 5 or 10 games might but you'd have to get them to go to specific games so the club would know whom to pay what after arranging an advance group ticket purchase rate, basically it would work out far too complex for clubs with too much hassle involved.

I would think given what away fans are like for the most part this would have a very low take up in any case especially when you take the upfront cost involved on top of a home season ticket.
Let's be honest, only the two Hull clubs travel in numbers no matter how far nor how much they have to pay,(that doesn't obviously include 'local' matches a few miles up the road) clearly both hull clubs fans put far more into all the other SL clubs coffers than do other SL teams fans coming over for the return fixtures on the East coast.
In any case, fans like travelling in small groups as it affords them flexibility for travelling arrangements so don't think hiring loads of coaches would work either

Rugby League, working man's game...blah blah blah. A Wigan vs. St. Helens/Warrington/Leeds ticket at £18 in my stand is underpriced as far as i'm concerned.

u must have more money than most or less sense

The people I work with seem to find the money to pay for a Man Utd/City ticket at £40 a time and that's like watching paint dry, even they admit they rarely enjoy it.

In my opinion, keep away tickets the same as home as not to cause problems and the only free tickets should go to under 16's season ticket holders.

More positive interaction with the local community and media would help. Most of our clubs are happy to take the sky money and just see what happens with crowds, then blame the RFL for not making them more successful.

For once she's right. Try having a look at tickets for RU matches (not the Wembley giveaways that Sarries lose money on), far more expensive. Having said that, the current Hull tactic of charging visitors more than home fans is a disgrace.

I paid 19 quid to watch Northampton v Bradford from behind the goal in league 2 the other day. Unbelievable.

Both Hull clubs must be (well are) looking at different ways to generate cash other than away fans. Away fans constantly have excuses ,some rightly expressed, of why they shouldn't travel to Hull.

Well the Hull clubs are now looking at ways for their fans to spend money at their clubs and not travel in their numbers, then after they've raised their home crowds by reducing ticket prices for home supporters you can all and moan why they don't boost your attendances any more.

This would also reward the fans that watch home and away.
Most clubs would welcome more supporters through the turnstiles, but I dont know how any extra income could be split, or should it be kept by the home club ?

The principle is a good one, more incentives for people to travel to away games. maybe something across the board to help unemployed people in these hard times ? i like the idea of coaches and ticket to the games for a subsidesed price.

Finally some sense.

The majority of RL fans use the term "the greatest game" and will advocate the entertainment factor over the average soccer game yet many are unwilling to pay for it

If RL were to harness this superior factor it would be pricing itself out of the Market.
Without checking in detail, but from memory I went to a Liverpool v everton game in 2010 and paid £39 for a cramped and restricted view. I didn't hear a single complaint from anyone sat near me. Later that same day I went to see Hull play at St Helens and paid £18 to watch an infinitely better product but heard some moaning at the entry fee.

There are also a lot less RL fixtures than soccer games in a season yet it's the same story about complaining from RL fans

Simple fact is, generally speaking, it appears the average RL fans prefers to moan at something and wants something for nothing.

Back on topic, I thing there should be some sort of away season ticket system.

The irony is, especially when you consider the latest thread about the pricing structure at Hull was started by a Wigan fan, that at The DW, you pay more as an away fan than a home fan.

Do you think it's a disgrace that, without exception, that away fans of premier league soccer teams will pay more than some of the home fans and probably have a worse view. Probably more importantly, they don't whine about it.

You may well be right, but the thread is about incereasing crowd numbers, so what would your solution be ?

This whole argument just about encapsulates the problem we have with our game, We have a good product on the field that can't be sustained with the revenue from gate reciepts, take away Sky money & we are stuffed. Like the rest of life if you can't afford to go then tuff. We are not a charity it is commercial enterprise if we can't attract people who can afford to pay the going rate we will go the same way as other buisinesses (bust). I dont go to many away games now as I dont like having to get tickets in advance or be segragated as an away fan. The only way to make it fair is to make everyone pay on the gate.

You might wish to revise that as it is against FA rules to charge a higher price for visiting supporters than what home fans pay for the equivalent view.

The problem here isn't the clubs, but in that virtually everything related to this kind of thing is all based on gentleman's agreements between the clubs and, aside from percentage allocations in Challenge Cup games, absolutely no written guidelines exist. Can't blame clubs for finally realising that they can take advantage of it.

There is certainly something in the suggestion. Let's face it, there certainly scope to increase away followings given the close proximity of clubs.

Any long term initiative to increase crowds long term sounds good to me.

Or just not being a typical stick in the mud RL fan. £18 for the Wire and Leeds games at Wigan earlier this season have been an absolute steal. When I think about what other entertainment I can get for £18 it seems absolutely crazy that RL is so cheap.

I fully expect you to bleat on about how you've got 16 kids to buy hotdogs for and full replica kits to buy, blah blah blah.

The season is already over for Salford, Widnes, London, Cas and Wakey fans. The season is at its most exciting for Wigan, Bolton, QPR and Blackburn fans, also Wasps and Newcastle RU fans. Think about it, then ask how you market it to 35% of the clubs.

The big flaw in your argument is that their gates haven't increased.

biggest gate v Saracens, 60% increase on average, and sell out expected at Wasps - giving them their biggest gate ?????

27000 on at Bolton v Blackburn, look at the column inches on the relegation fight