|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Chairman | 2270 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Dec 2001 | 23 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Dec 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| I noticed during last Thursday night game that there were very few under 15s around where I stand. (not that I make a point of watching young kids, honest)
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 342 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2013 | 11 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jul 2018 | Jul 2018 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="TF and the wire"I noticed during last Thursday night game that there were very few under 15s around where I stand. (not that I make a point of watching young kids, honest)'"
No, they're ALL in the East Stand on Facebook and Twitter!
|
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 14176 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Jun 2006 | 19 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Jan 2025 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Declining sales are usually to do with one (or more) of the following (in no order) :-
1. Increasing pricing of product/service.
2. Reducing quality of product/service.
3. Lack of need or want of product/service.
4. Reducing customer base for product/service.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Moderator | 39722 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Mar 2002 | 23 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Dec 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
Moderator
|
| would you classify rugby(sport) as a service?
entertainment 'industry' surely.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 285 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2013 | 11 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Nov 2023 | Jun 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Ganson's Optician"43,000 at Anfield tonight. I work in Liverpool, I haven't heard a single complaint today that the game is being played on a Tuesday?'"
Thursday night games are a new thing, Tuesday/Wednesday champions league games have been around for ages and are just accepted now.
|
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 14176 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Jun 2006 | 19 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Jan 2025 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Fantastic Mr Cat"would you classify rugby(sport) as a service?
entertainment 'industry' surely.'"
OK we can use the word "offering" instead of product/service.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Club Coach | 8643 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Feb 2005 | 20 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Dec 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Winslade's Offload"Sorry GO but you are burying your head in the sand on this one IMO. After discussing it, reading endless numbers of posts, chatting with people at matches etc etc it looks as though there are a number of reasons why attendances are falling;
Thursday night matches.
No real wage increases.
Quality of the product on offer.
League games seen as irrelevant after Leeds win it from 5th twice.
You can add to that the question of why have they fallen this year after a very successful world cup. Surely that should have at least arrested the decline ?
Next year at least the issue of the SL format will be addressed. Hopefully it will breathe a bit of life into what has become a pretty stale competition. And from being against the marquee player proposal, I am now coming around to the idea in order to bring a bit of quality into the game . But I don't see the 'Thursday night' / late changes of date problem going away, Sky pay
the money and call the tune, so I don't see that changing.'"
agree with all of that..but the real reason why not many people go to the hj for thursday night games is that they are all in the pubs or in the golden square or uci..
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 285 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2013 | 11 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Nov 2023 | Jun 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="sir adrian morley"agree with all of that..but the real reason why not many people go to the hj for thursday night games is that they are all in the pubs or in the golden square or uci..'"
What kind of Wire supporter would plan to go to any of these, bar the pub to watch it, on game day?! Disgraceful
|
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Moderator | 6063 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Feb 2012 | 13 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Jan 2025 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
Moderator
|
| Quote ="WazzaWire"What kind of Wire supporter would plan to go to any of these, bar the pub to watch it, on game day?! Disgraceful
'"
There's plenty that would see the value in spending their ticket money as beer tokens and still get to see the Wire...but you know this WW
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Club Owner | 229 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Mar 2004 | 21 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
May 2019 | May 2019 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| And how many games this season have been played on our traditional sunday. I think its just 4. If we play anyone outside the bottom 4 its on sky. Packing it in next year after over 40 years of buying a season ticket.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 790 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2009 | 15 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Oct 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| There were 5 Sunday games this year. I normally buy 3 season tickets, but next year I am only buying 1 as my family only made 6 games this year due to the rest being night matches.
|
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Moderator | 4692 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Apr 2012 | 13 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Dec 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
Moderator
|
| Quote ="Uncle Rico"There's plenty that would see the value in spending their ticket money as beer tokens and still get to see the Wire...but you know this WW'"
This is very true. Last week I was waiting for a bloke that I go to a few matches with at a pub near to the Pie Dome - as usual he was late. So I texted him, bought him a pint, and sat down at a table to wait. A few minutes later another guy sits down at my table and starts to talk to me. Since he was wearing a Wigan shirt and my brain was in top gear I said to him " so you are off to the match then ?" "Oh no, he said I am just waiting for my mum and brother and we will watch it in here. In fact you are sitting at the table we normally use". I was amazed - why would you come within half a mile of the ground and then watch it on the box. And I think the Pie Dome is a great stadium, you get superb views no matter where you are. Anyway, it made zero sense to me, but obviously if you have limited cash and like your beer it makes perfectly good sense because he then went on to tell me that the three of them always watched the match in the pub whenever they could.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 3648 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Mar 2010 | 15 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Aug 2018 | Apr 2018 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Lost in Leeds"And how many games this season have been played on our traditional sunday. I think its just 4. If we play anyone outside the bottom 4 its on sky. Packing it in next year after over 40 years of buying a season ticket.'"
I've done a bit of (unrelated) research over the last year or so and it interested me how many games used to be played midweek. Also, Sunday games haven't been about all that long. I think the first was in the seventies? That heralded people saying spectators would go to hell.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 3063 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Jun 2007 | 18 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Sep 2016 | Sep 2016 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| If one of the reasons is "meaningless" games during the regular season, we'll see great attendances this weekend....yeah?
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Club Owner | 229 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Mar 2004 | 21 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
May 2019 | May 2019 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Ganson's Optician"I've done a bit of (unrelated) research over the last year or so and it interested me how many games used to be played midweek. Also, Sunday games haven't been about all that long. I think the first was in the seventies? That heralded people saying spectators would go to hell.'"
Crowds were always small in the seventies. There was a fair few games in the week and the number of cup competitions was a factor as was winter weather, often causing teams to play twice a week regularly as fixtures piled up.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 285 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2013 | 11 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Nov 2023 | Jun 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="Uncle Rico"There's plenty that would see the value in spending their ticket money as beer tokens and still get to see the Wire...but you know this WW'"
I know quite a few that would say "I'm trying to save a bit of money so I'm watching it in the pub", then see the same people in the pub after the game, p****d up and probably £30 poorer
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 484 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Dec 2012 | 12 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Nov 2023 | Nov 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Could it be that the game has become formulated and coached to the nth degree ? The constant kicking for *field position* the wrestling tactics ? Skills players learned as kids being coached out of them ? The game used to be all about kidology now it's all brute force and ignorance...I've not been to a single game this season, It's just boring. This is from an old fart who has watched the Wire since 1953 at every single ground in Rugby League...I follow the game on Sky but very rarely all the game, I switch over to something more interesting such as Changing Rooms...I couldn't be bothered if I never see a game again unless we return to the old values of the sport
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 3084 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Aug 2012 | 12 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="BrianBradyHandOff"Could it be that the game has become formulated and coached to the nth degree ? The constant kicking for *field position* the wrestling tactics ? Skills players learned as kids being coached out of them ? The game used to be all about kidology now it's all brute force and ignorance...I've not been to a single game this season, It's just boring. This is from an old fart who has watched the Wire since 1953 at every single ground in Rugby League...I follow the game on Sky but very rarely all the game, I switch over to something more interesting such as Changing Rooms...I couldn't be bothered if I never see a game again unless we return to the old values of the sport'"
Changing Rooms is bobbins. Bargain Hunt, now that's quality broadcasting. Tim Wonnacott is free to pop round to chez Morrissey to have a cup of tea, fruit scone and a listen to "Hatful of Hollow" any time.
As for the game, yes it's become a bit sterile, but I tune in to MOTD every week and stare at the self-proclaimed bastion of elite-sport that is the Premiership, and I never, [iever[/i consistently see drama, herculian effort and skill like you expect to see in Super League every week.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 2900 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Aug 2009 | 15 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
May 2022 | Nov 2021 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| It's no surprise seeing Ganson's Optician as the cheerleader for the sport on here, because he's a younger (I think) Warringtonian version of Rogue's Gallery - just an absolutely fanatical rugby league fan. Fair enough, there's nothing wrong with that, but it can be a bit of a blinding viewpoint because quite simply the vast majorty of people - even those who regularly attend matches - will not feel the same.
First of all, everywhere is NOT full on a Thursday night even in Manchester, Liverpool and the Trafford Centre (except in the build up to Christmas), nevermind in Warrington, so I've got no idea where that came from!
Secondly, you can't compare a Warrington match with a Liverpool match as has been attempted here. Yes, Liverpool played on Tuesday and yes a ground three times the size of the HJ was full. As an aside, tickets were priced from £46-59 (mine was £4icon_cool.gif and the opposition was a team no one had heard of until last month. However, if Anfield was bigger then there would have been thousands more there. Put Warrington in a similar situation with the same prices charged and Ganson's Optician would be the only person there! Big football clubs have a lot more fans than any RL club. Deal with it.
Thirdly, yes RL is good value compared to other sports, but that RWC Final at Twickenham will sell out at £150+ a ticket, and there will be thousands more who would go if they could get one but won't be able to. If the RLWC charged that for the final it wouldn't sell out Cantilever Park, nevermind a ground the size of Twickenham. Like it or not, the RWC is a far bigger event and is watched accordingly. Again, deal with it.
The concerns raised here by a few people who don't just think "It's worth it because we all know rugby league is the greatest game of all even if 99.9% of the world's population disagree" are valid concerns. RL is a small parochial sport primarily played (in this country) in largely working class towns. Clubs do not have a infinite fanbase, and if people feel £20 is a lot to get in and don't go every week then it is an issue that needs to be listened to. If people don't like too many games being played outside of the commonly recognised Sunday 3pm slot then that is an issue that needs to be listened to. If people think the product of Super League has gone downhill with less star players and truly great teams recently, then that is also a valid issue that will stop people coming. I acknowledge that isn't easily remedied without money though, and lower attendances are not going to improve that situation so it could be a vicious circle unfortunately.
The play offs are a constant issue (admittedly one which is being addressed from next year) firstly because season tickets aren't included, and because up to four extra games then come thick and fast. Let's say you are a parent who takes two kids to the game. To get into the South Stand on Saturday will cost you £29.50 with advance purchased tickets. If we go all the way to Old Trafford we will have two away games over the following fortnight at perhaps similar cost (plus travel) and then the final which might cost you around £30 each. To take your kids to those four games will cost you roughly £180 in tickets alone, plus any other expenses you may occur such as travel and food/drink.
Yes, that is good value compared to football and rugby union, but it is still a lot of money for someone to find if they're not on high wages.
If people start to think season tickets aren't worth buying because they won't be able to attend all games (I have been in this position personally for years now) then it exarcebates the problem and encourages people who pick and choose when they go. You can't just ignore these issues because other sports are more popular or you (wrongly) think the cinema is full that night.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 285 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2013 | 11 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Nov 2023 | Jun 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Pretty much spot on DM.
Another point, if you miss 2 or more games over the season the saving you make by buying a season ticket is gone anyway, and it's not like the games are selling out every week.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 1161 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Sep 2014 | 10 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Dec 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| I used to have a season ticket, both at Wilderspool as well as the HJ, but found myself unable to make certain matches.
So this year I started by buying tickets online & collecting them pre-match, but I quickly realised that I could just walk up and pay on the day. Also, for the first time in many years, I find myself not too bothered when we get beat, not overly excited when we win, and a large part of me was hoping that we didn't get to the CC Final coz of the hassle of getting there!
Why?
Personally, I'm just not enjoying the weekly rounds like I used to. Maybe I'm stuck in my ways, but I love my Sunday rugby and find it hard to get enthusiastic about Monday and Thursday night games. I never drink before/at/after the match, I just have a natter with my mate, shout at the linesmen, curse our ineptitude when passes go to ground, clap the team off the pitch and drive home to my family.
Am I unusual?
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Club Coach | 1238 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Feb 2005 | 20 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Dec 2020 | Dec 2020 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Quote ="BrianBradyHandOff"Could it be that the game has become formulated and coached to the nth degree ? The constant kicking for *field position* the wrestling tactics ? Skills players learned as kids being coached out of them ? The game used to be all about kidology now it's all brute force and ignorance...I've not been to a single game this season, It's just boring. This is from an old fart who has watched the Wire since 1953 at every single ground in Rugby League...I follow the game on Sky but very rarely all the game, I switch over to something more interesting such as Changing Rooms...I couldn't be bothered if I never see a game again unless we return to the old values of the sport'"
I totally agree with you. You might as well have 13 robots out there.
Quote ="WazzaWire"Pretty much spot on DM.
Another point, if you miss 2 or more games over the season the saving you make by buying a season ticket is gone anyway, and it's not like the games are selling out every week.'"
DM is (nearly) always right. If lots of people have issues with an aspect of the game then it is of no consequence of anything going on in another sport.
I'm still debating over getting a season ticket next year. I think I've missed three home games this season and I got my season ticket at the two free home games point.
Like WazzaWire says, if you're going to miss two or three games a season then there really is no point in getting one, especially since Nando's cancelled their ST offer), and with Sky constantly shifting kick off times and dates, more and more people are going to be missing out two or three times a season.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Player Coach | 2861 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Oct 2005 | 19 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Jan 2025 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| The game being coached to death is a big problem. Willie Mason may not be the best person to use to illustrate my point but recently he spoke of his boredom when PLAYING never mind watching. He stated it was all 'stand here, stand there, make sure x is here before y goes there' ad infinitum. This along with lack of star players is making my interest wane, I don't have much money but i think i might find the money for a ticket if i thought the product was worth it. People would claim i'm being picky as RL is still a great game and good value for money against football but IMO that's the way to tempt me back full time and I know i'm far from alone.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
International Star | 3084 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Aug 2012 | 12 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Oct 2023 | Oct 2023 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
|
| Over the course of this thread, we've suggested many reasons for why attendances are falling, some probably valid, but the Wigan Huddersfield "event" ( I refuse to call it a match as that suggests a contest ) tonight is as good a case study as you could produce.
The 3rd best team in the elite competition turned up totally devioid of passion, integrity, desire and effort and made a mockery of the system that is designed to showcase the best of the sport. This was compounded by the fact that when it became apparent after 20 minutes that the contest (such as it ever was) was over, the ideals that would normally continue to spur a team onto respectability also deserted them. No need to end the season on a high, no need for damage limitation, no need to keep the score down .......... because you get a second chance. You get rewarded for utter, abject failure. It doesn't matter if you lose by one or one hundred, so why continue to bend your back when the game is up? The poor paying punter, however, is down in the mouth, down in the pocket and expected to turn up again as if it was all a practice run.
I've never before watched a game as a neutral and been left with such feelings of despondency.
|
|
|
Rank | Posts | Team |
Moderator | 39722 | No Team Selected |
Joined | Service | Reputation |
Mar 2002 | 23 years | |
Online | Last Post | Last Page |
Jan 2025 | Dec 2024 | LINK |
Milestone Posts |
|
Milestone Years |
|
Location |
|
Signature |
TO BE FIXED |
Moderator
|
| Have you never seen Huddersfield play in the play offs before ? This is business as usual for them
|
|
|
|
|