One other factor is the timing of matches. In the period I would call my ‘hey day’ of watching Wire, we played on a Sunday afternoon, or even Saturday in my very early days. We did have occasional Friday night away games, but these were not the norm. Going to the match became a habit, I would arrange my life around the Sunday afternoon, and you could plan months in advance knowing when you would be playing as the fixture list was fixed.
These days, although I admit I am probably not as fanatical, and not what people on this site would refer to as hard core, I am still passionate about the club I have loved for years, but playing matches whenever Sky dictate has broken the my habit. I now go when it is convenient, and I’m afraid that does not include Saturday evenings. That is the reason I personally was one of the missing thousands on Saturday, but there again, despite what anybody thinks, it is my choice.

Blaming season ticket holders for not turning up as though they let the side down is madness, especially when it is based on zero facts whatsoever.

Im a season ticket holder yet went to only 8 of 13 games. I tend to miss the big games cos they are played on a Friday night for Sky's benefit and I cant guarantee getting there. I end up going to all the less glamerous ones, the same ones the walk up fan probably aint bothered with.
I went on Saturday.

The playoff format is to blame for the crowds, too many games, all on tele.

well said, the fact that a team that was proberbly going to get beat and still took 2500 to an away game 3 hours away shows how big fc are, a sleeping giant, one of which looks like there on the way up after afew years in the doldrums...
the overall attendance from wire was little short of embarrasing to be fair, for a team who have won the cc this year and are a favourite to win the gf it pains me to see the state of rl at the minute, granted £26 on the door is an utter scandel and one in which the great club of warrington need to address pronto...
big team, yes, big club- no im afraid...until the mentality of certain glory hunters changes, that will always be the case....

True.

The way round this would be ST holders swap their voucher for a match ticket and for each match ticket sold/swapped, the ticket price is forwarded to the RFL. Your club would therefore act as a bank holding the cash in advance and paying it when required to the RFL. Any ST holders who don't swap vouchers for a match ticket for whatever reason, say they cannot attend, are entitled to a discount in the store by a certain date. If not used by say for example, new year, this value is lost to the ST holder.

It's not going to drag people to the game. You'll always have people who can't attend or just don't want to go. That's entirely their choice. But it gets rid of the hurdle to ST holders where they feel they are being unfairly treated by having to pay again as what seems to be said over and over. Non-ST holders can pick and choose as they like throughout the campaign.

This is only an incentive, I think the attendances themselves prove not everyone is buying into the play-offs like Sky want us to believe. How you solve that is the question.

I think the issue is we all know that a system where you can finish 8th out of 14 and still be crowned champions is a farce ! The play offs would be taken a lot more seriously (and so be better attended) if the RFL slashed the number of teams involved right down (top 4 possibly?) and cut out all second chances

No clubs will be out of pocket due to the money taken in advance and only paying out to the RFL on who takes up on the incentive but I take your point. You can make all the offers, incentives, etc in the world but if the product is crap, people just won't buy it.

What was so special about the Hull turn out? We've taken more to their place the last two seasons for league fixtures.

We got 2000 more than you in week one though. Plus three hours isn't that long a journey, run-of-the-mill for a football fan.

We have. And we take 4000-4500 to Wigan every single year. Plus 7000 to Saleford for the CC semi-final and then 25000 to Wembley for the CC final literally last month...and they're getting giddy about 2500 as their biggest away following since the Grand Final they were in six years ago.

You brought about 1200 to the KC in Feb, so less than half than what we brought to your place on Saturday. Also Wigan is about a 15 minute drive for you, our closest game (barring KR) is 1 hour away (Cas) FWIW we took over 4000 there this year, 3000 to Wakey, 2500 to Hudds, 2000 to Salford...you get my drift. Well done on your big turnouts at Wigan n Saints though, games you could probably bike too.

I'm sorry but that is so wrong it's laughable.

More laughable stuff.

Got to be fair to Hull, wasn't that 2000 just the difference between the amount of away fans that attended each fixture. Plus if the tables were turned, which week 1 play-off fixture do you think would have got the biggest crowd - Hull FC v Hull KR or Warrington v Huddersfield?



That was because 2500 of the drum-banging 'Barmy Army' went to Sydney for the Wire - Souths game a week earlier, and half of them were still making their way back from Australia. Call 3 hours a long trip, try 22.

I didnt say it was a bad turnout, far from it, just pointing out that you didnt bring more than 2500 to Hull for the league game as one poster seemed to believe.

The problem with this playoff format for me is most fans( in the top 4) will budget to attend week 1, 3 and the grand final. Also Week 2 does not appeal as much as they are expected to win so people don't mind missing out. Personally i have ran out of holidays at work so have to rely on shift swaps which i thought was unfair to try 3 weeks in a row so i missed out against Hull.

I was a great turnout from Hull., Well done to them. nuff said

Its not just our attendance that was poor but attendances throughout the playoffs in general. Somthing needs to be done to make it worth while going as mentioned a package of tickets for the playoffs wont work as what happens if team knocked out in week one ? Im also not for any more season ticket holder perks as they get enough already and many who dont have season tickets generally cannot attend every home game due to other commitments.

I think provide 3 away game stubbs and a discount is fair it would hopefully ramp up away attendances meaning all clubs could benefit from this and also its available to anyone not exclusively season ticket holders

I think someone at the club needs to do something to make us as big as clubs like Hull.

The Hull turnout was fantastic. We've only ever taken a similar number to the KC once.

Because Hull is a horrible place to go to?

I was commenting on some of the earlier posts claiming otherwise. As for Hull, I find the KC the best ground in SL. As for Hull itself, it's certainly no wazza...

Tbf you're thinking of craven park and the hol that is east hull.

5 mins from the stadium is a posh winebar district (akin to stockton heath) and 10 mins you can reach some very good bars.
You'd be surprised. It's certainly better than the surrounding area of the HJ, around the KC.

I wonder why the saints coach had its windows bricked then if its such a nice area

and I cant agree with the nicest ground comment as its not theirs. Just my opinion though.

Hull fans getting giddy over away support? Who'da thunk it?