Yes, I know there's another thread running about play-off crowds, but that's developed into a 'let's laugh at Wigan's crowd' campaign. This is more of a look at play-off gates in general and suggestions on how they could be improved. The crowds at the weekend were both poor, and made to look worse as both games were held in reasonably sized stadiums. As I see it the problem is two-fold;
1. Lack of time to promote and sell the matches. Clubs only had 7 days to sell the matches, and some of the games were not that attractive.
2. Lack of cash for fans to purchase tickets for extra end of season games.

We can't change the time that clubs have to sell tickets, but we can improve the potential quality by reverting back to a Top 6 play-off system. To me the Top 8 gives a reward for the mediocrity of finishing below halfway in a 14 team league.
People have complained about having to shell out £18 minimum for tickets to these extra games (had anyone had to travel to Hull it would have been £22 and £5 to park, daylight robbery). My suggestion is a 40% discount for season ticket holders of both clubs for the first play-off match, and 30% for the second game.
No doubt the RFL will look at the 2 games this coming weekend, which will probably be sellouts in medium sized stadiums and then point out that O/T will also be sold out, and then say the play-offs have been a big success, and completely ignore what's gone before, which is completely wrong.
Anyone else got any suggestions?

Reduce the numbers. Reduce the dead rubbers to the minimum possible amount.

Top 4 play off system.

Game 1 - 1st vs 2nd for a place in the GF, choice of end and kit.

Game 2 - 3 v 4th for a place in the second semi final.

Both games played in a double header at Bolton with tickets at £10/£5 concessions. Market it to the hilt and sell it out.

Game 3. Loser of game 1 v winner of game 2.

Game played at home ground of loser of game 1. Tickets £10/£5 but you get that as a discount off final ticket.

Game 4. Grand Final at Old Trafford.

Saddo gets my vote for RFL president.






Wait .... What? What do you mean this isn't a democracy?

Do away with the ridiculous top 8. Make top 4, winner of each progresses to final. 1st v 4th, 2nd v 3rd.
Much fairer and much more exciting. People will be more inclined to pay for 1/2 games than 4 potentially.

If that doesnt work scrap the bloody thing and make the league leaders champions again.

Saddened, that's so simple, but absolutely brilliant.

Personally I'd get rid of any game where the loser remains in the competition.

Reducing the number of dead rubbers in the play-offs may seem a good idea. However, it reality it just moves the problem to dead rubbers from the playoffs to the regular season. Many Hull/Cas/KR games would have been dead rubbers for the previous month and Salford/Bradford for the previous 4 months.

OK, so what would you do then?

C'est la vie. With the franchise system, the bottom of the table clashes are dead rubbers. Should they be included in the play offs as well?

The play-offs and the Grand Final are pretty much the only way the RFL have of rasing revenue. There is no way that they are going to reduce the number of play-off matches.

Behind The Stick posted an interesting post on this very subject the other day that everybody ignored possibly because it was too difficult to argue with the contents.

Its alright talking about making games knock-out fixtures but that didn't do much ofr the semi-final attendance between Wigan and Saints this year. Wasn't there more at their first round play-off game than at the semi? If not there was little difference.

I dont have a plan and agree that its been boring for last 2 weeks with exception of Pies versus Saints. Huddersfield have been garbage in both games and finished 4th. The playoffs system didnt make them crap

The whole reason for having playoffs is to extend the season and generate more revenue, its not to create good attendances for a couple of games.

Sorry cant agree with the 40% discount to season ticket holders,why should they get preference over those without.For some a season ticket is impractible in my case some games ive got to work so would be pointless,also season ticket holders who dont have these problems already get a discount on games + other incentives,anyways already had my bleat on recent post over season ticket holders simple if you going to whine about having to pay DONT GO.

It really does defy belief that people cannot appreciate that season tickets holders are deserving of preferential treatment by the club.

I agree, but.
It's not the clubs call unfortunately, the pricing is decided by the RFL.

WHY

Drop Millenium Tragic. It could be played in the Cardiff City Stadium and there'd still be empty seats. The extra game is pointless too.

Don't have the Challenge Cup semi final and final so bloody close to each other. Paying for two extra games you'd never miss in one month one being an extremely expensive trip down to that London is stupid and leaves fans skint for ages afterwards. Have the quarters in May, the semis in June and the final in July. Give a full month in between so everyone has a chance to be paid in between. This also gives a bigger gap between the extra games of the CC and the extra games of the play-offs.

Have no second chances in the play-offs.

Reduce from 8 back to 6 teams in the PO's.
1 v 6; 2 v 5; 3 v 4... highest ranked winners straight to the Granf Final... other two teams play an elminator to get to the GF.

Reduce prices in the first week of the PO's.

Seriously you don't understand why a season ticket holder who pays up front a couple of hundred quid minimum a number of months in advance of a game that they have no certainty what day its going to be on or even if they will have other commitments on the day or may be unable to attend through ill-health, whether the team is playing any good, whether the match has any relevance to league positions or not, etc should receive any benefits?

No honestly you have no idea why season ticket holders are treated favourably by the club?

Have it like some football clubs do and make it so season ticket holders automatically pay for tickets to play offs (and cup games).

OR

Some sort of play off season ticket? Price depends on how many games the team ends up playing with savings incentives?

Because they continually make large investments in the club?

NO because its yours/their choice to buy it,not forced by the club to do so,and dont kid your self that a lot of ppl are buying them cos so many games free plus the discount vouchers inside for other stuff,but seem this si not enough for some people tythey want more its just plain greed,

and an additional benefit such as discounted play-off tickets would lead to more season ticket sales which again benefits the club.

If it was within the gift of the club to provide discounts for play-off games to season ticket holders then it would, just as they do for Challenge Cup games. However the play-offs are "run" by the RFL and provide them one of the few opportunities to generate revenue.

I agree with Dan. Reduce the number to 6 teams in the play-offs. 1st v 6th, 2nd v 5th and 3rd v 4th. Highest ranked winner through to the GF and the other two battle it out for the second place.

The round of play-offs should be played at a neutral venue all on the same day. Preferably somewhere close to the heartland areas, as to take a play-off fixture out of the heartlands would be pointless. I think Manchester City's ground would be a good venue. Great facilities, in a good location and I think people would have the incentive to go to event. The RFL should implement reduced prices. £10/15 for adults and £5/£10 for children, depending on the seats.

The second round, the game should be played at the home ground of the club left in the competition who finished the highest in the regular season.

Attendances have been poor in the play-offs and the RFL need to take a serious look at it. I think season ticket holders has a lot to do with it, but also the fact that a lot of supporters from all teams go to the Grand Final, could also be a reason. The games haven't been great so far and the play-offs have been a real let down.

Simple answer to this problem for me.....ditch the pointless offers that come with the season ticket package, like a free away trip to a game, or a £10 voucher to spend in the club shop (both of which are being offered by Leeds Rhinos for 2012 incidentally!), and simply make home play-off games part of the season ticket package instead. I fail to see the point of folk paying for a season pass to 27 games which count for nothing except a Hub Cap (no disrespect to Wire fans!), then dont bother to attend any games which actually count when the title gets decided. At least if they knew their season pass got them into any home play-off fixtures their team was involved in, they may bother to attend and the crowds would hopefully improve.
And then you wouldnt get situations like our game at Huddersfield last Friday night when I'm pretty sure we travelling Rhinos fans were outnumbering the home support, which is a pretty poor state of affairs two weeks before the Grand Final.

It's the sponsors and shareholders that get me, they get to sit in fancy boxes eating their prawn sandwiches while the rest of us plebs have to slum it in the South Stand. I wonder how many of them were with us in that freezing downpour in Barrow away in the cup in 2002....not many I expect....one rule for the greedy rich and another for the oppressed masses...