Widnes are likely to [url=http://www.widnesvikings.co.uk/view_news.php?ID=453stop producing matchday programmes[/url after tonight's game; Alan and Dave, please reassure the masses!

How are your sales going by the way? Do you produce and sell your own and then sell the ones from the RFL as well?

I can certainly re-assure 'the masses' that we will continue to produce 'The Centurion' for each and every home match. We are currently hard at work, producing the programme for the Batley game.

I must confess to not knowing what the sales figures are, but I'll find out. I think we are hardly selling any of the 'RFL' magazines. I don't wish to knock the RFL publication, in any way, because I feel that any extra publicity, for the Championship, is a good thing. I do not think, however, that it should replace the Club magazine - despite the Halifax CEO's views - and I do think that much of the content is a re-hash of what appears in the 'trade' press.

I did get hold of the Wigan programme and thought it was an excellent read - well done. Sorry to say, but I think I share Alans sense of humour as his columns caused quite a few chuckles..



I will be across for the Sheffield home match in July and I hereby promise to buy a programme then..

First time I've been accused of having a sense of humour - other than a warped one!

Correct me if I am wrong but does the club not still have to buy the RFL ones regardless of wether you sell any or not? I think the minimum order is 250 so if you don`t sell hardly any are you not loseing money on them?

You are correct there. I 'm not sure of the exact number we have to purchase, at £1 per copy, although it turned out to be double the number we were initailly advised of!

We decided to continue with 'The Centurion' for a number of reasons:-

[uCommunication [/u- we believed our supporters wanted to read about their club, and our visitors. (we always aim to produce at least a double page spread on our visitors, plus a feature by one of their supporters. =blueActually, we haven't had a volunteer from 'Fax yet - if you are interested........?

[uRevenue -[/u the income from sponsors/advertisers, is significant. We didn't want to lose that.

[uContractual[/u - we had a contract with our excellent publishers, to produce 'The Centurion' for the 2009 season! (not that this was a major factor, in our decision!)

I can, of course, appreciate that many clubs do not feel the way we do, and respect their reasons for discontinuing the match programme.

Probably because very few clubs produce a programme of a similar standard

We thank you for that, Matt. Having experienced the work (and hassle!) first hand, (although I enjoy it tremendously) I reckon a good few clubs have jumped at the chance to stop doing a programme. I have a couple of disgruntled, former programme editors lined up to do the 'Opposing View' article!

I think the Leigh magazine is far better than the RFL one. In the boxes I always see people taking the Leigh ones home whilst the RFL ones lay abandoned on the tables.

The problem is that all the information is already a week old before you get the chance to read it - I always skim through it but I definitely wouldn't buy one.

Further backing up the theory that it's a glossy League Express.

I would echo Alan's comments but state if you get chance to buy one please do so as sell outs mean income for the club. Also we are always open to suggestions and contributors that can be worked in with Dave Bradshaw in particular mentioning that the current programme could even be expanded. So whilst other editions are slipping from their perch, thanks to the hard work and drive of Alan, plus all of our regular contributors, "The Centurion" is in rude health, although I would be interested to speak with anyone that could help with providing coverage for the reserve team as it looks like I will not be available for every game this year.

Cant do much better than selling out .

The Vicar

I would always buy the Leigh programme first and well done to Alan and the team for for the high standards. However, I bought the Game On programme at the Swinton game and found it a reasonable read. I have never seen it on sale at Leigh and think there are a few supporters who would buy both.

How about a special offer for both programmes say £4.00 for both? Thus getting the costs of the Leigh programme plus more contributions to the costs we have to give for the Game On magazine.

Must admit I've not seen it either, Jasper. (although I've not been particularly looking) Thanks for the suggestion, (and the compliments to the team) I'll put it to the Club.

Good idea. I would have a bit of that.

An update on the 'joint sales'. I've been in touch with the Club, who are looking at ways of making both publications more visible, at more locations. (even at 'outside' locations, where people gather, pre-match) I'm told that they are already on sale at a joint price of £2.75!!(but I don't remember seeing them - I'll have to look more closely, next week!)

Wow that is a bargin. Pity nobody knew about it. The best way to sell them is for the programme sellers to be selling the Leigh programme, then to ask the customer if they want to take up the special offer of the Game On magazine as well for £2.75. I'm sure there would be a good uptake at that price.

I asked the programme seller if they also had any of the Game On magazines, but he didn't. Without getting onto a rant, it does annoy me when I try give my money to Leigh but can't. If the offer is real, then Leigh is to applauded, so why not promote it? If we have to pay £250 to buy the Game On magazine then why not try and recoup some of the cost?

I agree with what you say, and can't answer you, I'm afraid! I only edit (and write a good bit) of our programme. If I had any more time on my hands, I could get out there and sell them!

Alan is no way was this aimed at you. I don't particularly want the Game On magazine but would buy it to 1. Help put a bit extra money to Leigh 2. Help preserve our own independent programme, something I have always bought and collected whilst supporting Leigh.

I just can't understand what seems to be a good offer and relatively easy to organise is not. Anyway I will keep my money in and my pocket and just buy your excellent programme.

No change their then.

I know where all the copies are. Half up Hobbos shirt,the other half down the shorts of Simpson the Batley sub.

His backside was nearly as big as that bird from Kilmarnock you pulled in IOM in '75.

You gotta laugh with our deefence.

I'm here all week!

PS back of his shorts. PPS You do have a point.

It would be no problem for programme sellers to have a limited quantity of "Game On" along with the "Centurion"...........is there any demand ??

Most back issues of this seasons Game On and The Centurion are available from the shop or the ticket office during the week (not 2.45 on match days please

)

So give us enough feedback on this and if you want it we'll do it.

Peter9001, thank you for taking the time to reply. This is my offering for what it’s worth.

It was suggested earlier in the thread that we have to buy 250 "Game On" (GO) magazines from the RFL at £1 cost. The number and cost hasn’t been verified (or denied) so for the moment we will assume the numbers are correct. £250 seems a lot of money to have to pay out and would presumably eat into any profits from the "Centurion" and could potentially put its production at risk.

I believe the GO magazine is given out to the corporate customers so some of the cost is presumably factored into the corporate cost. From where I sit it is difficult to see how many of boxes were in use on Sunday but it didn’t seem like many. So there must be still fair few of the GO magazines to shift.

The idea was to offer both the "Centurion" and the GO magazine as a special offer. Alan found out that there was already an offer of both for £2.75, although no one seemed to know of this or had seen the Game On magazine for sale.

To shift the surplus Game On magazines I would suggest that we offer both for £3.00, this would stop the programme sellers (PS) having to mess about with 0.25p change.

What would be the uptake? I would suggest that would be on the ability of PS to sell them. If they were just in a box at the side of the PS and none were sold unless they were asked for then I would think you would sell one (me, because I would be looking for them). However, if the PS asked the person buying the "Centurion" did they also want the GO magazine for 50p instead of the usual £2.00 (this price being dependent on buying the "Centurion"icon_wink.gif, then I think you would have an decent uptake.

I would suggest giving it a go; I can’t see what there is to lose. Even if you only sell 20 it’s £10 less for the club to find and the PS have be paid anyway.

If the cost of the GO magazine is not a problem then there is no need to bother and I will continue my support of the "Centurion".

You are spot on in your assumptions on numbers/cost of 'Game On' to the Club. Today, I raised the issue again, with David Bradshaw, who told me that many of these magazines are given to people dining, box holders and players - 30 per dressing room, as per RFL instructions. (although we aren't giving the players 'The Centurion' apparently.)

Despite all the freebies, I located a box with a fair number of 'Game On' magazines from Sunday, in it. DB will address this, with the person responsible for the programme sellers, in an upcoming meting. (there are issues about some sellers running out, whilst the one on a quiet turnstyle is not selling any!)

I fully endorse your thoughts on this matter and have forwarded your post to DB - hope you don't mind?

Thanks for the excellent input.