Interested to see the 'Summer at the Stoop' page on the Harlequins site.

Who on earth thinks these ideas up???

It mentions 'Four Fantastic days'

1. 'Rugby Fest' .. 20th June. This involves turning up at 130pm and watching the Lions v the Saffas play :1t1ki7vfUNION:1t1ki7vf on the big screen.

Why??? I don't know of many league fans who would give a fat rats about a yawnion game between the Lions and the Saffas. All the Saffas I know headed to the Bok Bar to drink Saffa beer in the company of other Saffas to watch this one.


2. 'Down Under Day' ... 25th July. This involves 'Antipodean entertainment, food and drink from 2pm'

Why?? Im an Aussie but I get my 'Antipodean entertainment, food and drink' from one of the many Walkabout inns, the Church, or the Reddy.

Why would I want to travel to The Stoop when I can get it all at a pub??? From what I'm aware Harlequins have got hardly any Aussies playing for them now anyway. And they stopped stocking VB at the Broncos years ago. I havent seen the 'Antipodean entertainment' list for this event. I can guarantee it wont be AC/DC, The Veronicas, followed by Rodney Rude and Kevin Bloody Wilson though.

3. 'Community Day' ... 11th July. This involves 'A fantastic day of family entertainment (from 215pm)' Thats hardly a full day is it. Thats like me saying I'm actually a 12 foot man but 6 feet of me is something else.

4. 'Dance off day' ... August 8th. This involves 'A great DAY of Dance acts' (from 2pm) Kick off is at 3. So thats an hour. An hour of 'great' dance acts. I'm sure your average footy fan cant wait for that one




God knows who thinks this stuff up.

But I can assure you none of it makes me (or anyone else I know) want to head to Twickenham





You are the Harlequins fan!


Some things I've seen at various footy matches

Rival supporters touch footy seven a side competitions before games.

I've seen bands play.

I've seen field goal competitions with participants drawn at random out of the crowd....winner wins signed jerseys that type of thing

Raffles ....winning ticket drawn in the bar an hour before k/o ... winning ticket wins a holiday....or coaching session....that kind of thing.

Clearly more people will show up if they stand a good chance of winning something.


I'm sure you can think of many more.

There have been IMBRL, RLC, and kids games played nearby (i.e. on the fields at the back, or on the college field) before games, it didn't appear to increase the crowd.

We have regularly had kicking contests at half time for signed match balls or cases of beer etc, these don't seem to have increased crowds either. There is already a match day raffle and a regular lottery promotion.

We also have a band playing after the game.

They ought to play more games inside the actual stadium.

If 'Little Jimmy' is playing in a kids game there is a very realistic chance Little Jimmy's parents, relos, friends will turn up to support him....and stay for the main event, hopefully liking what they see and returning. Not much point playing outside the stadium..... they will all just go home afterwards.

Maybe the prizes for your lottery could do with being better???? Im not bagging out the ones you have.........but a signed match ball???



How about a seven a side touch footy match between the opposing supporters clubs???

The club need to get people to turn up early..maybe a few hours early.....therefore using the facilities and spending money in the bar, club shop or whatever you guys have down there.

Cant see the logic of having a band playing AFTER the game really....London (by English standards) is a long way from the north and people just want to get away asap after the game.

Here's a good idea. A team which wins a majority of its home games.

Nothing succeeds like success. But how to do it?

Great Post. Your 24th effort on here is a real gem and I am tempted to use it as my sig......or maybe, print it off and use it as toilet paper


I agree with the dance thing, but the rest is just pure drivel.
I am a sports fan. I played Union untlil my body gave up, played GAA and Hurling for years, Basketball, baseball, cricket and even wendyball. I watch Harlequins Rugby League because I was dragged to a game in 2002 and was hooked immediately.
The British and Irish Lions are of interest to me and therefore, the opportunity to watch that game prior to getting tonked by Leeds was a good option. It also brought in a fair few Union fans who said they would be back, so it served its purpose.
Anzac day....another good idea. We got 6,000+ for the Manly game, so that goes to show there is an audience for the game...we just have to get the message across to the crims that they can come and enjoy a great day out.
Community day is a showcase of what we offer at TW2. Rugby league is a family sport and that day is designed to attract local families.
Dance day is a bad idea and one I do not agree with, but I refuse to b0ll0ck the club for trying something new.

Your post is obviously that of someone who has a chip on their shoulder about Union and absolutely no idea of the London sporting market.
I look forward to your future shi7e posts with baited breath.

For a guy with over 6000 posts you still don't get it



I'll keep it nice and simple for you.

Agree or disagree?? Showing a Rugby Union game before a Rugby LEAGUE match will get lots of extra supporters in??

Agree or Disagree?? Putting on 'Antipodean entertainment, food and drink' an HOUR before kick off will have half the Antip community in London all heading for Twickers???

Agree or Disagree?? A 'Fantastic DAY of family entertainment' (the clubs words not mine) starting a WHOLE HOUR BEFORE kick off will have every man woman and child from within the M25 all heading down to the Stoop??

Agree or disagree?? 'Dance off Day' (well a full hour anyway) will have all the footy fans from the entire South East flocking to the ground???

Agree or Disagree?? You are an idiot

Anyone agree this guy is worse than me and GF put together? What a clueless idiot.

Ignore him everyone

You don't like being wrong do you?



You guys need to get more people into your ground (well the ground you share with Quins union)

If you really agree that putting on kiddies dancing show, a jumpy castle, a few battered Savs and a VB or 2 and showing a UNION game on a big screen is going to increase your clubs attendances then its easy to see why footy in London has failed consistently since 1980




Good luck


I think you will need it.

So Baz, what's the answer then ?

According to everyone who knows better than me its Dance offs, Family hours, cold savs and televised Rugby Union games before kick off



That should REALLY increase numbers.


Attendances at Cronulla are a bit ordinary....I'm going to send them the link to this thread.

Forget Tony Zappia

Forget less than impressive crowds

Forget the loss of our main shirt sponsor.

A few battered Savs, a family 'hour' and a Waratahs match should sell Toyota park out every week

So no answers to PC Plum's question then?



Even if the discussed ideas attract 1 new supporter, which they will, its 1 more supporter than your current ideas (nil) will do.

think the band after was a good idea when we came on train other year it made us stay for a few beers couldnt this year cause of sky moving game.

so went on bus which was supposed to take us round richmond for drinks b4 game but harquins persuaded us to drop off at ground cause they was showing the union game.
Waste of time for us we just went into the town and drank outside ingorning the union which a fair few of us did.
crowds do seem to be falling at stoop personally as a away fan i thought brentford wa class more like a league ground and good few pubs about in all honestly since youve left there your crowds are getting worse not better.

No.

There are a selection of pubs within 10-15 minutes walk from the ground. And a nice bar at the stadium. What more do you want? Most grounds in Super League have a reasonable walk to the nearest half decent pub.

well there not exacly massive difference i dont remeber u getting constant 2 k crowds at brentford isnt there a part of london with no union and no football teams wouldnt that be a gd place to get in on if such a place exists

We aren't getting constant 2k crowds now either.

You think going to an area with no sports fans wouild be a smart idea? You'd be surprised how many of our supporters are season tickets holders at the RU club too, and how much respect RL gets from RU supporters down South.

yeh not complaining have got good selection just saying i liked brentford you'll always play 2nd fiddle to union at twickerham

Perhaps so - no shame in that though. The fiddle just needs to be a bit larger.

theyve been about 4 if not more league n cup this year

The crowds are low because -

People don't know rugby league exists in the Capital. Some do, but aren't fans enough to bother going.

Majority of "rugby" fans in London follow union...and just like some league fans on here....are completely blinkered and unwilling to give the other code a chance.

Maybe some of those people are giving rugby a rest for the summer...could ask the same for why some people on here that enjoy both codes don't go to the games in the winter? For example, a friend of mine (I know this doesn't cover the majority of people) is a Chelsea fan, yet won't even talk about the team or football during the summer as it's cricket season and he'd rather wait till winter before thinking about it again.

It's all a bit of a catch 22 at the moment....I'd like to come see games sold out...but the majority of people I speak to about it think the atmosphere is dead with such a baron turnout (except for the hardcore fans - well done to you).

Its a tricky one, cos people will slap the club down saying they're not doing enough....but what other options to they have that people are putting forward to them? It's almost like we expect the to telepathically pick up what we think should be done!! They're only human!! Plus some of the ideas I've seen posted on this site are just as bad as the one's the club come out with.

Anyhow, that's my say!! Adios..