Lots of people don’t want to buy tickets for games that have, at best, a 50/50 chance of being called off due to Covid.

This obviously has an impact on season ticket purchases too…..

To some people it’s a massive effort to finish work on a Mon/Wed/Thurs/Fri and drive to the game and then have to drive home……Or they can sit in the local/at home and watch the game with a beer?

As the phrase goes “People will vote with their feet…..”

Several factors preventing us coming in our usual numbers at present.

Midweek matches
Possibility of matches being postponed and train tickets lost
Holidays
Covid isolation

Get to as many as we can. Missed it so much both the game and the social side

Regards EW

Time some stop making excuses,. especially about Covid and faced the the truth about the state of the game today compared to a few seasons ago.

If people are uncertain about attending because of Covid, that’s a valid excuse in my book. It will be some considerable time before things get back to normal, if at all.

Some folk in their teens, twenties and thirties are rather blasé about Covid because their chances of dying from it are extremely low. For those in their sixties and above, it’s a different matter altogether and a sizeable chunk of our support comes from that age category. Then there’s the possibility of Long Covid and facing a severe disability that’s going to hamper you for the rest of your life.

I’m sixty three, it won’t stop me watching the lads, it won’t stop me going to the pub, going on holiday or doing a whole host of other things that I do but I can well understand others being hesitant, if that’s their choice.

I dont think attendances were ever going to just jump back to normal as soon as restrictions were lifted. As a family we are currently all in isolation as all 4 of us have got covid, so still lots of people in the same boat with either contracting or isolating due to contacts.
There is then the loss of habit. If you get out of the routine on going to the game every Friday night, its very easy to replace it with something else (admittedly that could only really be sat in the house recently)
I saw a friend post on twitter earlier in the week that it cost him £100 for 2 adults and 2 juniors to attend the game, so that is going to put some off. If they are looking to take the family as they cant go on holiday etc, then £100 to watch some of the stuff being dished up IMO is too much for game of RL

Typical gammon comments made from our some of our supporters yet again. I had another gammon tell me that this virus doesn't exist a couple of weeks ago and was all part of the 'great reset' to move into a cashless society, Rothschilds I kid you not.

Time to stay away from the conspiracy YouTube videos and QAnon website boomers...

Slightly racist, but whatever.

Thats pretty bad luck, assuming your family are all fully vaccinated.

wife and myself are. Eldest daughter had 1 jab but youngest only just left school so not had any.

We think we know what started it, but its one of those things. The school tried to keep things going and held the prom as the last 18 months had been so disrupted for the kids. Unfortunately, the outcome is youngest seems to have caught it at the prom and passed it onto rest of us. We were all fit and healthy beforehand, so luckily at the minute seems like we are all ok

For me I'm not spending any more money on a very poor product which is now very overhyped. The referring of the matches is worse than it has ever been I feel and it feels like I'm watch WWE wrestling with the commentary of sky. I'll happily put my money into grassroots rugby and support the kids that play it for fun and the volunteers who help. That's where my money is now going. Nothing to do with covid. With the rfl running the game, watching rugby League in this country for me has become a chore rather than an exciting sport. It's like watching a dog suffer, the kind side of me says let's put it down and end the suffering, and invest in a puppy that I will find joy in bringing up. It's sad to see the old dog go but it's necessary and kind....... Sorry for the grumpy, sad, pathetic post. It's just the way I feel. Like I said I will continue to support the grassroots stuff, but super League can take a running jump for me. I'm only one person but looking at the figures there are a few more like me.

I can't say that I'm impressed with what I've seen in the TV games. We haven't been to a game yet, but we do intend to. Mainly because we're going on holiday in the next week or so and don't want to put that at risk with getting pinged etc before we fly. We will definitely be returning to games once the holiday is done and all the tests etc completed. I suspect others will be in the same position.

They're not brilliant atm, but we've been going a loooooong time, and we've seen much worse

The Pandemic is becoming a excuse for everything now and not just for not attending games in sport.

How on earth can there ever be a sell out at Whelan' Folly and blame put on any one Coach or Club when you see the general decline in the quality of the game as a result of the constant rule changes and the abundance of top class quality players like there was prior to 1996 when RU went professional.

Even the Amateur clubs are not getting the same number of kids interested in playing the game.

Do yourself a favour pal and just stop following RL. It’s abundantly clear you cannot stand it.

As for your last “point”. You couldn’t be more wrong. At my amateur club the number of kids has increased. The open age players list has enough for 4 teams. To put it simply; it’s never been busier. I also know that to be similar in other clubs. So to that end you’re once again showing how little you actually know. Typical keyboard warrior you are fella.

I wouldn't waste your time pal
He's posted what 30/40+ posts in the last 2 weeks all having a swipe at Leneghan etc.
Blaming Leneghan
Blaming Rads
Blaming the RFL
Blaming the State of RL for falling crowds
Blaming Dave Whelan for the stadium (Get over it - it was 22 years ago!!!!)
Saying it's not Lams fault that were average/poor
Sticking up for my mate BFUT and we should be Grateful for his contribution for various reasons
We should go back to the gang of 4 (How does that stack up with Mo being in charge in the early/Mid 00's when crowds were far worse and the club was in complete disarray?).
etc
etc
etc

Yet - Not seen one positive or pro-active comment or suggestion for making things better with a credible supporting evidence that what he is saying is possible rather than just pie in the sky statements i.e. Build a stadium (Ok, where's the money coming from? Where would it be? Why would it be better in the new location than in it's current location? How would it be profitable etc.?)

EVERY TIME he posts I feel like replying, but maybe I am learning my lesson that I would be wasting my time.

They obviously has an agenda, but for the life of me I can't work it out.
I wish they'd just make one coherent post stating what their issue is, why and what they would do about it etc. without going on every thread and making a not so subtle Jibe at every one, from Whelan, Leneghan, Rads, other psoters etc. and taking a contradictory (You could say this is deliberate!) stance on coaches/players etc. to be controversial just to try and get some point (That I can't for the life of me work out what it is!) across.

I will make a statement to try and summarise their stance on all things Wigan/RL etc.

"Things are not as good as they used to be".

That seems to about sum it up?

rubbish

With the exception of the over-compensating Sky commentary team, for whom everything is incredibly exciting, and the atmosphere at half-full stadia is the best they've ever experienced, and such-and-such-a-virtually-unknown player is the best in the game at whatever it is he's just done, I feel there's a genuine worry in the air.

It's not really surprising. The pandemic has been a major disaster for so many of us personally. On top of that it's denied us lots of things we love, including watching sport. Even though Covid is now (hopefully) ending, British RL has suffered severely in financial terms and hasn't bounced back the way we'd have wanted ... a huge shake-up is coming along very soon, and a lot of people in the game are not going to like it one bit.

The fact we've all been watching so much more of the NRL has also contributed to this, as it's clearly shown us what an RL competition can look like when it reaches its full potential. That's something we've not seen in the UK for decades (if at all) and despite the forthcoming changes (which are obviously only coming because they've been forced upon us), it feels as though it's further away now than ever.

The approach of the World Cup might have alleviated some of that a little. Interest and anticipation would have grown, and I'm sure we'd have seen crowds going up. But inevitably the Phil Goulds of this world still seem to have the casting vote in the Southern Hemisphere. That's a whole other argument of course, but it could have helped boost the game's feel-good factor and yet now its just another source of embarrassment and controversy.

I'm not trying to be negative for negative's sake, by the way. Many posters on here will know that I used to be categorised as a 'happy clapper'. But a few people I know are despondent about the game in general, and as well as not going because they are worried about Covid, have said they aren't bothering because the game is a shadow of what it was. I don't agree with that entirely, but I am concerned at our overall inability to get things right, especially in times like these.

I've not missed a home game yet, I should add. So by all means shoot this post down, but don't get personal.

Nail. Head.

Why do some supporters harp on longing for the past. What makes them think the game was in its best shape prior to 1996?

A small number of clubs went fully pro trying to catch up Wigan's constant stream of success. Success that only attracted averages of 14.5k at their peak playing in century old stadiums well past their best.

Leeds spent fortunes failing miserably on and off the pitch, their only success the odd Yorkshire Cup. The Hull clubs in decline, even getting relegated. Warrington the semi final under achievers despite the loud noises they tried to make. Widnes had a flurry of success but couldn't hold on to their best players (Offiah and Davies), still only managing 10k crowds.
Finally St Helens, won nothing much until SL was introduced.

The game was at its strongest around the early 00's, Saints & Bradford competing for honours in front of large crowds, with Leeds hit on their heels and us finding a resurgence after a couple of years of no success.

Trying to get the sport back to strength to around that time is what we should be aiming for. Needs strong leadership from management (Rimmer isn't the man in my opinion).

Removal of the salary cap to encourage wealthy owners into the game needs to happen. Even if that means a period of time when someone like Warrington dominates by buying top quality players, puts pressure on other clubs owners (I'm looking at IL here, if he won't spend hand ownership to Danson).

Big spending attracts quality players.
Quality players attracts supporters to attend.
Increased attendances attracts bigger sponsorship.
And the game is in a healthier position.

If your Wakeys, Castleford.... etc. Don't want to sign up for it then let them decay further. Better 2-3 clubs with no ambition than restricting 9-10 clubs ultimately forcing them to go semi pro.

Are you for real.

You have made negative comments about the state of team and the game.

As for kids playing, your club may not have a problem, but judging by the decline in the number of clubs in general, the future is not as you seemed to think it is.

I have. I’ve also made multiple positive comments. That’s called balance. Every comment you make is harping back to an era when most clubs were broke, attendances weren’t any better, facilities were a breeding ground for the bubonic plague and the idea of training was a tic and pass and a few pints and cigs.

There are plenty of amateur clubs with a boost in their numbers.

You literally are one of the most clueless/obsessed with the 80’s posters I’ve come across on here. And that includes The Enforcer.

At least, like many others in Wigan, I am facing the reality of the present state of the club and the game, which unlike some on here who cannot see the wood for the trees!


You have even posted comments yourself that you are far from happy with the present state of the club and game!


As for balance, anyone who says anything different to yourself and fellow members of the clique on here is shot down in flames.

I wonder if above poster has ever thought that a lot of people (probably all) are aware of the problems within the game

they just don't feel the need on every thread to make that point over and over again and make completely irrelevant parallels with yesteryear

What does it matter what Maurice did in 1981? he couldn't do it again in 2001 never mind in 2021
Circumstances are completely different
The RFL are in a poor state, Guess what? It was as bad back in the late 70's early 80s and that bad that Mo left Wigan to try and make it better in the early 90s
How does Mo & the Gang of 4 taking us to the bring of extinction level up with anything Leneghan is doing now? they were the ones that handed the club in a way to Whelan, not anything leneghan has done.
How does it marry up that attendances even in the 80's early 90s and more interestingly at the back end of the 90s were no better than what we were getting Pre-covid?
How would Mo/RFL are anyone else coped with a pandemic in the 80s?
How were the finances of other clubs compared to now? Despite the state of RL pre covid (I don't think it's fair to compare it as of now as no-one in living memory - apart from Rogues who lived through Spanish flu and Bubonic Plague - as ever experienced anything like this) I would say that clubs such as Saints/Hull/Leeds/Catalans/Warrington etc compare favourably to how they were early 90's pre SL? In fact, given the poor foundations that Wigan were built on and a couple of defeats triggering the fall of the empire I would say Wigan also in a way weren't what we remember them wise financially

The point is - We all know what the issues are
RL in this country is struggling - Change is needed
I have my personal opinions and I will expand (rather than continually just keep saying everything used to better and slagging off other posters who won't also just say the same, because they want more substance than just everything is rubbish)

The game missed opportunities mid 2000's - The game was vibrant, we had numerous teams competing along with Catalans introduction into the League (And like someone (MattyB?) said earlier I believe this was when we were consistently competing with the Aussies - A Vibrant international game etc. Without going into the detail IMO we have stalled around 2008/09/10/11 ish and regressed from around 2015/16 onwards Despite that coinciding with Wigan's resurgence etc.
Bradford were long gone
Leeds were coming to the end of the golden generation and dipped and never really recovered
Saints were awful to average in the most for about 5 years - only returning to former glories alte 18/early 19 - Just not really as good as the 00's
Warrington, despite their rise around 10/11/12/13 never kicked on
Hull - despite a couple of CC's were pretty average
Catalans - Were just Catalans
Cas - Pretty much the same as Hull if not worse without the CC's
And to be honest the rest - Meh - year on year of false dawns etc.

But behind all of that is the Salary cap
People were talking about it being too low mid 00's - not really raised with inflation etc. and since say 07/08 onwards they've skirted around the issue by tinkering with Home grown plyer rule. exemptions for some things, Marquee rules etc. when the truth is it's like sticking your finger in the proverbial leaking damn!!!!
We lost more and more star players to RU & NRL
the clubs had to build Squads and couldn't afford superstars as that would have messed the balance of squads up
And putting a whole lot of other issues together in one statement "We started a Race to the bottom".
People have wanted to come into the game and invest money, we've pushed them away
Very successful clubs like Leeds who were sit on millions entered a relegation race due to injuries, existing contracts that stopped them buying new players when injuries kicked in etc. when other clubs worked on a balanced Shoestring and they navigated survival better.
We should be encouraging the Leeds of this world to be able to spend their money
Encouraging Moran to spend his money at Warrington
Encouraging Pearson at Hull, Leneghan at Wigan, Macmanus at Saints etc. etc. to look for more investment form other sources and invest in the game.
But here's the key

Why spend hundreds of thousands trying to bring more money into a game when you can't spend it where you want to?
Why invest in clubs that are on a race to the bottom?

Salary cap needs a massive overall, it needs to be raised significantly, investment from outside of the game needs to be attracted, Barla and youth set up reviewed

I could go on for hours - nobody wants that

But to suggest that fans do not understand this is ridiculous
they just don't want certain posters moaning on every thread over and over again basically just saying "Look at me - I know the answer - Everything is rubbish compared to the 80's/90s" without any substance or solutions attached.

So come on then.....what do you suggest? It's extremely easy to criticise and never offer solutions. I've listed above what I believe think needs to be done, you may have a different opinion on a solution. Or you may have none and just want to revel in how poor the game is now and we just all make as well pack up?

So I ask again... What is your resolve?

your wrong, I see more clubs, far far more clubs than when I played in the 80's and 90's, more players also, some clubs have to run 2 teams at age groups just to give them game time.