They should set up shop in t'Market Gate!

Playing our home game at Widnes was just the start.

Some people seem totally oblivious to this fact.

Soon there might only be one team in Wigan, and at the moment DW is doing his upmost to make sure its Wigan Athletic.

Can some mad billionaire just buy the Latics and relocate them to Alaska or something?

I must say it was humbling to see the vast ocean of Blue and White all around the approaches to the JJB on Wednesday night.



Not.

Ermm.... what will happen if JJB does end up closing down?

easy
the sticks will be well and truly stuffed as i can,t see what other firm would want to sponsor a two bit tinpot setup such as theirs with their poor support.
i do hope that jjb pull the plug on their sponsorship and then no doubt the old prick will have to bail them out by sponsoring them his sel
latics shirts with pooles pies on the front

what IL should have a look at is buying the fitness first centre at the side of the jjb, its quite big in there, get a nice lounge area for during the week and game days doing food and drink, that way in the week ppl can go and have a meal and give the club money. also he could have a learning centre in there and a club shop, it would be interesting to see how much a place like that could make.

any club shop for latics will be a jjb in disguise,

, iirc DW has bought a big chunk of jjb back

Latics will have to find a new sponsor, which may prove difficult.

No it wont. And no he hasn't.

So IL has already lined up leigh for cup games and play off matches , weve moved the good friday fixture for whelan , they are planning a club shop while we stay at hilton street , but yet people dont see this as a problem?

Wigan Rugby League - outcasts in our own stadium!

'pretty much the same thing' doesn't come close. Surely 4,000 in RL's Division 2 cannot be compared to 9,000 in Football's 2nd tier, especially when a third of the teams would bring 5,000 plus away fans. Comparing RL to football coverage is like comparing Liechtenstein population to USA's.

Anyway, like you say, lets close this thread as we are just re-assuring ourselves. Whelan regularly comes out ranting re: Wiganers not being bothered about Latics. He know's inside.

I have just been checking our bank account today and our first installment for our season passes has come out, payable to.....

Wigan Athletic AFC

A lot of people like me travel to games from outside the area. A club shop at the ground caters for both locals and those like me. I don't imagine a temporary tent on match days carrying all the mechanise.

If there is an opportunity to get a shop for Wigan RL then it should be taken IMO. The fact we wil probably not get one and Latics will is ridiculous.

I can't remember the last time I was in Wigan town centre.

Dave

I have no positive feelings towards the Latics, but at the same time I can't understand the automatic negativity from our fans towards anything that the football club try to do to improve their business. Acquiring a club shop is a logical step for them, as there merchandising has been appalling by PL standards and at the present time is reliant upon a company that it teetering on the brink of oblivion. For once this isn't an attempt to undermine Wigan RL's position and we shouldn't be so sensitive about it. Anyway considering our relationship with Whelan and his stadium company, I would not want any of our merchandising profits being eaten into by having to pay him rent for floorspace. A temporary stand outside the stadium, in conjunction with a better town centre store is a wiser and more profitable option than a shop inside the JJB. It works well for international games.

We just have to get used to the fact that for a few years while Latics are riding Whelan's cash and self interest, then we will play second fiddle regarding the stadium. But Whelan won't be around forever and eventually they will return to their rightful level in the lower leagues. Despite Whelan's best efforts Wigan RL will remain the number one club in the town in the long term.

As a Wire fan, I find it strange that there is no shop at Wigan's ground.

The other night when there was 3.5k at a friendly at the HJ, I wanted a hat to keep my ears warm, and I didn't bother because of the huge queues in the shop. Last week when I went watching Man City, you couldn't move in their huge store.

Surely matchdays are the most important days for merchandise sales?

What currently happens at Wigan, can you not get bits and bobs on matchday?

IIRC At the first ever forum IL stated that when Wigan RL fans purchased tickets they had to make cheques payable to 'Wigan Football Club', this would be the first thing he was changing, which brought a huge cheer to the room.

If the above is the case then I'm seriously not impressed.

Come on Mr. Lenagan, please explain...!

i have heard that he has all ready asked and the figure was a huge one

Quote ="Dave T"As a Wire fan, I find it strange that there is no shop at Wigan's ground. The other night when there was 3.5k at a friendly at the HJ, I wanted a hat to keep my ears warm, and I didn't bother because of the huge queues in the shop. Last week when I went watching Man City, you couldn't move in their huge store. Surely matchdays are the most important days for merchandise sales? What currently happens at Wigan, can you not get bits and bobs on matchday?'" =blue[iAnother exciting development for Warriors Fans in 2009 will be the opportunity to buy merchandise on match days at the JJB Stadium. The club will have 3 units, one each on the East, South and West sides of the ground, selling merchandise pre and post game. The units will stock many of the new lines that will be introduced over the next few months. [/i www.wiganwarriors.com/news_full.asp?newsid=4387

Quote ="Dave T"As a Wire fan, I find it strange that there is no shop at Wigan's ground. The other night when there was 3.5k at a friendly at the HJ, I wanted a hat to keep my ears warm, and I didn't bother because of the huge queues in the shop. Last week when I went watching Man City, you couldn't move in their huge store. Surely matchdays are the most important days for merchandise sales? What currently happens at Wigan, can you not get bits and bobs on matchday?'" =blue[iAnother exciting development for Warriors Fans in 2009 will be the opportunity to buy merchandise on match days at the JJB Stadium. The club will have 3 units, one each on the East, South and West sides of the ground, selling merchandise pre and post game. The units will stock many of the new lines that will be introduced over the next few months. [/i www.wiganwarriors.com/news_full.asp?newsid=4387

"Wigan Football Club Ltd" was our trading name for years. I think when the ownership of a Limited company changes, there is an option to change it's name - I think IL changed it to "Wigan Rugby League Ltd".

Hmmm

It is now Wigan Rugby League Club Limited, it's on the stadium ticket office window I'm sure, for who to make cheques payable to.

I agree the options of stuff you could do in that place could be quite exciting. Shop, Cafe, Learning Centre as stated also, Museum, sponcers section (few PC's dotted around would generate some interest for main & sleve sponcers), on carpark could do pre match stuff for the kids etc and am sure people could think of more stuff to go in....

whot about match day sales when people work all week n dont get chance to go into the town centre surley we need a shop at the ground its a bussiness can you imagine man utd not avin a shop at old trafford i think were the only team in super league that doesnt have some sort of shop at thier ground.

Coverage has absolutely nothing to do with it. Our crowds went up by a load in about 10 years because we went from nothing to something, so have the Latics, yet for the insecure that's something to criticise them about.

Do we really make enough money for this to be a viable option? We can't just assume IL will write a cheque out to cover any losses the place will make. Will this be at the expense of youth development etc.? A Premier League club has the funds available to operate something like this. Unfortunately, we have to face the fact that RL doesn't make nearly as much money so something like wouldn't work for a long while yet IMO