We've never had particularly good support in recent (ish) history, from the 70's onwards, if my memory serves me correctly even the season we got to Wembley our average was only 6 and a 1/2 thousand.

I agree totally about "true" fans but, all those new faces at Cas have to come from somewhere and they will be a mixture of lapsed fans, some new faces who go along out of curiosity and a substantial number of "glory" supporters, attracted by their newfound success.

One of our group lives in Normanton and in years gone by, there was a fairly even mix of Cas and Trinity "fans" milling around on match day but, now, it's nearly all turned orange so, while I take your point that true supporters would never swap allegiance, there are still plenty that seem happy to do so.

You can tell how fickle people are when you see Man City and Chelsea "fans" in Wakefield.
Pretending that they are lifelong fans when a bit of success comes along



In the height of Bullmania, there were scores of people in Wakefield driving to Odsal with their cars all dressed up, strangely, you dont see that anymore.

There must be quite a few others, like myself, who also watch football and are season ticket holders as well, with Barnsley, Huddersfield even Leeds, its not a cheap hobby to watch both.

I don't know how it works now for season ticket holders as I haven't had one at Barnsley since 2007, but after they won promotion at the end of 2015, back into the championship, they started with that Cat. a,b,c, mullarky, which we'd never had before, which all adds up and makes it quite expensive for non ST holders, hope it never creeps into our game.

I'm a season ticket at both BelleVue and Oakwell and have been for years, hence my alias on this forum. I still think that with a bit of work there are potential Trinity supporters in the Barnsley area to be attracted. My alternative choice of temporary home would be Oakwell but it appears that the club don't want us there.

Category a,b,c, matches were on the go at Oakwell long before the 2015 play off final chissitt

My concession season ticket at Oakwell works out at £8.26/mtach which, surprisingly, is a lot less than Belle Vue.

Ah! didn't know that, as I said my last season was the 2007/8 and was a ST till then so I wouldn't really have known, lost all interest in the game and apart from the odd reds game on telly never watch football at all now, our young un went last week against Sunderland and it was £27 as a non ST holder.

Yes, following more than one sport can be costly, especially if it is the whole family that follow it like we do. I too am a Barnsley fan, but have had to curb my finances, so as RL is my number one sport, I have a Trinity season ticket, and watch Barnsley every so often.

Consistent success and a new stadium would increase the crowds steadily, as that is human nature, but dont think the increase would be huge.

I have said before, and will say again, a lot of it is about marketing the club and giving the fans incentives on memberships, to increase crowd numbers.

Thursday and Friday games causing people to miss and costs of season tickets put fans off. Mini season tickets could remedy this. Other SL clubs do it successfully.

Another is a packages to incorporate replica shirts. I know some on here will moan that I am constantly bigging up.my wifes team, but they have done this, and have an average crowd this year, of around 7000. Not bad for a relegated club. They also, like us have a big rivalry with a bigger neighbouring club. There is also in Hull a professional football team.

One bit of marketing that could be done, is taking down members post codes, to see if there are any areas in the district that seem to be staying away and any that are, do some marketing in that area with extra incentives.

Fortunately at Huddersfield this season it's all season tickets for obvious reasons, mine cost £94 . Works out at roughly £4.50 a game so I'm fortunate to have the luxury of both season tickets, again like someone posted earlier, success goes a long way to encourage bums on seats, oh , not forgetting the £200,000,000 bonus which helps. Here's hoping our success will encourage a few more to BV.

Cas tried the "membership scheme" and scrapped it after 1 season. Basically where you could either get a full session ticket, half, or two games. It's really risky. Hence it being scrapped

Yes, you do get folk buying the 2 game one who might have stayed away.

But on the other hand you get fans who have committed to season tickets for years then starting to pick and choose games. Well within their rights but it does cost the club.

Not only that, the few who buy the "2 game" one would probably have gone to those two games and paid full price anyway.

I stopped getting a cas season ticket 3 years ago, as I can't make half the games.... but I still go to 5/6 games at home every year when I can, and I would do that regardless of the introduction of a "half season" ticket.

For me, I'd look at really chopping the "pay on the gate" price for kids.

Growing up I never got bought a season ticket cause my dad doesn't go much any more so I wouldn't have anyone to take me. He treated me to games even less when you're looking at the casual fan, as I was as a kid, having to pay about 50 quid to get a parent and two kids into a rugby game.

Families will just take their kids bowling or to the cinema instead.

It's the spontaneous "kids, you fancy going to watch the rugby" scenario that I think clubs could do more for.

Or even better - give out the cheaper tickets - kids ones - for nowt - and encourage the "dad, take me to the rugby" response; so Dad has to pay full price on the gate - the hope being that a) the kid becomes a fan for life and b) dad buys a season ticket, so taking the kids is cheaper for him. I know some clubs do good work in schools and jr clubs, but I'm sure a more coordinated and systematic approach could yield results. I was involved in something along these lines with Trinity through the jr club I used to be involved with, and it was popular with the players, albeit on a relatively small scale.

Back to the main topic - one can only assume that the long term aim is for a North American SL, which can only be a good thing; I'm interested to see how these organisations influence the RFL in terms of how to properly manage and promote a sporting event.

RL played professionally in Canada and the US would be huge for RL.
The key question is just how to get it moving and IF we are to add a number of clubs from this area, who foots the bill and what happens to the domestic competition while the "expansion" clubs get going and afterwards, if/when they have their own comp.

Under the current format and assuming that the new clubs qualify for the middle 8's and perhaps the super 8's in a couple of seasons, the logistics of flying to Canada one week and maybe France (possibly twice) could be extremely difficult, especially as Sky like to move the fixtures around at short notice.

It looks like the Championship will be the "trial run" for travel next season, with Catalan, Toulouse and Toronto all strong contenders to make next season's middle 8.

You do feel like we are walking blindly into a new situation, with little of no thought as to how it will work and that just isnt right.

Didn't Toronto fund the travel of visiting clubs this season? I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Your last sentence is probably the most telling; there could well be a time when these new organisations far surpass the RFL in terms of financial clout and expertise - and may well grow frustrated with having to deal with the amateur committee man who is currently in charge; interesting times.

Apparently Nigel Wood is on Radio Yorkshire rugby league programme next Monday, and all can ask questions then

I might ask him for diet advice?

However if you want someone who will take the literally he is your man!

That is what I heard in an interview with them on Sky pre season.

m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/41544831 Is this yet another nail in the coffin for heartland clubs. I really think that now is the time to start looking into the posibility of an American Super League before we are over run by foreign sides

m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/41544831 Is this yet another nail in the coffin for heartland clubs. I really think that now is the time to start looking into the posibility of an American Super League before we are over run by foreign sides

how can he, it be no different to Marwan owning salford and wanting bradford ownership too

They will be all Aussies and British like Toronto, just makes a joke of the game. Even more embarrassing when the Canadian anthem is played, deadly silence

Ok. Let's just play games on the M62 corridor forever. 10 years should see the end of the game.
Change and progress the only way ahead as the current state isa Bloody mess.
RU have just done a trial game over there as they have seen our potential.
Siege the Day. All bout opinions though.
Which bus would I catch to Boston?

37 years in London !where are Fulham now? Weve had kent invicta mansfield marksman even scarborough pirates cardiff blue dragons and two attempts at south wales, how long before we realise its a norther game.

Oh by the way manual! What year was the game of rugby league formed? Seam along ten years ago.

FWIW, I am in favour of promoting the game both nationally and internationally, but in the right way and for the right reasons.

A league in the US could give the sport a shot in the arm internationally, but would give the sport here the kiss of death I feel.

Everybodys talking about average crowds this year, which includes the away support. Catalans dont bring too many over, even for Saturday or Sunday games.

Think the RFL need to work closely with the recently created clubs, and those heartlands clubs that are struggling. Without those heartlands clubs, we wouldnt have the sport to begin with

Once those newer clubs have a firm foundation, look to the next club, and the same again. Too many new clubs have been created, and then left to move onto the next one.